“Hey, Son,” Alpha Blackwood says.
“Hey, Dad, sorry for the late call. Slate and Quint are here as well.”
I can hear the change come over him. “What happened?”
I explain to him everything that went down tonight, only leaving out the threats that Sam made about Riley. When I finish, Alpha’s voice is heavy. “You did the right thing.” I know I did, but hearing him confirm it makes me feel that much better. “Slate, let’s get you through this game. You focus on that. When you boys get back, we’ll have a pack meeting and talk about how best to go forward.”
I nod. “Thanks, Dad,” Zane says.
“Stay close to the girls and keep your eyes and ears open.”
“We will,” Zane says. He hangs up and faces us. “Thank you.” He drops a hand on my shoulder. “I owe you.”
“No, you don’t.”
This is my job. Someday, soccer will be behind me. Joe will be ready to step aside from his responsibilities, and it will be my turn to take over as pack enforcer. I can only hope I’ll be half as good an enforcer as Joe. Zane must read my thoughts because he turns to me. “You’ll be ready when the time comes. And you’re going to be a really good enforcer.” He sighs. “Let’s get some sleep.”
“I’ll run you back,” Quint says, grabbing keys.
I check on Tessa one more time before I leave, and then I head outside. “Why didn’t you tell them about Riley?” Quint asks as soon as we pull away from the house.
I knew this was coming. “I will, just not yet. It’s not something Alpha needs to hear over the phone. And it’s not something Zane needs to hear about his little sister when he’s a long way from home. I also want to tell Reid first.” I watch him carefully, but he doesn’t look at all surprised.
“What?” he asks and then grins. “You think I didn’t know? The guy’s made it so obvious for years.”
I smirk. “Yeah, well, Riley certainly hasn’t picked up on it.”
“She will.” I nod because he’s right. “When we get back, I’ll tell Reid everything; and then we’ll tell Alpha and Zane.”
Quint agrees. “You going to be able to sleep tonight?”
I take a deep breath. “Actually, I think I'm going to sleep better than I have in a long time knowing that that particular threat to my mate is gone.”
Quint parks in front of the hotel and tuns to me, his face serious. “Will you tell Tessa?”
“I will when the time is right.”
He takes that in. “Night, Slate.”
“Night, Quint.”
For the first time in months, there’s a lightness to me as I drift off to sleep. The threats aren’t done, but the immediatethreat to my mate has been dealt with. And that makes sleeping tonight so much easier.
Chapter 47
Tessa
I bounce up and down. “Do you see him?”
Quint chuckles. “No. For the forty-seventh time, if I see him before you do, I will point him out.”
“There are so many stinkin’ tall people here,” I mutter to him. We’re standing on the sidelines because Slater promised he’d come see me before the game. I figured it would be easier to just be down here, so he could see me and then get right back. But apparently, every tall dude in the state had the same idea. I can’t see the field, like at all.
“I told you we can go back to the stands,” Quint says.
“No, this is where I told him I’d meet him; I’m not going back on my word.”
He puts up his hands. “Okay. Just a suggestion.”
