Fruit?
Was there any way a group of wolf shifters would be this excited for fruit?
“Yes.” Braun held up a finger before Emeric could get too excited. “But only if you tell me the catch right off the bat. You promised to side with me, not my mother.”
I nearly laughed but Emeric nodded seriously. “Yes, Alpha. It’s covered in chocolate. She bought something weird off the internet and we’re going to help test it for her. But she’s doing it on fruit, so I didn’t lie.”
He’d just left out strategic details.
“Alright. Just on the fruit, though. You need real food soon or teach here is going to complain.” Braun shrugged as I sighed, and we both got a giggle from Emeric and the rest of the young members of the pack. “Told ya so.”
He really liked being right.
“Yes, Alpha.” Emeric threw his arms around Braun and then me before he turned and the kids all ran off toward the woods as he called out behind him. “I won’t stay late. I’ll be back soon for burgers.”
“I’m assuming the other kids know where your mother lives?” I felt better when he nodded confidently. “And we’re still going to pretend all of this is just a regular day in the pack?”
The kids hadn’t asked many questions and seemed to have assumed Emeric was visiting again. I wasn’t sure if he’d explained anything else or not, but Braun would have to at some point.
“Until I can get ahold of his aunt.” Braun clearly wasn’t pleased about the silence from Emeric’s aunt, but we’d only been waiting an hour, so we couldn’t worry too much yet. “I can still feel her pack bond and nothing is telling me she’s in danger.”
“Then we’ll be patient.” But the silence was making me wonder if tracking the pack members’ phones going forward would be overkill. “No one seems to be missing him yet, sokeeping his visit private is probably the best idea for the moment.”
Braun knowing that she wasn’t scared was helpful, though.
“You’re right.” Braun’s long exhale said he didn’t like it, but he looked lighter as he focused on me. “But you know that means I’m in charge of the pup until we get a lot more information.”
I wasn’t sure information would make him give up the pup, but if he wanted to put it that way I wasn’t going to argue with him.
“You’re the Alpha.” I shrugged. “You can handle one pup.”
Especially one who idolized him.
Somehow the short visit Emeric had made when he was younger had made an indelible impression on him and Braun wasn’t just an Alpha in his mind…Braun was The Alpha. Even with the man’s inability to get groceries or make sure someone would relieve him at work.
“Come sit down on the porch and I’ll get us something to drink. I’d like to hear more about Emeric’s first visit and about the pack in general.” My lack of knowledge was starting to show and I wasn’t sure how much I could trust books. “I know just enough to look ridiculous if I have to talk to anyone other than a child.”
Braun laughed, shaking his head about something. “Alright, but I want you to think about how Emeric’s going to react later when you tell him you’re leaving for the night.”
I didn’t like the look on his face.
“Emeric understands you need groceries.” That was something no one could deny. “We already talked about mecoming back tomorrow. I’m not going to run off with your debit card.”
I wasn’t that kind of person and they both knew that.
I was a math teacher for goodness’ sake.
But as I walked into the house and Braun sat down on one of the oversized chairs on the deck that overlooked the backyard, he laughed.
How a grown man could be so ridiculous I’d never understand.
I also couldn’t understand how his pantry was so empty.
“What’s my grocery budget tomorrow?” He laughed as I called out the back door, but he was smart and it didn’t last long.
“Realistically, it’s going to take a few trips to stock back up, so we’ll say a thousand tomorrow? Is that enough?” His tone said he wasn’t sure, but I was just glad he at least had a reasonable understanding of how little food he had.
Even if Emeric were human, he probably could’ve eaten me under the table, but add in the different genetics and having to feed Braun and need food for anyone who stopped over…well…we were going to need several trips.
