Not that it mattered now.
He had left.
Whether they could get back what they’d lost remained to be seen.
As the boat neared the shore, Sam jumped out, leaving the other two in the boat to drag it up and onto the sand.
“Michael!” he yelled, splashing through the shallows towards him.
As soon as Sam came within range, Michael darted forward and swept him into a tight hug. Burying his face in the crook of his brother’s neck, he breathed in a scent that made him want to throw his head back and howl.
Family.
Home.
“It’s so fucking good to see you.” He pulled back enough to get a good look at him. He’d filled out in the years since they’d last seen each other. Broader shoulders, muscles where before he’d been lean. The dark stubble coating Sam’s chin added a maturity that he hadn’t had before.
His smile widened, eyes shining with happiness. “I’ve missed you.” He pulled Michael in for another hug. “Having a little trouble believing you’re really here.” His voice caught on the last word, and he clung to Michael with no sign of letting go again. “We’re never fucking doing that again.”
“No,” Michael said, dragging him back into his arms. “We’re not.”
When they finally separated, Michael turned around to face the five curious expressions behind him. “This is Sam.” He gestured to his brother now standing beside him. “My little brother.”
Introductions were made, and then Michael excused them both, leading Sam down to the water’s edge. “Take a walk with me?”
Sam nodded and started walking. “We can’t go far at this time of day. Tide’s coming in.”
“It doesn’t matter. I just want to talk to you, to catch up.”I’ve missed so much.
Sam barked out a laugh. “Not sure I can catch you up on five years’ worth before it gets dark.” He walked backwards for a few steps, brow furrowing. “Are they going to come for you?”
Michael had wanted to forget about the outside world for a while, focus on reconnecting with his brother, but the clear worry in his expression made that impossible. “Eventually.” He glanced up at the sky, watching the seagulls for a moment before facing Sam. “I got word today that the HRU have targeted Mothecombe as a place of interest. I’m hoping we have a couple of days at least.” He shrugged. “But who knows with Simon.”
Sam snarled. “I never liked that prick.”
Michael snorted. “I know.” He’d made his opinion very clear when Michael became alpha. But Michael hadn’t had much choice in taking Simon as beta. Those high up in the Shifter Alliance Party, alphas in the council with more power than him at the time, had wanted certain people in place in the prominent packs.
Thank the Goddess I managed to get Baker in.
“Is Baker okay?” Sam kicked a stone into the waves, hands thrust into his pockets. “Isaac told me you had to make it believable.”
He wasn’t surprised Isaac had filled him in. Sam would’ve wanted to know everything. Michael swallowed past the lump in his throat. Talking about Baker wouldn’t get any easier until he could see for himself that he was okay. And who the fuck knew when that would be? “He’s okay. For now.”
Sam drew in a deep breath, then bit his lip. “This is it then?”
“I think so. If we don’t act now, things will escalate. Baker isn’t safe there, nor are some of the others, not after what I’ve done.” Baker, Jacob, and the rest of his pack who weren’t happy with the current state of affairs. They were all at risk if Simon managed to convince enough alphas that the McKillan pack needed a new leader. One who was more aligned with the Shifter Council.
“So, what’s the plan?” Sam looked at him as though he had all the answers, and Michael bit back his instinctive “I have no idea,” because that wasn’t what Sam or any of the others needed to hear.
He’d never felt so lost.
“You’re still an alpha.”
Isaac’s words ran in his head.
I am. And I need to fucking act like it.
Drawing on the power still lurking beneath his skin, Michael raised his voice enough that everyone would hear him. “First, we need to put out feelers through the shifter members of the CEG, see who our allies are. What help we can rely on, who we need to neutralise.”
