Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,103

way I wanted to hug Gabby, but she was busy. The guys said she was fine, and I believed them. Still, it seemed the panic of a parent was a universal thing, but where were the others?

"Roman, where are your parents?" I asked.

"Bridget's house," he said. "When we got here, Ashley sent Bridget out, but didn't follow. Mom said something about how the Sisterhood will handle the questions because you had more to worry about. Dad's with her too."

"Heather's with Olivia," Theo said. "Ridley and Zaria are serving as Ashley's go-fers if she needs anything. Sheridan and, um, I think his name's Mitch? They locked down the gates."

"I barely got in," Lev said. "Was at work when I got the call. Are all of you ok?" He looked over at Samantha. "Bit?"

"No," she assured him. "Sampson protected me."

So Lev looked at Theo. "And you, boy?"

Theo just looked up at Vic. "I will say that being thrown on the ground under a bear is probably the most terrifying thing that's ever happened to me, but no wolves could get through him and Nik."

"Thank you," Lev told Vic.

Vic nodded. "I tried to keep them off Nik too, but your son? He's as vicious as you are."

"That's my boy," Lev praised, rumpling Nik's hair before hugging him again. "Zaria wasn't with you?"

"No, she was home with Ridley," Nik told him. "Unpacking, she said. If she had been, I would've watched over her, Dad."

"I know." Lev just sighed, slowly looking up at me. "What happened?"

"Another pack," I told him, hearing a door open down the narrow hall.

I wasn't the only one. Everyone turned to look, and Ian walked toward us with his hand on Gabby's shoulder. My daughter looked rough, like she'd been in a brutal fight, but she was all in one piece. The moment her eyes landed on me, she smiled in relief.

"Mom," she breathed, coming toward me with her arms out.

I grabbed her and hugged her close. "Are you ok, mija?" I asked. "They said you're not hurt too bad, but I mean you, Gabby." And I caught her face between both of my hands, making her look at me. "Are you mentally ok?"

She just nodded. "I was so scared, and I'm still a little freaked out, but I'm fine. Olivia had to get stitches, but Bridget said she'll heal. No school for a couple of days, but nothing too bad."

"Not as bad as it could've been," Ian finished for her. "Hidden Forest came through the culverts and false gates."

"False gates?" I asked.

Trent lifted his hands to demonstrate. "We have 'wildlife' gates back there. Places where the wall overlaps and doesn't line up. Looked at straight on, it's a solid wall, but anything running along the edge would realize there's a gap about the width of a person. Sideways gap, like an S turn, but no actual fence or gate."

"Because wolves don't have thumbs," Lane explained.

"Those'll have to be closed off," Ian decided. "And we need grates over the culverts. I want this place locked down so no human can make it in, and no wolf can make it out."

"We'll help," Vic offered. "Get some rebar and we can close the culverts so the water can still pass through. Will mean cleaning it out more often so the debris doesn't make a dam, but we'll handle that too."

"Get me a welder and I'll make it permanent," Lev offered.

"We've got one," Ian assured him. "I'll get you a key to the shop. You guys are welcome to use anything in there." But he shoved a hand across his mouth. "How do we close the false gates?"

"Metal gates," I said. "Like wrought iron. The type with the sharp points at the top. The slats will be wide enough for small animals to get through, but not a wolf. If you make it eight feet tall or more..."

"I can build those," Lev said. "What I can't do is build them and install everything."

"You build it," Vic told him, "and we'll install it. Muscle's not a problem."

Pax slapped the bear's shoulder. "We'll start installing the mounting brackets for the gates. I'd prefer they can be opened again if necessary, so we'll want them to swing, but we'll also want them secure enough that no one can simply shift and open them."

"Keypad locks," Lane said. "Give the code to the community?"

Ian shook his head. "For now, I want a padlock on those. This place was made to protect us from humans. The banks and terrain outside