Dare, once he comes to his senses.”
“And gets his head out of his ass,” Trystan grunts.
I cringe, shooting a glance toward the living room. “I don’t know about that. He seems pretty sure that he wants nothing to do with me. He has literal holes in his body and still tried to crawl across the couch to get away from me.”
“I don’t think he’s in his right mind right now,” Archer points out as he slides the basket of grounds into the coffee maker and hits the button to brew. “Give him time.”
Archer turns his back on the percolating coffee pot, leans a hip on the counter, and looks at me pointedly. “Dare has his issues, Sable, but he’ll come around. In the meantime, you aren’t alone, and we will care for you to the best of our ability. Technically, we’ve already taken care of you a few times. Beyond the night Ridge pulled you out of the ravine.”
“Like when Archer talked you into staying,” Ridge adds.
“And when we saved you from your uncle,” Trystan says. “All of us together.”
My cheeks burn. Hearing them list all the ways in which I’ve been in danger makes me feel like a weak little kid who shouldn’t be allowed to do anything without supervision.
From his place near the coffee maker, Archer goes on, switching gears. “Obviously, Dare’s leg is a situation that needs addressing,” he says, crossing his arms. “But we also need to address that there’s a very real chance Dare has witches on his trail now.”
Ridge scrubs a hand down his face. “Dammit. I didn’t even consider that.”
I sit up straighter, a pang of fear rolling over me as I process what Archer’s implying. “You mean witches might be following Dare here?”
“I’m not saying it’s a definite,” he assures me, “but it’s a possibility. He specifically sought them out to fight them. To kill them, not to make negotiations. They aren’t going to just sit back and accept that level of threat. He’s put himself, and all of us, in serious danger.”
“Please.” Trystan scoffs. “The witches won’t be able to step foot on pack land. They’ve been trying for months and can’t breach our boundaries.”
“That’s true,” Ridge acknowledges. “But it was true prior to Dare mowing them down like a paid assassin. We have no idea how many witches he managed to kill while he was there. Archer’s right—they aren’t going to just lick their wounds and forget about this. They’ve been close to breaching our borders for months. This incident could be the final push they need.”
“Revenge is a great motivator.” There’s a note in Archer’s voice that makes me think he knows exactly how true that is. I wonder how many times he’s dreamed about getting revenge on the witches for what they did to him.
“Even three healthy alphas can’t stand up against a coven of witches looking for vengeance,” Ridge says, taking a chair at the table across from me. “We can’t risk putting Sable in danger.”
“So we need more backup?” Trystan asks. “We can put out a call. Dozens of wolves from my pack would come help.”
Archer chuckles and turns back to the coffee pot. “This cabin is too small for dozens more wolf shifters.”
“You got a better idea?” Trystan shoots back irritably.
Archer grabs several freshly washed mugs from beside the sink, glancing over his shoulder at us. “I do. We can return to my pack.”
Trystan’s brows furrow skeptically. “What can the East Pack do for us?”
“If you’ve forgotten, my father’s dying,” Archer replies, an uncharacteristic note of irritation in his tone.
It’s a tone I understand when dealing with Trystan, who sometimes has a cocky, holier-than-thou attitude that makes him a bit abrasive. I remind myself of him smiling and carefully setting my orange juice before me. I wish that version of Trystan had the floor more often.
Archer pulls the full carafe from the brewer and begins filling each of the four mugs. “The East Pack is well-stocked with medical supplies because of the intense level of care my father needs. We also boast some of the most excellent healers in the area. We’re set up for major injuries.”
“Not to mention, the East Pack lands are the closest,” Ridge says, nodding his agreement. “I highly doubt Dare can be on foot for long. If at all.”
Trystan accepts a full mug of coffee from Archer, his gaze sliding to me before bouncing between the two other men. “Ridge took a lot of shit for bringing Sable into the