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.Eventually, as always,the sun went down, the darkness deepened and the moon rose majestically overhead.Lucas and Nick sought a moment s privacy in the guestroom where they kissed andhugged each other until their ribs creaked in protest.Everything they needed to say toeach other had been said the night before.Wordlessly they left that temporarysanctuary.Pam, Tony and Luc helped Nick settle the children in his car, kissed themgoodbye and watched Nick drive away.Vehicles began arriving, members of the packpresenting themselves as required to witness the contest for pack alpha.As the timeapproached, they began to strip and transform, each of them making their way to theappointed place deep in the sheltering woods.Arriving at the place he d arranged to meet them, the parking lot of a localDenny s, Nick got out of the car and greeted his brothers, Crewe and Chad. Uncle Crewe! Justin shouted from the backseat.Crewe opened the back door. How you doin kiddo? Fine.Ryan and Alecia were fast asleep. I need you to do something for me, Justin.Okay? Okay. This is my mate, Ethan, and this is Uncle Chad s mate, Dustin, Creweexplained as the men gathered around. They re both Nick s brothers and they re goingto take you to my house and watch you until Mommy and Tony come to pick you up.Isthat all right? Will Mommy and Tony come soon?Kate Steele Hoosier Werewolf 3: Things That Go Grr - 66 - Yep.In about the time it would take you to watch Nemo two times. Is it okay, Nick? It sure is.Mommy and Tony will be there before you know it and my brotherswill take good care of you.I promise. Okay.The men withdrew from the car and gathered together. He ll be asleep beforeyou get there, Crewe told Ethan and Dustin. Just take them inside and wait for us.Ihonestly don t think we re going to need to implement any more of this plan we ve puttogether but you know what to do, just in case.Ethan and Dustin nodded.They kissed their mates goodbye and took theirplaces in the car with the kids and headed out. I ll drive, Nick bit out shortly and slid in behind the wheel of Chad s car. Let s go, Chad said with a shrug as he and Crewe took their places.Nick put the car in gear and headed back to Lucas house.Chapter FiveCool, damp grass crushed underfoot as the clearing filled with wolves andpeople.In another gathering, such casual nudity might not have gone without remarkbut here it made little impression on those assembled.To those born were, it was neversomething that caused discomfort and for those made, something about the wolf thatwas created at their induction into their pack made the nudity easy to accept.Lucas stood, unmoving and unmoved by the activity around him.His gazerested on the man who faced him across the clearing.Lyle Compton.Icy calm filledLucas.All the problems this man represented disappeared.There was no anger, no fear,merely iron hard determination.All the negative emotions had been tamped down andrelegated to a place that prevented them from interfering with his concentration.He dseen this person as man and wolf.He knew the way he moved, the way he ran, the wayhe took prey.Lucas had even seen the way he fought when he d started trouble withother pack members.All the knowledge he possessed of Compton was there to bedrawn upon.Compton was shorter than Luc, compact and burly.He moved with the grace alltheir kind possessed.He was naturally aggressive, though at the moment he too wasstill, conspicuously so in the empty space that surrounded him.It was clear by the waythey were aligned, who the pack endorsed as their choice.Lucas too was accordedspace but those present were obvious in the way they gravitated toward Lucas side ofthe invisible circle in which the fight would take place.The pack would obey Compton should he win, but until then he was withoutsupport.A pack alpha could win obedience through intimidation but such a leadernever truly ruled.Lucas was revered not only for his strength, but for his compassion.Anyone in a position of power with a modicum of sense came to learn that a great dealKate Steele Hoosier Werewolf 3: Things That Go Grr - 68 -of his effectiveness and strength came from the respect and help of those in hishierarchy.Lucas was well aware of that fact.Behind him, Lucas sensed Pam and Tony.Their presence was one he could havedone without, preferring that they be away with the children but it couldn t be helped.As weres, they were required to attend.A pair of scents tickled Lucas nostrils [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]