Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,80

was already handling a crisis like she was made for it. But, when I was almost to the living room, I realized something else.

I was doing the same thing. I was truly the Alpha Female, and it actually felt pretty good.

CHAPTER 25

* * *

Elena and Seth took off. Heather left only a moment later to get her house ready. The rest of us started cleaning up the area, putting away the camp chairs, and making sure all the bottles and trash got picked up. There was a tension in the air, though. Something I just couldn't quite put my finger on. A glance at Pax proved that he felt it too.

"Ok, what?" I asked, standing up to look at our group of friends. "The kid isn't hurt - "

"Physically," David mumbled.

Granted, he had a point, but that wasn't it. "Right. But he has a place to stay, a pack to lean on, and we already know he's not a bad kid, so why does everyone feel so tense?"

It was Scott who answered. "This is the same kid who leaked the first video, right? Trent, are you sure he's not going to do it again?"

And there it was. Yes, their concerns made sense, but what other option did we have? Then Lev sighed. "I'm more worried about his parents demanding to know where he's living, and us having to explain why we took the kid in."

"That's easy," Pax said. "Theo's friends with Olivia. It makes sense for him to seek out his friends. Heather has both the means and the space for him."

"And not that human girl?" Lev countered. "Doesn't she live closer?"

"Stricter parents," I said. "Don't know if that's true, but if it's the line we go with, it'll work. Not everyone would be ok with a boy moving in with their daughter."

"But he's gay," Jax said. "I mean, Kim has a point, especially if this kid has a thing for her son."

"And now he knows that Roman's straight," I pointed out.

"Doesn't really stop a man from looking," Jax countered. "Even at that age. Hell, half the time I'm into a woman, she's not interested, so what's the difference?"

"That," Kim told me, "and I'm not completely convinced that Roman isn't flattered. There are more options than simply gay and straight, and my son is a wolf."

Vic made a sound, almost a grunt, as if that surprised him. "But he's with Gabby."

"Yeah," Ian drawled. "Roman's her beta. He says he's also her mate, but he feels the pull to be her beta first. That means he's not going to stop her from finding another guy. Pretty sure Gabby's only into boys. Not convinced that Olivia wouldn't consider girls, though."

"Nikolai likes the ladies," Lev told us. "A little too much, if I'm honest. Boy's going to make me a grandfather before he's eighteen at this rate."

"Xander?" I asked.

Pax shook his head. "Theo's basically one of Gabby's betas now. Not officially, but he's hovering like one."

"She may have asked already," Lane said. "She wouldn't tell us until it's official."

Pax dipped his head as if that just proved his point. "So, putting her beta with Xander? It's all but undermining her budding authority. That's even assuming Theo would feel comfortable enough for that option. Wouldn't shock me at all if Xander's already threatened him a few times just to assert his dominance."

"Kid needs a kick in the ass," I grumbled.

"And none of that," Scott said, "means the boy won't make another video. He doesn't even need to record us shifting. Just catching bears, wolves, and tigers together? Animal control will come out here to look into the exotic animals on the loose."

"And after the first video," Vic added, "the whole thing would start up all over again."

"Pretty sure the kid wouldn't do that," I assured them. "Guys, you've never seen this guy. He was mortified when that video got out. He doesn't exactly have a lot of friends, and he's basically obsessed with Roman. Completely puppy love, and Roman's taking him under his wing."

"It's cute," Pax told them. "Seriously cute."

Ian just waved us all down. "I'll talk to him. Gabby probably already has, but I'll make a few things very clear. Besides, our mate probably needs a little help if she's got a house filled with emotional teens."

"I'll get the rest of this," Lev offered. "You four go play the hero."

"We'll help," Vic assured him.

Bridget just gestured to her car. "Kim, if you and David stop by my place, I'll get those pills to