Inside, Nova made a bee-line for the kitchen. When he opened the refrigerator door, he nearly cried. A six-pack of cold beer sat on the top shelf like a trophy just waiting to be claimed. He’d barely cracked the top when his front door burst open.

“Where the hell have you been?” Nemoy demanded. “I came looking for you last night and you weren’t here. You weren’t on patrol. So, where were you?”

Nova eyed his brother coolly. It was just like Nemoy to try to control his every move. “I went out. Is that allowed, Your Highness?”

Nemoy glared at him, clearly infuriated. Somehow, Nova couldn’t find it in him to care. “Not if you were down in Strathford again!” he exclaimed. The vein pulsed at his temple. That was never a good sign. “You spend too much damn time down there with the humans, Nova. With her.”

“As opposed to staying here and following you around like a star-struck puppy?”

Crossing his arms across his chest, Nemoy scowled. “Very funny. Of course, I don’t expect you to follow me around like a star-struck puppy.” A slow smile crept across his lips. “An obedient puppy would be just fine.”

Nova grabbed an empty Tupperware container and chucked it across the cabin at his brother.

Nemoy dodged like an expert, grinning devilishly. Then his face sobered and he was all seriousness again. “I mean it, Nova. You can’t keep going down there. Strathford is already paranoid enough about wolves without you running around following that human girl. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told you to stay out of there unless you are on patrol. Why do you always insist on disobeying me?”

“Because you’re not my father, Nemoy,” Nova said quietly. It felt like he had made that argument a hundred times since his father passed away. And still, his older brother insisted on treating him like a child. Apparently, twenty-seven wasn’t old enough to be considered a man. Taking a deep breath, Nova forced himself to remain calm. “There is no law against going into Strathford,” he told his brother. “I’m not divulging secrets to the humans. They don’t know about the Pack. All I did was go into the bar and have a few drinks.”

Nemoy just stared at him. “The bar. In town. Where the girl from ten years ago works?”

“Maybe.”

“It’s not just your secret you’re risking, Nova.” Nemoy merely looked at him, judgment written all over his face. “When are you going to see that you have responsibilities as the brother of the Alpha? You have duties to the Pack. And the human girl is not involved.” Nemoy stopped. “Did you talk to her?”

“Why does it matter?” Silence. Nova fought not to fidget. “Yes, I talked to her.” Why did he suddenly feel like he was being lectured? “I didn’t tell her anything.”

He was beginning to get angry. He hated it when his brother treated him like that. His entire life, Nova had put the Pack first. He had fought when he was ordered, risked his life for strangers, for humans. He had given up the freedoms of being a normal kid, even a normal wolf, because he was the Alpha’s son. And not even his eldest son either. He was the second son. The one with the cool and steady head. The son that would keep the peace instead of take the bait and give in to violence. Their father had always known that Nova’s strengths lay in his ability to stay calm and talk through a situation when needed, whereas Nemoy’s had laid in being a commanding presence that many would want to follow.

No, Nova wasn’t meant to lead, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been expected to be great.

Nemoy sighed. “Look, Nova, I get that the woman means a lot to you. I know you feel protective of her. Don’t think I never followed you on your little field trips when we were younger. I know where you go at night when you aren’t on patrol. And I purposely put you in Strathford when you are. But I need your head in the game here. I put you in control of the guard because I know you’ll always look out for the Pack. What I’m concerned about, however, is that if it comes down to choosing between that girl and your people, you’re going to choose her.”

Nova sipped his beer, letting the cool, amber liquid slide down his throat. Would he choose her? He didn’t think so. Not really, anyway. Besides, he would have to know her first, and because of his obligations to his family, and all the laws of his people, he would never get the chance.

“What are you going to do if the Valley Clan stage an attack, huh?” Nemoy asked.

That brought up an interesting point. “They did attack.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, they did attack. Or at least Kal and one of his henchmen did. Last night.” Nova resisted the urge to smirk at his brother’s expression. It was about time he got Nemoy off guard. “I wasn’t the only one at Murphy’s last night. Kal showed up. He provoked me. On purpose, probably. He tried flirting with Amara, until he recognized her.”

Nemoy gaped at him in accusation. Like he blamed Nova for Kal’s presence in Strathford. That hadn’t been his fault. “So, what happened?” he asked, his tone sharp. It was amazing how quickly Nemoy could go from big brother to Alpha. As much as his brother annoyed him, that was one trait Nova admired.

“He picked a fight with me in the bar,” Nova replied, his voice grave. His tone was gruff as he recalled the night before. “I reacted, and then we left. But he and Keaton followed Amara home and nearly ripped her throat out. Thankfully, I found them in time. I was able to fight them off, but it wasn’t easy.” It just took Amara with a gun. His pride was still wounded from that. He was supposed to be protecting her, damn it. Not the other way around.

“He got me pretty good,” Nova continued, pointing at his wounds. “My shoulder, my side. He left me a pretty big gash.” And it hurt like a bitch.

Fuming, Nemoy slammed his fist down on the island counter between them. Years of experience taught Nova not to react. Instead, he calmly took a sip of his beer. He was no stranger to his brother’s temper.

“Why the hell do they keep crossing the border?” Nemoy raged. Irritated, he began to pace. “I told Father all those years ago, that we needed to act, not react. I told him that peace was not an option with this Alpha. Obviously, the son is not much better.”

“Worse, maybe.”

“Exactly. But would Father listen to me?” Nemoy asked, throwing his hands in the air. “No. Of course he wouldn’t. Instead, he spends eight years in denial, while the Valley Clan’s violations of the treaty get bolder and bolder, leaving a mess behind for me to figure out how to clean up.” It was just like Nemoy to make their father’s actions about him. Taking a deep breath, Nemoy sighed. “I’ve spent the last two years trying to fix this, Nova. But they don’t care. Kal wants revenge, and his Alpha seems keen to let him get it. I don’t know, Nova.” Nemoy scrubbed a hand over his face. “I might have to declare war.”

Nova stared at his brother for a second. Two. Then, without saying a word, he opened the refrigerator, took out a beer, cracked the top, and handed it to Nemoy.

Nemoy eyed the bottle like he’d never seen it before. “It’s seven in the morning, Nova.”

“You’re talking about war, brother. You need it.”

Nemoy hesitated just a moment longer. Then, with a sigh, he took a long drink. Nova watched as his muscles visibly relaxed. Nothing like a cold beer to take the edge off.

 

War, Nova thought, slamming his truck door and revving the engine to life. Nemoy was talking about war. Gravel flew behind him as he peeled out of his driveway and charged down the road to the gate.

There really was no way around it. The packs had been trying to live in peace for the last decade, and so far, the only side willing to keep that peace was theirs. The Valley Clan had proven repeatedly that they weren’t interested in living side by side. They wanted domination. Last night was proof of that. 

Suddenly, Amara’s face flashed, unbidden, through his mind. No. She was human. Even if he wanted to, she was off limits. She was human. And yet, it was Amara’s face that he wanted to see.

Screw Pack law. He needed a drink.