Page 89 of Bad Blood Alpha

Flynn stopped dead, glaring. “You planted a magical tracker on me?”

Xander smirked. “And you thought you’d taught me nothing.”

Laughing, Kira crested the ridge with her crew and ripped a hole in the air. “Come on,” she said. “I could use a beer.”

When they got to the Silverlake territory, it was full of people, and the grills were already firing up. Lissa ran up and threw herself into Tank’s arms, smothering his face with kisses.

“You’re back! You’re okay!”

Behind her came a boy of about five, yelling “Mr. Roary Lion! Mr. Tank!” He was followed closely by Brandon, who flung himself on Xander and Jenny. To Kira’s surprise, Flynn scooped up the other little boy and swung him around.

“Hi, Mr. Roary Lion! I met Lissa! She said you went to rescue dragons! Did you bring them back with you?”

Flynn laughed. “Only one,” he said. He drew Kira forward. “This is Kira, my mate. Kira, this is Brock Wells. His parents were with the…rescue party.”

“I’m Brock Reilly,” Brock told him proudly. “Noah Gray Wolf married my mom and me and now he’s my dad and I’m Brock Reilly.”

Brock turned to Kira, twisting in Flynn’s arms. “Mr. Roary Lion saved my life one time. Me and Mommy and Noah. He’s very good at that. And I stayed with him and his crew and he made me pancakes. He’s very good at that too.”

Kira smiled. “Yeah, he is.” Flynn ruffled Brock’s hair.

Brock reached out to hug Tank, who he also seemed to be good friends with, and then turned to Xander, who was holding Brandon.

“Hi, Mr. Grumpy Panther,” he said. Kira smothered a snort. “You have a little boy too! I just found out today.”

“Yep,” Xander said. “Did you meet each other?”

Brock nodded. “We played together while you were gone. Brandon was a panther and I was a woof and we played chase but he climbs up trees so I can’t catch him. Sometimes he forgets to take his clothes off before he Changes, but it’s okay because I help him after. He only scratched me a little.”

Half the crew had to turn away coughing to smother their laughter.

Brandon grinned. “Bock!” he said. “Can’t catch me!”

Jenny just shook her head. “Thank you for looking after him,” she said to Brock. “I’m sure he had a good time.”

Brock nodded. “It was fun because my other friend Michelangela is only a little baby and she doesn’t really play very good yet.”

Kira murmured, “Michelangela?”

Flynn shook his head. “Don’t ask.”

After that they were inundated with people. The leaders of the Silverlake pack, Jace and Emma Monroe. Jesse Travis, pack Negotiator, and his mate Sophia. Kane Colton, the Silverlake Enforcer, and his mate Rachelle, the flying serpent-horse Kira had seen at the battle. Brock’s parents, Noah and Mina Reilly. A tall, thin wolf with long blond hair named Tristan, who was greeted by the whole Bad Blood Crew like a long-lost brother. His sister Terin and her mate Rafe, who turned out to be the parents of baby Michelangela, a chubby and imperious six-month-old.

Everyone wanted to talk to Flynn. To clap him on the back, to tell him he rocked or he kicked ass or they were glad he was okay.

Kira knew that shifters in general avoided Flynn and feared him. She’d never realized so many people had a genuine respect for him—even loved him.

Kira found it overwhelming, and she could see Flynn did too. They managed to find a semi-quiet corner during dinner, while everyone ate and drank, and Xander and Rafe Connors entertained a group of Enforcers with a dirty joke competition. Which was eventually declared a tie.

When everyone was full and just a little bit drunk, Xander stood up and whistled sharply to get everyone to quiet down.

He stood up in front of the crowd of shifters and said, “Hey everybody. I know I’m not the official anything of the Bad Blood Crew, but I’m the one who called you all out last night. And you came—all of you—which is mind-blowing and more than any of us ever expected. So thanks. And I know Flynn thanks you too, but he doesn’t talk to people, so—”

Flynn rolled his eyes and heaved himself to his feet. “For fuck’s sake, Xander, sit down and shut the hell up before my lion bites you. I know how to fucking talk.”

Xander sat down, smirking.

He did that on purpose, Kira realized. Our crazy panther knows Flynn a lot better than anyone thinks, and he knew exactly how to make him get up there.