A man that I’d never seen before stood there.
He wasn’t much older than I was. He was shorter, too, and leaner. His dark eyes crinkled as he squinted up at me, framed by chunky black glasses. His skin was pale and his hair was black, cut almost militarily short. He wore jeans and dusty boots, like he’d been on the road for a while. He was a Beta, and an attractive one at that, but I could tell he knew that.
He arched an eyebrow at me as Elizabeth growled louder.
“Wolf,” I said.
“Ox,” he replied. He grinned and white teeth flashed. “I come in peace and bring tidings of great joy. My name is Robbie Fontaine. You may have known my predecessor, Osmond.”
Elizabeth snarled at him. I heard Mark growling somewhere off to my right.
Robbie winced. “Yeah, probably not the best idea to mention that name. That’s my bad. Won’t happen again. Well, I can’t actually promise that. I’ll probably say some shit I don’t mean. For that, I’m sorry. I’m still sort of new at this.”
“At what?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Being in the position that I’m in.”
“And what position is that?”
He cocked his head at me, assessing. “Why,” he said, “I’m here to protect you.”
I snorted. “Protect.”
That smile came back. “Indeed. I need to see your Alpha.”
ROBBIE FONTAINE came from the east.
There was a new Alpha in place. For now. Her name was Michelle Hughes. She’d risen to Thomas’s old position, governing over all packs in the United States.
Including mine.
“She’s a good woman,” Mark said. “Good head on her shoulders. She’ll do the right thing. We’re okay there. She’ll be good, for the next few years.”
Until Joe was left unsaid.
We sat in the living room, Robbie across from us on the sofa, while we were on the couch, Mark pressed against one side of me and Elizabeth against the other. I thought maybe this would be enough for her to shift back, but she didn’t.
“She sends her condolences,” Robbie said. “She would have come herself, but there are… pressing matters, as I’m sure you understand.”
Mark nodded. It was all very diplomatic.
“Where’s Joe?” Robbie asked. “He’s not here.” He knew that, though. He knew that the moment he entered the house. Probably even before. I didn’t want to think why Elizabeth and Mark hadn’t heard him approach.
I waited for Mark to speak. He didn’t.
I was surprised to find him looking at me. Obviously waiting.
Robbie didn’t miss that little exchange.
I looked back at him. “He’s not here,” I repeated slowly.
“Ox, is it?” he asked me.
I nodded.
“I’ve heard things about you.”
“Oh?”