The Challenge (The Pack Book 2)

by Kristin Coley

  “That wolf died just like the other Hanley person yesterday,” Monster said and I squeezed his hand. I wasn’t sure how to explain the violent deaths he’d witnessed but before I could try Monster added, “I’m glad I’m not a Hanley.” He glanced up at me. “They’re on the wrong team.”

  I opened my mouth but I couldn’t refute his logic. “Yeah, they are,” I finally sighed as I guided him back to the little apartment. “It’s not a good day to be a Hanley.”

  ***

  The next few days settled into a semi-normal routine except for the fact that I thought my Dad was going to go nuts with Monster at his side while I was at school. At one point, I thought he was going to cave on the Wren situation but he held strong.

  I knew I needed to find out more, who she’d been meeting and why, but school was taking most of my focus. Finals were coming up and Anna had been distracted and snappish. Caleb hadn’t returned to school yet and I wondered if he’d have to repeat most of the semesters’ classes. Leah waved when she saw me but most of the time she appeared lost in thought and I couldn’t blame her. She’d witnessed something most people never would and it had to be messing with her view of the world.

  Dom was the only stable thing I could rely on but that was mainly through the bond since he hadn’t returned to school either. He was determined to stay by Caleb’s side while he recovered and while I couldn’t blame him, I also missed him.

  “Dad, Monster, I’m home,” I called, dropping my backpack on the counter as I went to the fridge. “Dad?” I called again, surprised there was no answer. Usually, he was waiting at the door for me to get home and take over Monster duty. I walked backwards, checking the parking lot and seeing the Range Rover was missing. “Huh,” I said to myself. “He must have taken him to the city.” I checked the message board I’d instituted, and actually found a note scrawled there in Dad’s terrible hand.

  Ran out of cookies. Went to the store.

  “Ahh,” I hummed to myself. “That makes sense.” I glanced around the empty apartment, empty except for me, something that had become a rarity in my world. I ran to the couch and flopped down, grabbing the remote so I could turn the television to something I wanted to watch, no arguments, when a knock at the door stopped me. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned, my head thudding against the arm of the sofa. “Maybe they’ll go away.”

  Instead, the knocking got louder and I grumbled, but finally hauled myself up and went to the door. A frantic Wren met my gaze through the peephole and I hurriedly opened the door.

  “What is it?”

  “I need your help, please,” she begged, her hands twisting. “It’s my brother.”

  Brother, I echoed to myself, but seeing her panic, I found myself nodding instead of asking questions. “Okay, we’ll help him,” I promised, reaching for a jacket and sending Dom an SOS through the bond link. “Where is he?” I finally asked as we rounded the building. She pointed to the woods and I pressed my lips together. Of course. “That’s who you’ve been meeting, isn’t it?” She nodded, looking ashamed, and I rested my hand on her shoulder. “Wren,” I pulled her to a stop. “This isn’t a trap, is it?”

  “No,” she shook her head desperately. “No, I swear. I meet him in the woods to make sure he’s okay. I would have brought him with me, but I was afraid the Pack would kill him.”

  “The Navarre Pack?” I asked in disbelief and she nodded dejectedly. “You still think they’d kill him after everything they’ve done for you?” She shrugged, unwilling to answer, and I sighed. “Is he bad?”

  “No, he’s sweet. Just different,” she admitted, wincing. Okay, now I’m intrigued.

  Jess? Dom was fully in my head after my SOS and I knew I needed to do something to calm him down before he showed up furry in the yard.

  Mouse, I answered and felt his puzzlement. I saw a mouse, I continued. Panicked, but it ran outside. All good.

  Uh huh, he answered doubtfully. Take Trent if you’re about to do something that would upset me. Please. My mouth twisted and it was only because of the please that I grudgingly nodded.

  I don’t like how well you read me, I answered him.

  I just want you to be safe, he replied the bond going back to its unobtrusive presence in my mind.

  “Quick stop,” I told Wren, as we made a detour to the room on the end. I banged on the door and after a second it opened, Trent standing there, bleary eyed, a navy Henley in his hands as he gave a jaw cracking yawn.

  “I saw your tonsils,” I remarked and gestured to his bare chest. “Cover up, pretty boy, places to go.” I made a chopping motion with my hand and he stared at me for a full second.

  “Wolf or man?” He asked, pulling the door shut behind him as he padded out on bare feet. I chanced a glance at Wren but her worried gaze was focused on the forest.

  “Let’s go with man for now. Not crossing wolf off the list though,” I answered and he nodded, still looking half asleep as he tugged the fitted Henley over his head. “Do you need shoes?” I asked, glancing down again at his bare feet.

  He shook his head, seeming unconcerned and I let it go. Wren urged us to the forest and Trent sent me a questioningly glance.

  “Brother,” I mouthed, pointing to her back and he looked surprised and more alert as he followed us. We walked for a while, Wren confident in where she was going, only slowing when the sound of a patrol met our ears. Trent had a cautious expression but not overly concerned as we made our way closer to the Hanley border.

  “He’ll be here soon,” Wren promised, her hands shaking. “He needs help. He can’t stay there any longer. Not since….” She trailed off, her expression reluctant.

  So, I finished helpfully, “Not since Caleb killed the Hanley Alpha’s son.”

  She nodded and Trent slumped against a tree. I eyed him and he grimaced. “Night patrol,” he answered, not needing me to ask. He patted his pockets and his stomach before cursing. “Damn it.” He felt his back pockets and again came up empty and kicked a stick on the ground. Wren reached into the bag she had strapped across her body and fished out a sucker, handing it over without even glancing at him.

  We both raised our eyebrows at her unexpected action even as he accepted the sucker, unwrapping and popping it into his mouth in one smooth motion. “Thank you,” he mumbled around the candy, settling more comfortably against the tree as we waited. Wren waved her hand dismissively at his thanks, more focused on her brother than him.

  “What do you think?” I mouthed to Trent and he shrugged. “Dangerous?” I pressed and he tilted his head, motioning for me to move closer to him, which I did. He popped the sucker out of his mouth, leaning down next to my ear as he said, “No clue.”

  I deflated, resisting the urge to smack him as I made myself comfortable. “You’re a jerk. It’s no wonder Anna doesn’t like you.”

  “Anna doesn’t like me because she’s still mooning over that boy child Alpha,” Trent retorted, rolling the sucker from cheek to cheek. “She has no idea what she’s capable of.”

  I glanced at him, silenced by the bitterness I heard in his voice. Trent was normally charming and relaxed but any mention of Anna had the ability to turn him into a snarling male. A rustle from the Hanley side of the border had him tensing, a movement so slight I never would have noticed had I not been standing so close. To anyone observing, he would appear to still be relaxed against the tree, unaware of someone approaching. I had a new appreciation for his skills and understood why Dom wanted him to stick around.

  “Easy, killer,” Trent said out of the side of his mouth when I started at the noise. “Don’t give away the game.”

  “Game? What game,” I hissed. “No one mentioned a game.”

  He grinned, crunching down on his sucker to break it up and stashing the white sucker stick in his pocket. “You’d make a terrible hunter,” he informed me.

  “I can accept that,” I replied tartly as Wren stepped forward eagerly. “Should she….” I pointed at Wren, who’d appare
ntly forgotten about us in her desire to see her brother. Trent shifted forward, somehow managing to position me between his back and the tree.

  “You’re my priority,” he answered, any of his seemingly carelessness disappearing as an unknown approached.

  “But Wren….”

  “Made her choices.”

  “Wren?” A voice called hesitantly, the sound almost childish except for the deep tone. “Wren!” He called again, singsong.

  “I’m here.” Wren clapped her hands softly and I peered around Trent’s shoulder as her brother came into view.

  “Ooooohhh,” I drew the sound out as I saw him clomp through the bushes, the wide smile on his face when he spotted his sister almost disguising the bruises.

  “Jesus,” Trent cursed, clamping his arm around me when I went to go around. “He might be dangerous.”

  “He’s not,” I assured him, recognizing the round eyes and friendly demeanor. “His name is Dylan.”

  Trent relaxed his arm but the tension didn’t leave him. “You know him?”

  “We met,” I said awkwardly. “He brought me to Sam when I was kidnaped by the Hanleys.”

  “He helped Sam?” Trent’s voice was doubtful and I poked him in the back.

  “Yes, he helped them,” I hissed as Wren hugged her brother and fussed over the bruises. “He isn’t bound by the alpha.”

  Trent’s breath shuddered out of him. “His alpha doesn’t know that.”

  “Of course not,” I stated, barely resisting rolling my eyes.

  “I can’t believe they didn’t kill him when he was born.”

  “Trent,” I exclaimed, shocked by his response. “Why would you say that?”

  “It’s not unusual for the pack to destroy a child that isn’t…. normal,” he replied, his tone matter of fact as he glanced at me apologetically. “The Hanley pack kill children who aren’t shifters. He wouldn’t be any different –” he broke off, staring at me in horrified wonder. “He can shift?” He asked, the words stilted and awkward as if he couldn’t believe he was asking them. I nodded silently, my eyes wide as Trent tightened his arm, holding me in place as he backed away.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered, trying to get around him but he wasn’t having it.

  “Protecting you,” he answered fiercely and I stilled. “I can see why Wren kept him a secret.”

  “We have to help him,” I declared, waving my hand at Dylan and his bruised face. “He’s in danger from the Hanley pack.”

  “He’s in danger from any pack,” Trent ground out, his expression sympathetic but resolute. “He has Down Syndrome?” I nodded because he clearly did, there was no hiding it. “And he can shift.” Again, I nodded, not understanding where he was going. “And he doesn’t have to obey the Alpha.” I shook my head slowly, not liking his questions. “Jess, he could easily hurt someone and not truly understand the consequences of his actions. That could happen even if he was only human, but he’s a shifter. Which means he could do so much more damage.”

  “What are you saying, Trent?” The question sounded hollow even to me and he swallowed hard.

  “Most don’t survive long enough to shift the first time,” he answered and I stared at him in shock.

  “Is that why Wren was afraid to bring him to the Navarre Pack? They might kill him,” I said and he nodded reluctantly. “They wouldn’t,” I stated baldly and Trent just stared at me. “They wouldn’t,” I said more firmly, desperately hoping it was true.

  “Dylan, I want you to meet some people. They’re nice people,” Wren cautioned him, gesturing for us to come over. I moved to go toward them but Trent’s arm was a rigid barrier stopping me.

  “Trent,” I said in a low voice. “You go with me or I go through you,” I threatened, not entirely certain how I was going to back up my claim, but he lowered his arm, yielding to my command.

  He dogged my feet as I went closer and Dylan’s eyes lit up when he saw me. “I know you,” he cried happily and I smiled, nodding, as I took in the damage to his face. I hid a wince at the condition of his face. Upon closer inspection, I could see the bruising was in shades of green, yellow, and purple; indicating multiple beatings.

  When he spotted Trent though, his expression changed. I flinched as his eyes flashed, the wolf showing through, and almost stumbled back into Trent.

  “Easy, guy, I mean no harm,” Trent held his hands up, keeping his body loose as he stopped. Wren patted Dylan’s shoulder, reminding him she was there.

  “It’s okay, Dylan, they’re friends. I invited them. They’re going to help us,” she soothed, calming him down, and I could suddenly see what Trent had been trying to tell me. Dylan saw things simply. Friend or foe, and he could be extremely dangerous if he didn’t know the difference. “He wouldn’t hurt you,” Wren defended him. “He’s just protective of me.” I waited for Trent to argue, but he simply nodded, crossing his arms.

  Wren glanced at me, her eyes beseeching me. “Help us, please. He can’t stay there.” She gestured to his face as she said, “They use him as a punching bag.”

  “He doesn’t shift?” Trent asked curiously. “Instinct would force a shift.”

  “The Alpha forbade him to shift,” Wren said bitterly and Trent glanced at me questioningly.

  “I thought he didn’t have to obey Alpha orders?” Trent mentioned and Wren looked away, exhaling.

  “He doesn’t. He can resist them when he wants to and has many times to help me, but I told him he needs to obey this one. It would be too obvious if he didn’t.”

  “He has that much control?” Trent asked doubtfully. “That even being beaten he can keep from shifting and hurting them?”

  Wren bobbed her head quickly and Trent rubbed his neck restlessly.

  “I listen to Wren,” Dylan chimed in, glancing at us and I smiled. I could understand now why Monster had taken such a liking to Wren.

  “If that’s true,” Trent said carefully, pausing when Wren interrupted.

  “It is, I swear. He listens to me. I raised him,” she said eagerly.

  “We can’t leave him here,” I muttered to Trent and he looked torn.

  “Taking him with us would be tantamount to a declaration of war,” he said repressively, trying to avoid Wren’s hopeful face. “We don’t have that kind of sway.”

  “Caleb may consider allowing him into the Pack,” I offered. “If Dom supports it.”

  “It’s not Caleb’s decision,” Trent informed me.

  “It’s the Council’s,” another voice interjected and I let out a muffled shriek as Anna materialized from the trees.

  “Your stalking needs work,” Trent told her. “I heard you a mile away.”

  “Only because I didn’t shift,” she sneered. “If I was in wolf form you wouldn’t have had time to realize who’d torn your throat out.”

  “We’ll have to put that to the test one day,” he promised, a glint in his eyes that only brightened when her cheeks flushed.

  “I’d be happy to put you in your place,” she declared haughtily.

  “Okay,” I interrupted, taking on the role of referee. “Back to the problem at hand, what do you mean it’s the Council’s decision? I thought the Alpha could make the decision.”

  “Depends on the decision. Offering asylum to a member of another pack requires more than just Alpha approval.”

  “Asylum?” I questioned, glancing between Wren and her brother.

  Trent exhaled. “Might work.”

  “That’s the only option,” Anna admitted.

  “Sam and the other women didn’t ask for asylum,” I reminded her.

  “And they’re not technically allowed on Pack land,” she mentioned, intentionally avoiding looking at Wren. “They’re not Pack and if they want to join the Navarre Pack, they’ll need to formally request admittance to the Pack or mate with an existing member of the Pack,” she added, glancing at me quickly.

  “Wait, I’m a member of the Pack?”

  Anna nodded as Trent ch
uckled. “You didn’t know that?”

  “Well, I didn’t really give it a lot of thought to be honest,” I admitted, embarrassed at being caught ignorant of something yet again.

  “Either way, that won’t work in his case,” Anna said, pointing to Dylan. “He’s a member of an enemy pack. Asylum is the best option.”

  “So, Trent could ask to join the Navarre Pack?” I questioned, wondering why he hadn’t already. Anna got a shifty look on her face and I set my hands on my hips. “What is it?”

  “Its doubtful Trent would be allowed to join,” Anna answered, not looking at him. Trent nodded and my mouth dropped open.

  “You knew this?”

  “I’m an unmated male. Unpredictable and competition to any other male.”

  “Caleb,” Anna confirmed.

  “But Dylan,” I trailed off because it sounded like there was no chance for him either.

  “Asylum is different. It’s done in times of emergency. Life or death,” Anna explained.

  “And it is life or death,” Wren interrupted. “They will eventually kill him, especially if they catch him coming here to see me.”

  “We can broach the subject at the next Council meeting,” Anna offered. “Ease them into the idea.”

  “We don’t have time for that,” Wren pleaded desperately and Dylan hugged her awkwardly, patting her shoulder as he told her it would be okay.

  “I can have my mom call a meeting today, maybe we can get them to agree in a few days,” Anna said apologetically. “Caleb is almost completely healed and if he agrees it will go a long way.”

  “He can’t go back.” The male stepped from the shadows, his hands casually crossed in front of his privates as he stood there completely nude. I dropped my gaze to the ground as Trent bristled next to us. “I was told to follow him by the Alpha and report back. His life is forfeit if he returns.”

  “Liam,” Dylan said happily, running over to the other male and hugging him. Liam raised one arm to return the hug and I jerked my eyes to his face as some of his parts were put on display.