let this
happen? You let him abuse her like that? A she-wolf in your care was treated
worse than a…a prisoner and you stand there demanding my help? You should step
down out of shame Maxwell. You’re no Alpha.” Max’s eyes flashed back at Bobby and
Ryder stepped between them.
“We’ll not have
this here. Not now, not today and not on my land, you two settle your
differences elsewhere.” Power and strength rolled off Ryder and both wolves
backed away. “What’s done is done. Harper has to deal with it and I will help
her. You may perform the ceremony when she’s faced her demons and when she is
ready. Ryder turned to the tree line and scented the breeze. “They’re coming.”
Harper watched Ryder’s pack shift and flank the yard. Curtis, Alan, and Jack
went toward the trees while Lee, Will, and Mathew stayed in the yard between
the trees and their Alpha. “Go inside.” He murmured against her ear then kissed
her temple. Harper went to the screen door then slipped inside. She turned to
look at Ryder who stood solidly by the porch steps waiting.
“Come on.” Lucy
waved at her. “We can watch.” Lucy climbed onto the couch and leaned her little
body against the back then pulled the curtains out of the way. “See?” Harper
grinned and joined her at the window. Ryder looked over his shoulder at them
and smirked. Harper grinned back then watched the tree line. Justin wandered
into the living room.
“’Sup?” Harper
thought he was the oldest of Nicole’s pups but couldn’t be sure because they
were all nearly the same size, even the female.
“There are some
wolves coming for me. They want to take me back to my pack.” He looked out the
top window of the door.
“Ryder wants you
to stay?” She nodded. He turned and went back the way he came then reappeared a
few minutes later with his brother and sister.
“Take the back
door Justin, Kelly take the laundry, I’ll watch the basement.” He touched
Harper’s shoulder and she turned to look at him. “I know my mother has a
problem with you but the rest of us don’t. If Ryder wants you here, here is
where you will stay. We won’t let them take you. Pack first and you’re pack now.”
“I…uh…thank you.”
Harper said quietly. He nodded and went to stand by the front door. She quirked
an eyebrow then asked. “Where is the basement?” Jasper bent to lift the stairs
with a handle that that was notched out of the bottom step. He lifted it to reveal
a set of stairs that went down. Harper’s mouth fell open.
“Pretty cool
right?” Jasper grinned. It’s hinged. “Lee is going to put in a proper door someday
but Ryder’s list of ‘to do’ is so long it will be awhile. Meantime, I can throw
my brother down there and lock him in.”
“He can go out the
other door.” Lucy said without looking away from the window.
“Yeah but by then
all of the doors get locked. I don’t know how that happens.” He grinned and
scratched his head. Harper laughed then noticed Ryder coming up the stairs. He
looked angry. The door opened suddenly.
“Jasper.” Jasper
nodded.
“Just guarding the
basement sir, got Kelly and Justin on the other doors. We won’t let anyone get
to her sir.” Jasper kept his head down obediently.
“What’s happening?”
Harper asked. He held an arm out and she went to him. His arms were around her
and his face buried in her hair in an instant.
“Nothing. The boys
are headed back empty handed. They probably got a look at the welcoming
committee and turned tail.” Harper nuzzled his chest and inhaled him deeply to
comfort herself. “You’re okay darling and you’ll stay okay. I meant what I told
Ellis. Are you prepared for that? If it comes to that, will you be okay? He was
family and pack.”
“If Ellis thinks
for a second that I was ever interested in him, he is delusional. If he tries
to hurt anyone here…his fate is not my concern.” Ryder nodded. She closed her
eyes and tried to soak in his
happen? You let him abuse her like that? A she-wolf in your care was treated
worse than a…a prisoner and you stand there demanding my help? You should step
down out of shame Maxwell. You’re no Alpha.” Max’s eyes flashed back at Bobby and
Ryder stepped between them.
“We’ll not have
this here. Not now, not today and not on my land, you two settle your
differences elsewhere.” Power and strength rolled off Ryder and both wolves
backed away. “What’s done is done. Harper has to deal with it and I will help
her. You may perform the ceremony when she’s faced her demons and when she is
ready. Ryder turned to the tree line and scented the breeze. “They’re coming.”
Harper watched Ryder’s pack shift and flank the yard. Curtis, Alan, and Jack
went toward the trees while Lee, Will, and Mathew stayed in the yard between
the trees and their Alpha. “Go inside.” He murmured against her ear then kissed
her temple. Harper went to the screen door then slipped inside. She turned to
look at Ryder who stood solidly by the porch steps waiting.
“Come on.” Lucy
waved at her. “We can watch.” Lucy climbed onto the couch and leaned her little
body against the back then pulled the curtains out of the way. “See?” Harper
grinned and joined her at the window. Ryder looked over his shoulder at them
and smirked. Harper grinned back then watched the tree line. Justin wandered
into the living room.
“’Sup?” Harper
thought he was the oldest of Nicole’s pups but couldn’t be sure because they
were all nearly the same size, even the female.
“There are some
wolves coming for me. They want to take me back to my pack.” He looked out the
top window of the door.
“Ryder wants you
to stay?” She nodded. He turned and went back the way he came then reappeared a
few minutes later with his brother and sister.
“Take the back
door Justin, Kelly take the laundry, I’ll watch the basement.” He touched
Harper’s shoulder and she turned to look at him. “I know my mother has a
problem with you but the rest of us don’t. If Ryder wants you here, here is
where you will stay. We won’t let them take you. Pack first and you’re pack now.”
“I…uh…thank you.”
Harper said quietly. He nodded and went to stand by the front door. She quirked
an eyebrow then asked. “Where is the basement?” Jasper bent to lift the stairs
with a handle that that was notched out of the bottom step. He lifted it to reveal
a set of stairs that went down. Harper’s mouth fell open.
“Pretty cool
right?” Jasper grinned. It’s hinged. “Lee is going to put in a proper door someday
but Ryder’s list of ‘to do’ is so long it will be awhile. Meantime, I can throw
my brother down there and lock him in.”
“He can go out the
other door.” Lucy said without looking away from the window.
“Yeah but by then
all of the doors get locked. I don’t know how that happens.” He grinned and
scratched his head. Harper laughed then noticed Ryder coming up the stairs. He
looked angry. The door opened suddenly.
“Jasper.” Jasper
nodded.
“Just guarding the
basement sir, got Kelly and Justin on the other doors. We won’t let anyone get
to her sir.” Jasper kept his head down obediently.
“What’s happening?”
Harper asked. He held an arm out and she went to him. His arms were around her
and his face buried in her hair in an instant.
“Nothing. The boys
are headed back empty handed. They probably got a look at the welcoming
committee and turned tail.” Harper nuzzled his chest and inhaled him deeply to
comfort herself. “You’re okay darling and you’ll stay okay. I meant what I told
Ellis. Are you prepared for that? If it comes to that, will you be okay? He was
family and pack.”
“If Ellis thinks
for a second that I was ever interested in him, he is delusional. If he tries
to hurt anyone here…his fate is not my concern.” Ryder nodded. She closed her
eyes and tried to soak in his
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