Couldn’t go back?
How was the best way to ask that?
Braun charged in before I could decide. “So I take it your looking for a new pack?”
Well, it wasn’t where I’d have started but it would work.
Chapter 6
Braun
Red flags were waving all around the pup like we were in the middle of a bull fight. I managed not to react as he nodded, though.
“Yes, Alpha.” He knew to take the topic seriously, sitting up and frowning. “I will request to join the pack and pledge it once you tell me how that works here.”
His frown deepened but it was more cute that worrisome. “We never had people join this pack, so I don’t know how to do it. I looked online but that wasn’t helpful.”
“Online?” Dorian jumped in, unable to stay out of anything like any good Alpha Mate. “Is there a strong online community for your people? Is it safe? What kind of controls are on it?”
The pup was trying not to smile but he was doing a terrible job of it. “Um, I don’t think I should answer any of that because I don’t want to end up grounded.”
Smart-ass.
But he was a smart smart-ass.
Dorian sighed and gave us both a disappointed look. “That’s not a good answer.”
It seemed like internet safety for the pups had just moved up his to-do list, but we had a few other things that needed to come first. “We’ll look into that. I hadn’t thought about how dangerous it could be.”
Mostly because I didn’t use it.
But before he could get us off track, I steered us back in the necessary direction. “I don’t think you found much because each pack does it differently.”
Some were weirdly old-fashioned about it, but luckily for the pup, we were more progressive. “We have a few questions that need to be answered because I need to make sure you’re not a wanted criminal in either pack or human law, and if you are wanted, I need to understand what you did.”
Dorian’s dramatic sigh said he had thoughts on that. “Please don’t tell me how flexible you are on that. I’ll worry.”
Emeric snickered. “I’m not a serial killer or anything like that. So we’re good.”
Rolling his eyes, Dorian huffed. “I should hope not. You’re clearly a very nice boy and a good student. You like math for goodness’ sake.”
He had weird logic and I couldn’t decide if it was because he was human or just strange.
“I’ll be helpful too.” Emeric looked as though he didn’t know how he’d do that right off the bat, but he sat taller again as he decided to fake it. “I’ll learn quickly.”
“You’ll be focused on your studies.” Dorian’s glare had the pup trying not to smile again. “That’s the most important thing.”
He had a lot of opinions for someone who’d never hung out with shifters before.
“I have to earn my keep, though.” Emeric was clearly going to be stubborn about it, but I was glad to see our math teacher considering it thoughtfully. “I’ll be pack.”
“I agree.” To something about it, at the very least, but Dorian kept me waiting while he thought. “We need to be practical, though. Someone as smart as you needs to be focused on college so that you can do your best to help the pack in the long run.”
Oh, interesting tactic.
“What if they need an accountant or something like that but you slacked off your studies and can’t help in the way the fates intended?” He sounded too natural about that and something he saw on our faces must’ve shown our questions because he shrugged. “My neighbor with the multi-level marketing scheme keeps using that expression.”
“It works.” His neighbors were idiots. “And you’re right.”
