Ivan set his pipe down and stretched his legs. “I wouldn’t worry about Fox, not unless he’s managed to convince the crazy fools following him to act on his wishes. It’s real hard for a non-alpha to boss around a bunch of nomads. But he’s conniving. If he wants her, well… I can’t do anything about that.”
Lorenzo shifted in his chair. Why would her father make such an unfeeling statement? Fox had no claim on his daughter just because he’d put his cock in her. That image invaded his thoughts and he drew in a deep, calming breath. “Ivy was injured by a car while in wolf form, and I’m offering her temporary shelter. She’ll return to Cole in another two days, and then she’ll be his problem. I’m not certain he’ll be able to fight off this rogue pack. Cole has many weak points, namely the humans they’ll be protecting within his house. He also doesn’t have the numbers if Fox has a substantial pack.”
“Humans?” Ivan’s lip curled in with disgust. “Cole’s family was one of them hippy-dippy kinds, traveling about and never settling. His father’s a good man, but I’ve had my doubts about Austin holding a pack together. Still, I gave him the benefit of the doubt when I sent Ivy to live with him.”
“I sent him my second-in-command to fight off any further attacks until I can return your daughter.”
Ivan chuckled. “You are one dumb injun.”
Lorenzo launched to his feet. “With all due respect, if you call me that once more, we’ll settle this Shifter style.”
Ivan knew what that meant: a challenge in wolf form. He sucked on his teeth for a minute and gave a low grunt. Ivan might trump him in rank, but Lorenzo’s wolf was young and undoubtedly the fiercer of the two. It was an alpha’s right to challenge another Packmaster when he was insulted. It wasn’t a fight that would go to the death, but it would leave one of them in a submissive position that would look bad to that man’s pack.
“When you called to tell me you were coming up, Church, I foolishly thought you were going to ask permission to mate with my daughter. If I didn’t know better, I might still wonder about that. The way I see it, you should have returned Ivy to her Packmaster. But you didn’t. You offered him your second so you could keep Poison Ivy around. You’ll never be able to scratch that itch. Tell me how fast it took her to climb into your bed?”
“You’re a repugnant man.”
“Maybe so,” Ivan said, rising to his feet. “But that girl took away the only thing that meant something to me in this world. My mate. I’m not about to go into personal details with the likes of you, but I only have parental obligation toward that woman. My advice is that you return her to Cole before she brings you to ruin. I sent her to stay with Cole because that girl needs to learn how to be submissive, and I trust Cole enough that I know he’ll make sure to do that. He’s got a willful mate who won’t put up with that kind of thing in her pack, so between the two of them, they’ll keep her in line. Now that we’ve cleared the air, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here? I don’t like deception, and I’m feeling like a man deceived. If it’s not my daughter you want, then what sent you all this way from Austin fucking Texas?”
Lorenzo glanced down at Ivan’s snakeskin boots.
“Like ’em?” he asked, tipping one foot out to the side. “These came from a Shifter who made the mistake of crossing me.”
“There’s one thing you should know about me, Kizer. I’m not a man who likes to be threatened. If you do it once more, I’ll shift in this room and tear out your throat. I came on behalf of your daughter to find out more about this Fox character. He’s not just an issue with Cole, but we don’t like rogue packs sniffing out neighboring territories. If they’re successful at a hostile takeover of Cole’s pack, then Fox becomes my problem. I’m a man who likes to keep his grass cut low so the weeds don’t take over. You said he took one man from your pack, but no friends outside your home?”
“Not that I know of. Fox likes to run with other Breeds.” Ivan paced toward the window and rubbed his nose. “Not many around here mingle with other animals, but I’d seen him commiserating with panthers and the occasional grizzly. It didn’t look good on our pack, but I couldn’t really do a damn thing about it. What they do outside this house is not my problem unless they bring it through my front door.”
Lorenzo pinched his chin, realizing Fox could be a bigger problem than he’d first realized. If he ran with other animals, then he could have formed a multi-Shifter pack, and that could be a dangerous situation to control. That valuable piece of information just made the long trip to Oklahoma worth it.
“I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, Kizer. Here’s my number if you wish to call your daughter.” Lorenzo placed his business card on a small table and Ivan peered over his shoulder before turning back to the window.
Deciding he’d overstayed his welcome, Lorenzo swaggered toward the door.
“And Church?”
Lorenzo gripped the doorknob. “Yes?”
They met eyes.