“Well?” Marcus said.
“We accept,” Ryker said, his tinny voice curt. Marcus’s expression bloomed into one of relieved satisfaction.
“That’s very good news, Ryker. I look forward to welcoming you and your mate into our pack, and to facing you both to determine your place in the hierarchy. I’m sure you’ll present a worthy challenge.
“Can you send over the pack charter?” Ryker asked. “I don’t want any surprises when I get up there.”
“Of course, anything else?” Marcus asked, grabbing a notepad off the fridge and walking over to the kitchen counter. He bent over, ready to take notes.
Dylan saw him write a few more things, but he couldn’t make out what Ryker was saying when Marcus was this far away from him.
“That all sounds reasonable. I’ll have the jet fly down to pick you up tomorrow morning, or is that too early?”
It better not be, Dylan thought with a vicious stab of anger.
“Good. I’ll be in contact, and then I’ll see you tomorrow.” Marcus rose up and turned around. “I’ll hand you off to Dylan.”
He lowered the phone, but before he handed it over, he pressed the mute button. Dylan was instantly on guard.
“Do you want me to put you up at a hotel for tonight?”
That was not what Dylan had expected. “What?”
“I thought you might want to stay somewhere neutral until my brother and your mates arrive, or am I wrong?”
Dylan shook his head. The idea of getting away from scary werewolves for the night sounded like heaven. “No, I’d like that. Thank you.”
Marcus nodded. “I’ll have Bruce drive you into town and drop you off. You can stay there and then Steve and the others can pick you up on the way from the airport.”
“Will your dad go along with this plan?” Dylan asked, suddenly worried. A second later he was struck by the fact that if he let Steve claim him, John Miller would be his werewolf father-in-law.
The thought was horrifying.
Marcus hesitated, but then he nodded. “He will, once I talk to him and make him see that this is the best path forward.”
Dylan squinted, hoping that when Marcus said talk, he actually meant talk, and not a repeat of the carnage from the living room. Marcus must have seen his unease, because he grinned. “Don’t worry. I can handle my dad.”
Dylan hoped he was right
39
AUGUST
“Are you still mad at me?”
August glanced up at William’s question to his brother, watching a mess of feelings flash over Steve’s face as he considered the question. They were on the way to Fairbanks, the four of them seated in the luxurious interior of a private jet owned by the Northwestern pack, and the mood was tense.
August hadn’t been able to catch much sleep in the brief time they’d had back at the apartment before they had to leave to catch their flight. Talking to Dylan after he’d gotten to his hotel room and seeing that he was fine had been what finally allowed him and Ryker to get a few hours of rest.
“I’m disappointed in the situation,” Steve finally said. He was looking out the window, staring at the mountains below them. He turned to William. “I know you didn’t want to deceive me.”
William flinched like he’d been struck.
“Youaremad at me,” he complained, making Steve’s mouth pinch unhappily.
August wanted to slap both of them. Steve for dragging them into his personal drama and for making August care about him against all his better judgment, and William because he was an annoying little shit.
“I’m angry at the situation. I’m not angry with you.”
