His house. His rules.
When he left, I shifted once more and when I returned to human form, I realized my leg would not heal any further than it already had. There was no more pain, only limited mobility. I’d never be able to run as fast as I once could, and I would always walk with a limp. I just hoped my wolf got around better than I did, but I feared for her being singled out and forced into an omega position by the pack. I had equal rank with Izzy, and Lexi was the alpha female. The social order was necessary to keep the pack unified.
Around noon, I decided to go back downstairs. Someone had left a change of clothes for me on the food cart. I slipped on a dark green skirt with rows of patterns on the crinkled material. It reached my ankles and looked pretty, but the white T-shirt was tight and outlined everything, so I draped my braid across the front. I didn’t like revealing outfits that showed off my breasts, and while the shirt concealed them, it also accentuated them. A slight chill was going to draw a lot of attention.
This time when I went to meet the pack, I used the stairs. It took a little longer, but I was learning how to move my body differently to accommodate for my disability.
A boy in his upper teens and an older girl were looking out the front window. “It’s snowing!” the girl said. “I can’t believe it!”
“It won’t stick,” an older wolf argued from his spot on the leather sofa. “It’s too early in the season, not to mention it never snows around here. We’re not living in Alaska, kids. So enjoy it while it lasts.”
“Can we go outside?” the girl asked.
“Hell no,” Watcher barked out as he walked in from an adjoining room on the right. He was tall and menacing, but the kids seemed to warm up to him.
“Please,” the girl said, clutching his arm. “Just on the porch.”
“It’s too dangerous. We’ve got a rogue pack out there.”
“Jesus, Watcher,” the man on the couch complained. “Just let them out for a minute or they’ll hold this against you for the next ten years until it snows again.”
The kids looked at him expectantly. I wondered why there weren’t any young ones in the house, especially given that I’d seen a few mated couples.
Watcher lifted a knit hat off a hat rack and slid it over his head. “Come on, let’s go.”
They both ran to a coat closet and put on their jackets so fast you’d think they were going on a trip. When the door swung open, a biting wind crept in and I shivered.
“Cold out there, huh?” the guy from the couch said, his eyes on my chest.
I folded my arms.
“So what’s wrong with your leg?”
Ignoring him, I went into the room to my right. A beautiful cream-colored rug stretched across the floor, and several chairs were lined up against the walls, facing each other. Windows spanned the left wall and the one straight ahead. I cautiously took a seat on the right by the entrance to stay away from the wolf lying on the rug. He eyed me suspiciously, as did a few of the others.
“We heard what you did last night,” one of the men commented. “I’m sure Lorenzo has given his appreciation, but I’d like to give mine. Not everyone here likes Rebecca, but she’s family.”
The white wolf lifted his head and his lips peeled back, revealing his canines. He wanted to intimidate me. I wasn’t part of his pack, so it was inappropriate for him to try to rank me.
I ignored him and replied to the man in the right corner with the black ponytail. “I’m just glad that I could help. They’re here because of me, so I’ll do what I can to protect your pack while I’m in your company.”
“Excuse me?” the woman across from me said. A single curl fell out of the messy knot clipped on her head. She had on a white sweater that made her dark features stand out. “Those assholes were here because of you?”
“I know their leader,” was all I could offer. “Lorenzo is aware of it. Don’t worry; I’ll be leaving here tomorrow, if not sooner. You have a strong pack, and he won’t try again.”
My heart raced when the white wolf stalked toward me with his ears back.
“Jonus!” One man leaned forward but made no attempt to get up.
The wolf didn’t listen. He was just three feet from me, growing more aggressive with each passing second. Then his tongue curled over his front teeth.
I stood up as fast as my body would allow. “I will not submit to you,” I said, refusing to yield. “Back off.”
“Jonus, she’s a guest,” the man said, as if the wolf could understand him.
The growls that rolled out had everyone on edge. When one of the men stood up, the wolf turned his head back and barked ferociously, making him sit. Then I realized he must have outranked all the Shifters in this room.