Garridan liked the way the wolf shifter didn’t take anything in his life very seriously. Sage needed more of that sometimes. He was in his head far too much for it to be healthy. Hell, even Garridan needed it sometimes too.
He heard Sage laugh again and smiled. Then the door opened, and arms wrapped around his waist. Garridan turned and held Sage close.
“Vaughan is going to come out here and tease you to death,” Sage whispered.
“Should I have Bennett set him on fire?”
“Burn his britches.” Sage chuckled.
Garridan smiled and kissed him.
Sage turned serious. “Are you ready for this? It’s the first challenge in a really long time for Saint Lakes.”
“The challenge isn’t my problem.”
“Then whatis?”
“I don’t know any of them.” Garridan looked out at the yard filled with shifters, both in human form and in their animal form. “I’m not used to being around so many unknown shifters. It’s making me…uneasy.”
“I know all of them and most of them are good people”
“Who isn’t?”
Do you see that group off to the left? There are two wolves and two in their human forms. Those four cause problems all the time. They’re the ones that Ramsey was talking about when he said he thought someone was working for the vampires. That’s them.
“What are their names?” Garridan asked.
Tyron is the one with the dark hair and the ugly beard that makes him look like a lumberjack, especially with that flannel shirt. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but he can’t pull that off at all.
“Sage,” Garridan said, trying to rein his mate back in.
Sorry. Reagan, is the redhead. He just goes along with them. He’s not much of a threat.
Except for the way he looked around at everyone as if he was trying to memorize everything around him, ready to take that information back to someone else. Garridan would keep his eyes on that one.
Kevin is a drug addict. He’s been that way for a long time. He hangs out with them because Reagan can get him drugs somehow. I don’t really think he’s a bad person though. He’s got a problem. He needs help. Maybe we should ask Dr. Tucker to help him.
“Sage.”
Sorry. Calvin is the one with the longish hair, but no beard. Sort of looks like Tyron. They’re brothers. I went to school with those two. Their mother beat the shit out of them when they were young cubs, but not so much when they got older. The Alpha before Ramsey kicked the mother out of the clan, but not beforeshe made her sons into assholes. They’ve caused me problems at the diner in the past.
Garridan growled low in his throat. “He says one word to you and I’ll kill him.”
Sage smiled and lifted up on his tiptoes to kiss him.Of the two brothers, Tyron will be the one to challenge you for the Beta spot, if anyone even does. Anyone would be stupid to go up against you. You’re stronger than everyone. As strong as Ramsey.
This time Garridan talked to Sage through their mental link.I’m not going to challenge Ramsey. I don’t want to be Alpha.
I know, but they’ll find out soon enough. Everyone here will be able to sense it. Some might try to force you to challenge Ramsey. Oh gods, I hadn’t thought of that before now. This challenge is one great big mistake.
It will be fine.
This will cause problems, Garridan.
I have a plan.
Before Sage could ask him what he was going to do, Ramsey and Bennett came out of the house. Lucas held on to Bennett’s hand for dear life. Garridan stood next to Lucas. He put a hand on Lucas’ shoulder and let him read what was on his mind. For the first time ever, he let Lucas in and didn’t get angry when he started poking around. He saw that Garridan was a little nervous with the clan members and he saw why. He also saw what Garridan had planned if someone forced him to challenge Ramsey.
He felt Lucas leave his mind and Garridan took his hand away.
