out Santa? And the time I convinced everyone to dress up in Toy Story costumes? And the time we scared Tasha’s date so bad he wet his pants?”
Brooks growled. “I remember.”
It had taken him weeks to get the green paint out of his hair after that particular Halloween.
“Wait. What date?”
“Oh, right. Let’s keep that one between us. He shouldn’t have made a bet he was going to get in her pants. Served him right.”
“You’re not wrong.” Brooks paused, another growl forming as he wondered if it was too late to hunt down the guy and teach him a few facts of life. “He actually bet—”
“It was years ago and is beside the point. The point is that I’m good at making plans, and right now we need to enact Operation…” Ollie paused, scowling. “I need a good name for the operation. It won’t work without a good name.”
“Operation Toby Pack?” Brooks suggested.
Ollie turned to him with a horrified stare. “That’s your idea of a good name?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m agreeing to.”
“You’re agreeing to let me, Ollie Jerrick, plan-maker extraordinaire, help you make Toby part of the pack.”
Brooks handed the bag of trail mix back to Ollie and knelt on the floor once more. “This is a bad idea. I can fig—”
“Uh-huh. Sure. Shh. Let me think.”
“You’re such a brat,” Brooks huffed as he resumed his position under the sink.
“True, but this brat knows how to get what he wants. Am I right or am I right?”
Brooks couldn’t say Ollie was wrong, so he kept his mouth shut and concentrated on the task at hand.
“I need something sweet to do this.” Ollie hopped off the counter and dug around in the pantry until he pulled out a small plastic bowl. “Victory is mine.”
He’d never heard Ollie sound so evil. Brooks poked his head out and glared.
“Brownies,” Ollie whispered. “Dad’s secret stash of Nana brownies.”
Brooks sucked in a breath. “Don’t do it.”
“This idea will be so good. So so good.” Ollie took the lid off the bowl slowly, the seal releasing with the slightest hiss. “Precious.”
Brooks scrambled from beneath the sink and made a grab for the bowl. “He will murder us dead! Nana said only once a month for brownies, and we’re two weeks away from her next batch. This is serious, Ollie.”
“Getting your mate to understand pack is serious.”
The back door opened.
Ollie leapt and spun in one motion as he slapped the lid in place, then threw the bowl into the pantry. It was too little, too late. Vaughn Jerrick stood at the back door with an angry scowl on his face.
“Son, I believe an explanation is in order.”
“It was an emergency, Dad.”
Vaughn crossed his arms over his chest. “Spill.”
“Brooks needs help!”
“And that help required the use of my secret stash of Nana’s brownies? Which, as I’m sure you are well aware, as I have drilled it into your head since you were six years old, is my secret stash and is not to be touched by anyone who is not me.”
“Well…”
Vaughn grunted and went to the pantry. He pulled out the bowl and slowly opened the lid before removing a brownie. Brooks wisely stayed put, praying he didn’t draw attention to himself. No one got between his alpha and his brownies.
“Mmm.” Vaughn took a bite, his eyes glowing as he stared down his youngest son.
“Dad, please! That’s cruel!”
Vaughn glared for another long moment before giving in and smirking at Ollie. “Fine. What does Brooks need help with?”
“We’ve gotta get Toby to want to be in the pack. I need to come up with a plan.”
Vaughn gulped and glanced down at Brooks. “You actually agreed to this?”
Brooks considered his words carefully. “I didn’t disagree.”
“Hmm.” Vaughn took a second bite, most of the brownie disappearing into his mouth. “Ollie, I’m gonna need a coffee. One of those fancy ones you make with that thingy.”
Ollie grinned down at Brooks as he wiggled his eyebrows. “On it.”
While Ollie started heating water and grinding coffee for the French press, Vaughn leaned against the counter, lost in thought.
Brooks let them work their magic, focusing on reconnecting the disposal before Nana came in to start dinner. Within a few minutes, he’d finished, and Ollie had a steaming mug of what smelled like extremely strong coffee ready to pass over to Vaughn.
“What are we calling this operation?” Vaughn asked.
“Brooks suggested Operation Toby Pack.”
Vaughn curled his lip and turned to Brooks. “You think that’s a good name?”