“Really?”
“Yes, at every point you seem to enjoy fighting with me.”
“No,” I say and let out a small laugh. “I don’t enjoy fighting with you. I was asking about Caleb and Dom. I don’t understand why they would just follow.”
He hesitates, searching my eyes again. “Come, I’ll tell you more. Maybe hearing how easy it was for the others will help you.” I doubt that, but I’m eager to hear any information he’s willing to share with me.
“Can you tell me about your old pack too?”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” I want to know everything. I feel like I’m the only one who’s clueless and I’m tired of it.
“Okay. Well, for starters, I hate my old pack and they are worthy of my contempt.” I crawl on the bed and wait for him to sit. Patting the spot next to me, he side-eyes me before lying on the bed. With his arm wrapping around me, he pulls me in and I don’t object to his touch in the least. Even if it is distracting. “My father was Alpha.” His hand runs through my damp hair as he talks. “I was a pup when he died and I hardly remember anything about him. I know a little of my mom, but when he died, things changed quickly and got out of hand so suddenly.” His hand stills as he takes a deep breath.
“I was too young to take over; it was my right, but I was only about ten or so. No one fought for the position. A shifter by the name of Sarin took over and started changing things.” His brow furrows and he stares straight ahead as he continues. “The pack started dealing drugs. My mother became addicted. I remember more of her than my father. I know I loved her. I did. But I was angry with her. It felt like she may as well have died with my father the way she ignored us.” His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose and he heaves in a deep breath. “She died a year or two later and that’s when things got worse.”
I rub his chest in encouragement. Placing small kisses on his shoulder, I tell him, “I’m so sorry, baby.” He kisses my hair, acknowledging my words.
“One day, the day I left, I heard them at the fighting ring.” He swallows before adding, “They used to make money by betting on the fights and taping them to sell on the black market.” A chill goes through my body. Suddenly, I don’t know if I want him to continue. “I heard Lev. He was crying. They threw him in with two wolves. Not shifters, just animals. Starved and angry animals.”
“Oh my God.” I let out a gasp as tears prick my eyes.
“I knew he’d heal, but only if he could fight them off. I was able to get him out and run before they killed him. No one stopped us.” He finally meets my eyes. “Did you notice the scar on his nose?”
I nod and whisper my admission. “I thought he broke it.”
“It’s scarred from the wolves. I didn’t realize the bones had to be placed together to heal right. I’ve offered many times to break it,” he says and chuckles, lightening the mood. “But he wanted to keep it. To remember.” His hand gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “He may joke and smile, but he’s still hurting. They would’ve let him die. All for entertainment and a bit of money.” I bury my head into his shoulder, wiping my stray tears on his warm body.
The urge to cry nearly overwhelms me but I fight back the tears, eager for Devin to continue. Pressing my skin against his, I nestle as close as I can and wait for him to continue.
With a deep breath, he does.
“We left that night and I was determined to start a new pack. I wouldn’t ever go back. By then I was fourteen and just coming into adulthood. We met Vince first, only a few days after leaving. He was out hunting in wolf form, alone after his parents died. A bear had ventured into their den at night. It was just the three of them. His dad eventually killed the bear, but his wounds were too deep and he bled out before he was able to heal.” I swallow hard and try to get rid of the knot in my throat. I hadn’t expected all this heavy information.
Each one of them damaged in a way I could never know.
“Vince was hurting and in deep need of comfort and companionship. He was a bit older, but when I led us toward the river, he followed. A few weeks later, we found Dom and Caleb. They were fishing, two rogue wolves who’d fled their shit pack together. I found out eventually that Dom had killed his father and uncle, then taken Caleb with him before the rest of the pack went looking for them. When we saw them, I said nothing. I simply acknowledged their presence and continued to lead my small pack south, to warmer lands before the winter storms would cause us too many problems. They followed us. At first they kept a few miles behind. But one night when we set up camp, they came and sat around the firepit as though they belonged.” He smiles down at me before lying on his side and trailing his fingers down the curve of my hip. “And they did belong. I knew they’d come so I’d cooked extra meat and left it to the side for them. For whenever they decided that they could trust us.”