Nature of the Pack
“Put your hand here,” Kelsey said. She leaned closer to Rue on the couch, took Rue’s hand, and guided it. Rue’s calluses tickled Kelsey’s skin, sending shivers through her body.
“Like this?” Rue asked.
“A little more. Yes, yes, that’s good. Now move your fingers in a circle. Yes, exactly like that.” The feeling of being watched made Kelsey look up.
Their Saru guard, Zoe, peeked over from the kitchen and stared at them, her face a bright red.
Danny glanced up from his PSP game too. He looked at Zoe and then to Kelsey’s hands, which guided Rue’s to form the right hand shape.
“So that’s the sign for shape-shifter?” Rue asked.
“Exactly. And this means wolf-shifter.” Kelsey combined the sign for wolf with the one for shape-shifting.
Zoe hurried away.
“What’s going on with her?” Rue glanced at the Saru’s retreating back. “She looked flustered.”
Danny grinned and signed, “She thought you two were using your hands for something more fun than signing.”
Heat rushed up Kelsey’s neck and made the tips of her ears burn as she realized how her sign language instructions must have sounded to the Saru.
The devilish sparkle in Danny’s eyes reminded her of Garrick. At fourteen, her brother had constantly played pranks on the other pack members. Just a few years later, he had become a responsible second-in-command. She hoped Danny would find his place in the pack too—even if it was a rather unusual pack.
Rue shook her head. “You know, you Wrasa have dirty minds.”
“Us?” Kelsey and Danny exchanged a glance.
The doorbell shattered the silence. Lights flashed.
“Saved by the bell,” Kelsey signed to Danny.
“I’ll get it,” Zoe shouted.
Since their return to Clearfield two months ago, the Saru had isolated them from the rest of the world. Most of the time, Kelsey was secretly grateful. After she had outed the Wrasa to the human public, every stranger—Wrasa and human alike—felt like a possible threat to Kelsey.
Zoe’s steps stopped in the foyer, and then Kelsey heard her open the front door. “Ma’am, sir, how may I help you?”
Ma’am? Sir? Unless she was talking to Tala, her commander, Zoe rarely used such a respectful tone.
Kelsey tensed. Was a high-ranking Saru or even a member of the council standing at the door? Had Jeff Madsen come to take her away from Rue and Danny after all? She gripped Rue’s arm.
“We’re here to see our daughter,” a deep voice said.
Dad! Now her parents’ scent drifted in from the front door, making Kelsey’s eyes widen in alarm. Great Hunter, what are they doing here? As far as Kelsey knew, Jeff Madsen had ordered them to stay in Oregon, even after the council had lifted the travel ban they had imposed on all shape-shifters after being outed to the human public.
Kelsey shot up from the couch. She threw a quick glance at Danny, who had stiffened, probably smelling her anxiety. “Stay here,” she told him, and with a glance to Rue, she added, “Please, stay with Danny.”
She rushed out of the living room. The first thing she saw was her father’s steel-gray hair towering above Zoe.
“I’m sorry,” Zoe said. “I’m not authorized to let you in. You need to wait until my commander returns.”
“We’re her parents.” Her mother’s voice lashed out like a whip, making Kelsey flinch. “We don’t need authorization to see our own daughter.”
Zoe stood her ground. “This house and everyone in it stands under the protection of the Saru. If you try to enter without permission, the council will have your pelt.”
“Who says I don’t have permission?” Franklin entered the foyer, going nose to nose with Zoe. “Out of my way, cub!”
“Sir, if you don’t step back, I’ll call in backup and have you removed from the premises,” Zoe said, a snarl in her voice.
Kelsey rushed over before the situation could escalate. Under the pretense of hugging her father, she stepped between Franklin and Zoe. Her father smelled of his favorite leather recliner, instantly reminding Kelsey of her childhood.
“Dad, Mom.” She hugged her mother. For a moment, she let herself enjoy the way her mother’s pencil-and-guitar-strings scent mingled with her father’s.
Her mother’s callused hands stroked along Kelsey’s arms, across her shoulders, and down her back, as if to make sure Kelsey was still in one piece—or maybe to mark her with the pack scent.
Kelsey fought not to pull back. “What are you doing here? How did you find out where I was?”
Her mother clung to her as if she would never let go of Kelsey again. “Jeff Madsen called us yesterday. He said we can finally take you home, so we got on the next plane.”
Kelsey squeezed her eyes shut. I should have known that Madsen wouldn’t just accept my resignation.
Her mother patted her arm. “Pack your bag. We’re taking you home.”
This is my home. But, of course, she couldn’t tell her parents that. Kelsey rubbed her forehead.
“You and Little Franklin.” Her father lifted his head. His nostrils flared. “He’s here, isn’t he?” He stared in the direction of the living room.
“He smells just like Garrick did,” her mother whispered. Her eyes, as hazel as Danny’s, held equal amounts of pain and joy.
Kelsey’s mouth went dry. She had dreamed of this moment since she had first suspected Danny was her nephew. She had imagined bringing Danny home to meet his grandparents. In her mind, it had always been a joyous day for all of them. But now that the moment had come, doubt gnawed at her. Her parents wanted to take Danny away from Rue, and that was a really bad idea.
But she couldn’t deny her parents an answer. They had a right to know. “Yes. Danny is here.”
“Danny?” Her father’s voice rumbled through Kelsey as he placed a hand on her back.
“Little Franklin,” Kelsey said. “His name is Danny now. He grew up in a human family.”
Her mother pressed her hands to her mouth. “Oh, Great Hunter! Franklin, what did we do? We should have never given up the search for him.”
“We combed every inch of that riverbank, Della.” Franklin pulled her against his side. “If Garrick and Sabrina, two strong adults, didn’t make it out of that river alive, what were the chances that a baby had survived? We didn’t know.”
“We should have.” Della buried her face against his chest. “We should have sensed it somehow.”
Kelsey had gone through the same thoughts during the last few weeks. Sometimes, she had wanted to call her parents and shout at them for keeping the truth from her. But all the screaming and shouting in the world couldn’t change what had happened.
“Where is he?” Franklin pushed past Kelsey.
“Sir!” Zoe grabbed his arm to stop him. “You can’t just—”
“I can and I will.” Franklin glared at Zoe’s hand on his arm as if he was about to rip it off. “Don’t you know who I am? I was already natak of one of the most powerful packs in America when you still had your kitten teeth. Let me go if you know what’s good for you!”
Zoe jerked her hand back as if she had burned herself. She ducked her head and stepped aside.
Great. Kelsey cursed the fact that Tala, Zoe’s commanding officer, had gone on a last-minute grocery run with their housekeeper. Unlike Zoe, Tala wasn’t easily intimidated.
Kelsey hurried after her parents. Things were getting out of control. “Dad, please.” She tugged on his arm to slow him down. “Calm down, or you’ll scare Danny. He’s still struggling with all of this.”
But her father didn’t listen.
Just as he was about to enter the living room, Rue blocked the doorway, hands on either side of the doorframe. They stood facing each other, neither moving an inch.
Della stepped forward and took her place to Franklin’s right, leaving the spot to his left for Kelsey.
But was that really still Kelsey’s place? Whose side was she on?
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