“Is there anything I need to know if you have to shift?” Was that even the right word?
Webster didn’t seem offended, but he did think about it carefully as he watched the wolf whose name really even Google couldn’t translate walked closer to the plot of land. “Drop really low. I’m large enough I’ll just be able to step over you and the other wolf won’t be expecting that. Wolves usually aim to look bigger when they fight.”
That was good to know.
But a lot of other things would’ve been good to know too…I needed to start making another list.
It wasn’t time for talking through it, though, because the idiot, as Braun kept calling him, finally called out as the other members of the pack moved to flank Braun on both sides. “Reckless and a liar. It’s not a good look on a fake Alpha.”
Huh?
“What?” Webster was just as confused as I was, which made me feel better. “Even I can tell Alphas from regular shifters.”
We were going to have to work on his self-esteem.
“For fuck’s sake.” Braun seemed to have lost his patience earlier than I’d expected.
Rolling his eyes, he tapped his chest. “Me Alpha.”
Webster nearly giggled as Braun pointed to the other wolf. “You moron.”
We were really going to need someone to explain how to say that man’s name.
“Alpha Otto explained the magic.” Sounding genuinely angry and disappointed if I was reading his tone right, the other wolf crossed his arms over his chest. “It might affect me, but I won’t let it fool me.”
That didn’t make any sense either.
“Does he seem to think Braun is using outside magic to make the packthinkhe’s the Alpha?” Webster nodded at my question but didn’t take his eyes off the two men.
How was Braun supposed to reason with that kind of crazy?
“That’s not how this works.” Braun’s tone was a mix of anger and frustration, and I wasn’t sure he knew how to deal with the crazy wolf. Even the other two pack members had cocked their heads like it wasn’t making sense. “You can tell I’m Alpha. I’mnotyourAlpha but you can feel the magic. What kind of insanity is going on in your pack?”
That was a very good question because everyone nonhuman I’d run into could clearly identify Braun as Alpha even if he wasn’t their Alpha.
“I don’t care what kind of amulet you stole or magic you acquired. I won’t be fooled. I’m loyal to my pack.” He was genuinely upset but I was fairly certain that was going to make everything worse. “Take down the spells around your compound and give me the pup.”
It wasn’t a compound.
Wait.
Did he live in a compound?
Had we asked Emeric what kind of living situation he’d been in?
Braun actually took a deep breath, probably telling himself to be patient because his tone was much steadier when he tried again. “No. The spells around the pack land react to let us know when someone who means us harm is trying to enter. You’ve at least thought about doing us harm, so the magic responded to that.”
Blinks.
All the angry man did was blink.
Were we making progress?
“Emeric belongs with us under pack law and council law. He’s also scared to go back because your Alpha had his father killed.” Braun’s matter-of-fact tone seemed to be either confusing him worse or making him reconsider…it was hard totell which, though. “We don’t do that. I have no idea what’s going on in your pack, but nothing you’ve said is right.”
Or logical.
“The pup belongs to the Alpha.” Repeating nonsense didn’t make it true, but it was all the confused man had. “The Alpha said so.”
