along,” Ret continued. “I’m sure protocols aren’t much different from his old pack, but it’ll give him a chance to see how we do things here.” He glanced at Dane. “If you want to pass because of Sasha, one of the others can go instead.”
Dane shook his head. “It’s fine, I can go. She keeps telling me she doesn’t want me hanging around looking after her,” he pointed out. “Besides, I know you’ll keep an eye out for Sash if she needs anything.”
He had introduced her to the guards a few days earlier and they had all taken a shine to her, reacting with the same brotherly protectiveness that Jai had. If anything happened, they would be there in a heartbeat to help her and he knew it.
Jai smiled inwardly as Dane spoke. This trip might be work, but it was still going to be more fun if it was with Dane.
“Very well, you leave at ten o’clock,” Ret informed them, going back to his office.
* * * *
Two hours later, Dane stood beside Jai in the rail station with Michael and his wife. They looked for their escorts who would be waiting at the other side of the ticket barriers. Their hosts weren’t hard to spot, at least not to another wolf. To the other passengers disembarking the first class carriage, the man and woman looked like anyone else. The man towered above the crowd with his six-foot-three, muscled frame, the slender brunette looked small next to him, but it was clear that she would be able to take care of herself should she need to.
“Alpha, welcome,” the man said, going to greet them but speaking directly to Michael. As the lower rank, he tilted his head in a subtle imitation of the neck-bearing wolf greeting used when they were in private. “I’m Max, and this is Elizabeth.”
“Michael, please, and this is my wife, Amy.” The Alpha accepted Max’s greeting before introducing Jai and Dane and following them out to the car.
The introductions had been more for his benefit than the others’, Dane realised as they got into the car. Jai chatted with the two guards, whom he knew from previous visits, whilst Max drove. Dane listened to them, and for a moment it made him feel homesick for his old pack. It was easy to simply immerse himself in life within his new pack, with Jai, but visits such as these made him think of life outside of this town and these people. It was not as though they would ever take him back if they found out about Jai, but then again he didn’t know if his current pack would accept him if he told them. The only thing he did know was that, whatever happened, he wouldn’t give up Jai. It was difficult for his mind to process the fact that Jai had become so important to him in such a short space of time.
* * * *
They arrived at Eric’s house about five minutes later and Max got out to open the door for Amy. Leading them inside, Eric shook hands with the Alpha before greeting Amy warmly. Molly, Eric’s wife, hugged her and the two women traded complements on outfits and new hairstyles like old friends. At his invitation, Michael sat down in the armchair opposite Eric, making himself comfortable.
“I think that Michael and I can manage on our own from here,” Eric told the guards. “I will call you when I require you to return, Max.”
Michael glanced up at his guards also. “We will be fine.”
“Well, we’ll leave you to talk as well,” Amy told them. She gave her husband a peck on the cheek and left, getting her coat. Molly batted her eyelashes at Eric and he handed over a silver credit card, rolling his eyes and smiling. “We’re going shopping.”
Elizabeth hurried to catch up with them. “Do you need me to drive you?”
Molly shook her head and held up a set of keys.. “No need, we’re taking Eric’s car,” she said.
As the two women left, the guards followed them out of the house.
“Jai, it’s good to see you again,” Elizabeth said. “Come on, let’s get out of here and let them talk in peace. We can go for a few
Dane shook his head. “It’s fine, I can go. She keeps telling me she doesn’t want me hanging around looking after her,” he pointed out. “Besides, I know you’ll keep an eye out for Sash if she needs anything.”
He had introduced her to the guards a few days earlier and they had all taken a shine to her, reacting with the same brotherly protectiveness that Jai had. If anything happened, they would be there in a heartbeat to help her and he knew it.
Jai smiled inwardly as Dane spoke. This trip might be work, but it was still going to be more fun if it was with Dane.
“Very well, you leave at ten o’clock,” Ret informed them, going back to his office.
* * * *
Two hours later, Dane stood beside Jai in the rail station with Michael and his wife. They looked for their escorts who would be waiting at the other side of the ticket barriers. Their hosts weren’t hard to spot, at least not to another wolf. To the other passengers disembarking the first class carriage, the man and woman looked like anyone else. The man towered above the crowd with his six-foot-three, muscled frame, the slender brunette looked small next to him, but it was clear that she would be able to take care of herself should she need to.
“Alpha, welcome,” the man said, going to greet them but speaking directly to Michael. As the lower rank, he tilted his head in a subtle imitation of the neck-bearing wolf greeting used when they were in private. “I’m Max, and this is Elizabeth.”
“Michael, please, and this is my wife, Amy.” The Alpha accepted Max’s greeting before introducing Jai and Dane and following them out to the car.
The introductions had been more for his benefit than the others’, Dane realised as they got into the car. Jai chatted with the two guards, whom he knew from previous visits, whilst Max drove. Dane listened to them, and for a moment it made him feel homesick for his old pack. It was easy to simply immerse himself in life within his new pack, with Jai, but visits such as these made him think of life outside of this town and these people. It was not as though they would ever take him back if they found out about Jai, but then again he didn’t know if his current pack would accept him if he told them. The only thing he did know was that, whatever happened, he wouldn’t give up Jai. It was difficult for his mind to process the fact that Jai had become so important to him in such a short space of time.
* * * *
They arrived at Eric’s house about five minutes later and Max got out to open the door for Amy. Leading them inside, Eric shook hands with the Alpha before greeting Amy warmly. Molly, Eric’s wife, hugged her and the two women traded complements on outfits and new hairstyles like old friends. At his invitation, Michael sat down in the armchair opposite Eric, making himself comfortable.
“I think that Michael and I can manage on our own from here,” Eric told the guards. “I will call you when I require you to return, Max.”
Michael glanced up at his guards also. “We will be fine.”
“Well, we’ll leave you to talk as well,” Amy told them. She gave her husband a peck on the cheek and left, getting her coat. Molly batted her eyelashes at Eric and he handed over a silver credit card, rolling his eyes and smiling. “We’re going shopping.”
Elizabeth hurried to catch up with them. “Do you need me to drive you?”
Molly shook her head and held up a set of keys.. “No need, we’re taking Eric’s car,” she said.
As the two women left, the guards followed them out of the house.
“Jai, it’s good to see you again,” Elizabeth said. “Come on, let’s get out of here and let them talk in peace. We can go for a few
Similar Books
