Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,122

to this."

"Anything," she promised.

"You make sure he doesn't try to run with us. When the moon hits, you keep him there, because he's lame. He couldn't get away from Theo. And if that happened..."

She nodded. "I can do that. And I'll get texts about how he's doing and I can tell Henry. It's just... I don't want to be sitting in class wondering if he's ok. Olivia and I kinda made up a thing that said the group of us were going to be out for a Langdon sponsored holiday, you see." She scrunched up her face. "We didn't ask, but it kinda sounded like the sort of thing someone would pull their kids from school for. Um, and we kinda forged it."

"It's fine," I told her. "But it's time to go, Samantha. He's only going to get more violent, and I don't want you getting hurt."

"What about Olivia?" she asked.

I turned back just in time to see the girl in question throw off her blanket. She was wearing shorts to sleep in, and down the length of her leg was an impressive bandage. That was from the fight on the trails, and she was going to be just as lame as Henry.

"You too," I decided. "Both of you, off to Henry's."

"I can't get bit," Olivia said.

"And you can't run," I countered. "Olivia, you will go with Samantha. If I have to carry you down the stairs, I will."

"Maybe just help me up?" she asked, thrusting out a hand.

I did better, reaching down to grab her by her waist and lifting her to her feet. She giggled, but that made Theo moan. Nikolai just smoothed back his hair, crooning softly to reassure him. It actually seemed to help.

"Nik, when he turns, you stay right with him," I told the boy. "No matter what. And if you have to throw him down to keep him from leaving the community, you do that. He will bite you. He will claw you. It doesn't matter, because you will heal. If you care about that guy at all, you will take it, do you understand me?"

He nodded. "I do. I'm trying. I didn't mean to do this to him, and now I have to make sure he's going to be ok."

"And we'll help, but tigers are bigger and stronger than wolves. We're going to need your help."

"Dad too," he told me. "He swore he was ok with this."

I glanced back to make sure the girls were actually leaving, then turned back to Nik. "How's Theo taking this? Is he ok with what's going to happen?"

Nik licked his lips. "He was a little bummed that he wouldn't get the pack thing the wolves have, but..." Nik paused as Xander walked back in.

"Got broth," Xander said, holding up a thermos. "Plus water and a cup." Those were in his other hand.

"I can do this," Roman told him. "You deserve a break too, Nik. Go ask Lane your questions."

Nik just leaned in to kiss the side of Theo's face, then worked his way off the bed. Like the other boys, he was still wearing his jeans, but Nik had lost his shirt somewhere. He also didn't seem to care. In truth, the kid looked completely exhausted, but I knew that feeling.

"Come downstairs and eat something," I told him. "When you're done, send the next. Start taking shifts, and make sure all of you get some sleep, ok?" And I turned him for the door.

He shuffled, but the boy went. By the time the pair of us made it downstairs, Ashley had the girls and was headed for the door. She smiled at me but didn't stop. Samantha lifted her hand in a wave to Nikolai, but Olivia gave her a friendly nudge. The rest of the women were still out cold, so the pair of us stepped around Bridget and didn't stop until we were in the kitchen.

"Coffee?" I asked him.

"Nah," Nik said. "If Roman can get him to eat, I think I'll do like you said and sleep." But he did open the fridge. "So, what's it like to be a beta?"

That was not the question I'd expected. "It's like having a very close group of brothers."

"Don't have one," he said, leaning back with a leg of fried chicken in his hand. "Lane, what I really want to know is how this works. My friends keep talking about these things, like instincts and feelings. I don't have them, but I feel like I have something else."

"What