“Of course you will. I can’t wait for that part.” Stephen’s cheeks flushed, but his grin lit up the whole room.
“You’ll make a great father. I hope you have a son just like me.”
“Ha! Asshole. Okay, what can I do while Laurel heats up lunch? I want her to see progress.”
“Let’s pull out the clothes. I want them hanging. I brought ties in pale blue, rust, and dove gray to match the bridesmaids. Do you know what you want?”
“No. I guess I’ll have to see what’s good on me?” Stephen cleaned his fingers from their snack, then opened boxes. “I just want her to have the perfect day.”
“She will.” Laurel was marrying the love of her life. It would be amazing.
“Thanks. I’ll be honest, man. Nothing makes me nervous—you know that. This whole wedding thing is freaking me out. Not the for better or worse with Laurel, but the actual wedding.”
“It’s a party. That’s the thing. You two are mates. That was sanctified a long time ago by the moon. This is the public part. The celebration of that.”
“I know. I just worry.” Something tightened around Stephen’s mouth, then relaxed. “But it will be fine.”
“It will be glorious.” He winked at his brother. “If he tries to interfere, I’ll kill him. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“I know, bud.” The childhood nickname made him laugh. “Do you really go by Wulf?” Stephen’s frown had smoothed out altogether.
“I really, really do. Isn’t it fabulous? It makes me happy, deep down.” The implied sarcasm was perfect.
“It’s grand.” Stephen held a tie in each hand. He’d rejected the blue right off. “I like the gray, I think.”
“It suits you. Excellent. Your best man should have the gray too, and I’ll let Cory pick the other and leave the last to Aspen.” He shook his head. “He’ll look stunning either way.”
“You know Aspen?” The shock on Stephen’s face made him cackle. The world was a small place.
“I’ve known him for years. He works runway for me.” Laurel’s brother was a frequent visitor to his pack, damn near a pack member himself. Shit, if the Andaluz Pack had driven out weird, pale, goofy seer wolves? Aspen would have been fucked. “He wore a lovely cobalt red carpet dress for me in New York this year. I would look amazing in it.”
“You look like a model. Except you’re short.”
“Compact,” Laurel corrected, sticking her head in the room. “Come get lunch. Bring the cheese.”
“See? She understands me!” He grabbed the cheese, giving it his best dramatic flounce.
“I do! You can’t expect Stephen to. He’s your brother.” She bumped hips with him when he caught up with her.
He handed over the cheese, laughing as Stephen grumbled. “So, how should I say thank you for the food, lady?”
“I’ll think of something.” She flipped her hair and winked. He had a feeling they would slip off for a nap after lunch.
Now, he had to think of a way to thank Cory. He might have to open his stash of Doritos. He seemed to remember a fondness for the ones he’d bought from the little general store, and those had been stale. Or pizza-flavored Pringles…
Combos. Oh, Goddess. Could he still get Combos here?
He’d have to see what was in his snack box. Miguel had hooked him up like he was moving to a third world country for an eternity. The man was a little… mothery.
“Soup.” Laurel slid a bowl across the counter, but it was that warm bread calling to him.
He hummed as he ate, the flavors of home filling him up and sparking a thousand memories, some wonderful, some not.
“The folks are going to stop in this afternoon. Mom called a little while ago.”
Wulf wasn’t sure if that was a warning, but he took it as one. His parents hadn’t spoken to him but cursorily since he’d been banished, both imminently more law-abiding than either of their sons. “I’ll stay in my rooms. No worries.”
“No, you won’t. Not unless you want to. They know you’re here, and Mom, at least, is very excited. Dad is worried, I think.” Stephen laid it out as gently as possible, he figured.
He shrugged. He knew he’d have to see them, but he’d not let himself think on it too long. What was he going to say? What would they say to him?
“You got this, bud. You know I won’t let them be mean.” Stephen gave him sympathy face.
“Don’t let me, either. Mama doesn’t need that.” She would cry. His mama was… well, she wasn’t a chanclas-wielding toughie like Cory’s mom. She was more delicate, quicker to tears.
“Dad deserves it.” Stephen grimaced when Laurel hit his arm. “He does.”
“Of course he does, but we’re all going to be good dogs, right?” She glared at them both, lips pursed up in that way that meant she might throw a mean flip-flop.
“I’ll leave before I cause a problem, lady.” He wasn’t interested. They weren’t his people—not anymore—and they never would be again.
“Grrr.” She bared her teeth. “No one is going to have to leave.”
“Okay, baby. No one will leave.”
Another knock came, and Stephen frowned. “That can’t be them yet, can it?” Stephen headed back out. He returned a few minutes later towing a very large, very pink-cheeked sheriff.
Cory wouldn’t look at him. “Sorry, Gertrude sent me back because I forgot the sopapillas and the beans. Uh. Could I eat lunch with you? I have to head up canyon to do a home check after and this will be my only chance to hide.”
“Of course you can. Thank you for lunch.” Laurel kissed his cheek and led him in.
“And for the carne seca. It was perfect.” He would totally give credit where credit was due.
“I tried to think what you would like. The croissants made my day.” Now Cory did look his way, those dark eyes seeming to take in every detail.
“Good. Every time I have one, it reminds me of you.” And let everyone think of that what they would.
Cory caught his breath. “I— yeah. I got Combos at the store yesterday.”
Aw, hell. There it was. Combos. No fair. Still, he had to laugh. “I brought Doritos.”
Cory snorted, then settled at the through bar in the kitchen like he ate at Stephen’s all the time. He probably did.
“Who are you checking on?” Stephen asked, concern coloring his voice.
“Dave Martinez. His daughter can’t get him on the phone, and you know he’s been real sick with that lung thing.”
“Oh, let me put together a care package.” Laurel hopped up and snagged a sopapilla on the way back to the kitchen.
She was a little mother and was going to make this pack strong.
“Thanks. I was wondering if I could take your SUV, Stephen. The pickup wouldn’t be so comfy if I had to carry him back here in it.”
“I can take you.” He wasn’t being altruistic. He was totally willing to avoid his parents. Cory was way easier.
“Oh, you don’t—”
“He has the Escalade.” Stephen gave him a knowing look. “It would be way more comfy than my Yukon.”
“Are you sure?”
“Dude, you’d be doing me a solid.” He leaned and dropped his voice. “My folks are coming for a visit.”
“Oh.” Cory raised his eyebrows. “Wow. Okay. At least Dave always liked you.”
It took him a minute to realize he was being teased.
“Soup and bread first, Cory.”
“Si, mamacita.” Cory blew a kiss at Laurel.
“And don’t think you’re going to avoid this forever, Trey.” She pegged him with a look. “They’re your people.”
“Stephen is my people. You are my people. They are genetic donors.”
Cory gave him a curious look but didn’t say anything else about it. In fact, he tore off a chunk of bread and put it in his mouth.
Probably wise.
“Still…”
“Baby,” Stephen started. “He deserves to be angry. Hurt. Furious. L
et him. He was ill-used.”
Laurel looked hurt but nodded. “Of course he does. I just don’t want him to hurt more if he doesn’t have to.”
Wulf stood and went to give her a hug. “You’re good to me, but I…I don’t know what to say to them.”
“Well, then go see Dave. I do worry about his lungs. He’s so stubborn.” She pushed her pale hair off her face. Stephen said she looked almost Arctic when she shifted. It didn’t surprise him at all, Aspen was pale as milk, his fur icy. It was sexy as hell.
“I’ll see them at supper. Fair?” Goddess, he was a sucker.
“Fair.” She held out her pinky to him.
“Okay. But you have to sit between us at the table.”
“Of course. Bring Cory. He can help.”
Cory choked a little. “Oh, yeah. Pops loves me.”
“See? Someone he can be meaner to.” Laurel winked, softening the words. Even Stephen had to laugh at that.
“No one will be mean to my family under my roof. Even the sperm donor.” Stephen bared his teeth.
“No one will, honey.” Laurel patted his arm.
Cory laughed out loud. “Humor the lunatic, Lar.”
“Oh, he so is. I just don’t want the reunion happening at the wedding. Let them get their ya-yas out early.” Laurel didn’t look even the least bit worried. Bitch.
He needed to get the hell out of Dodge for a minute, though, and he thought from the pale exhaustion in Cory’s face that he wasn’t alone. “You ready to do this, cowboy?”
“I am. Thanks for lunch. I mean, for letting me have lunch with you.” Cory winked at Laurel, grabbing one more piece of bread. “Come on.”
“Yes, sir.” He rolled his eyes, but he stood. Ass.
Cory led the way out but waited patiently for him to open up the Escalade. “Nice car.”
“Thanks. I usually drive the Mustang, but I needed the room and the cushiness.” He climbed up into the driver’s seat and settled in. “Holler if you get too hot or cold or whatever.”
“Sure.” Cory sat there, very contained for someone so big, aside from the bread nibbling. “You remember how to get to Dave’s?”
“Up past the hot springs pool and that cave where we made love the first time?”
Cory’s cheeks flamed again; he saw it out of the corner of his eye. “Uh-huh. That’s the one.”
“Cool.” The satellite radio was on the Beatles station and he sang along as he drove, refusing to look like he was anything but confident.
He wasn’t. Not one bit. Looked like Cory wasn’t either, though, so he guessed it worked.
“Santa Fe, huh?” Cory said suddenly.
“Yeah. I went to Denver first, then New York, but I needed the sky, so I came home.”
“Oh.” Cory nodded as if confirming something. “I’m glad you weren’t that close the whole time.”
His lips tightened, the pang of pain familiar, and he just absorbed it. “Don’t worry. I’m not staying to contaminate the pack. I only came back for the wedding. Then, I’ll go until there are babies to see. I’m not here to bother anything.”
Cory scowled. “Don’t be an ass. I never thought you were evil or diseased and you know it. I just meant if you were that close and no one told me—” Cory bit off his words, turning to look out the window.
“The one I stayed in contact with was Stephen. He had my back.” And no one else had, at least at the very beginning. He’d gotten care in Boulder, found a pack that helped him in Laurel and Aspen’s family, allowed him to be himself. Then in the city, he’d found his voice, his art. Santa Fe had called for him, and the cost of living was better, so off he went.
New Mexico, Land of Entrapment. It always called you home.
“I thought you were gone for good, is all.” There was something raw there, something so painful even he wouldn’t poke it. Much.
“Well, that’s what banished means, I guess. Good thing Stephen took George down.” That was easy enough. He got that Cory was all hurt, but he didn’t really know that he cared about that pain. Cory had made his decisions, and he could lay in the bed of his making.
“Yeah. It was a good thing, actually. Is. The pack is stronger. Less fucking scared.” Cory sighed. “So, what’s the best part of Santa Fe?” They’d played that game all the time. What was the best part of that movie or this football game.
“My pack. We have a compound outside of town—about seven hundred acres up north. There’s a studio, I have a house, and there are about a half-dozen casitas on the land, a great collection of Air Stream trailers.”
“You have a pack?” Now Cory did turn to look at him, eyebrows raised.
“I do. There are eight of us, plus the little ones.” And he was fiercely protective of them. His people, his pack, his family.
“Are you. Do you have a—” Cory took a deep breath. “Are you with someone?”
“No.”
What else was he supposed to say? Cory couldn’t even say the word mate to him, but he wasn’t with someone. He’d mated as a teenager and then been sent away. That was that.
He rolled his shoulders when Cory didn’t respond. “What about you? Do you have a mate? Babies?”
“What? No. No, and you know River and I— I mean, he’s just wasting time with me. Until he mates.”
“He likes you though. I don’t blame him. You’re still fine.” A little law-abiding, but fine. There was something about Cory now—something weirdly diminished.
“Thanks. You look amazing.” Cory smiled a little. “Like a big city guy.”
“When you’re on the small side, you have to make them pay attention.” He wasn’t going to win any fights with his strength, so he had to use his will. His will and the gratuitous use of Krav Maga—thank you, Miguel.
“It’s weird how you take after your mom and Stephen is so like your dad. You both have to get your fierceness as a throwback, though.”
“Cave wolf,” Trey agreed. “You got yours from your mom.”
“My what? She’s way braver than me. Oh, here. Dave graded in a new road about two years ago.”
“Good deal.” He bounced up the road, coming to a stop at the old man’s front door. “Go ahead. All he’ll see is the scar.”
It wasn’t going to do any good to pretend otherwise.
“He always has liked you, babe. He defended you at every council after—” Cory climbed out, shoulders up around his ears.
“You can say it. I was banished. Thrown out. Tossed out like garbage.” It was the truth, after all. Wasn’t it?
“I tried.” Cory had fought for him. He just hadn’t left with him.
“Neither one of us can be more than we are, Sheriff. I’m an outcast; you’re pack. I hated you for a long time, but that was just the boy in me that believed in—” You. “—fairytales. Now I get that my job is to make fairytales come true.”
“And mine is to keep the peace. Be right back.” Cory walked into Dave’s house with barely a knock.
He sent Miguel a text.
He heard a shout moments later. Cory waved to him from the house. “Trey! Help!”
Trey bolted from the Escalade, zooming up to the house and bursting through the front door with a growl.
Dave lay on the couch in the front room, looking so old and frail, covered in a quilt. “He’s really sick, Trey. I need to get him to town. Can you get blankets and a bag and all? I can carry him, but I can’t get it all.”
“I can, of course.” He gathered up soft clothes and quilts; all the things Dave needed, moving as fast as he could.
Cory tucked a piece of paper into his
pocket, his face solemn. When he raised an eyebrow, Cory sighed. “A note for his daughter. He was going to go out to the pinyons last night and seek the spirit. I don’t think he had the strength.”
“Dammit.” Trey nodded. “Better to go surrounded by your family, hrm?”
“Stephen will take him to the ceremonial space with all his generations,” Cory agreed, “I imagine he was worried about the wedding.”
“He’s a good man. He always has been. I’ll get the back seat ready.” Trey headed out to smooth out the blankets so the ride would be as easy as possible.
When Cory came out carrying Dave, he was stunned at how little the guy looked now. Dave had never been a big guy, but his presence had always lit up the room.
Trey got him settled, the old man startling him by reaching up and cupping his face as Cory called down to Stephen,
“You came home.”
“Yes, sir. The Alpha asked me. I was invited.”
“Good. I knew I couldn’t go yet. Wasn’t sure why.” Dave grinned, a few more teeth missing now.
“You waited to see me?” His eyes filled with unexpected tears. “Thank you. You honor me.”
“Wasn’t right.” Dave coughed, and he knew what Cory meant now about Dave’s lungs. There was a rattle there.
“No, but it’s going to be healed now. You need to rest. I’m going to take you to see Ella now.”
“Thank you.” Dave patted his arm as though he was the one needing comfort. “She’s a good girl. Good to see you, Trey. Damn good.” Dave settled back, eyes closing, his chest rising and falling, but shallowly.
“Hurry, Cory.”
“I’m on it. I swear.” Cory could drive, he had to give him that.
He began to sing to Dave—the old songs he didn’t have to remember because they were deep in his bones, older than time, as familiar as the moon. These were the songs of their people.
Cory’s voice joined his, deeper, thicker, but they always had harmonized. Even when they howled.
Dave smiled, a look of peace on his face. Slowly, quietly the man disappeared, leaving a wolf there, and Trey petted the gray muzzle. “It’s okay, old wolf. You’re going home. It’s okay.”
Half the pack was waiting for them when they made it to Stephen’s, but it was Ella who came to him to hug him, her hair gray now. “Thank you both. The Alpha and I will go now with him.”
In Wulf’s Clothing Page 4