Free Pack Community (Were Chronicles) by Crissy Smith Page B

pulled him off to the side of the cave.
    “How long to do you think it will take them to get up here?” Gray asked Mike and RJ.
    “I figure about two or three hours, tops. It’s one thing to map out the canyon and know where to go, but a whole other thing to do it when you’re on foot. I knew where all the shortcuts were, and luckily they didn’t or they would have beaten me here. I expect they will come shifted. There are a couple of wolves, two cats, and something else,” Mike informed them.
    “Something else?” RJ questioned his buddy.
    Mike shook his head. “Couldn’t get a good read.”
    “Jim and Claude should be here by then also. So five of them and nine of us—pretty damn good odds,” Dawson stated.
    “Seven of us,” RJ corrected. “Jesse stays with Zach to guard him. No one will get their hands on him again.”
    “I can take care of myself,” Prince Zachary interrupted, coming back over. “You need Jesse with you.”
    “Not gonna happen,” Casey voiced, narrowing his eyes at his mate. “Above and beyond all else, you are the Prince of our people. Jesse will guard you.”
    “I am also one of the most powerful cats in the world,” he argued back.
    “No,” Casey snapped. “You stay here.”
    “I’m sorry to get in the middle, Prince Zachary, but I have to agree with Casey. We need to finish this, capture these men, and get you to safety. I have a son and sister who are dying to meet you. And you don’t want to disappoint those two,” Dawson added respectfully.
    The Prince opened his mouth and closed it again. Finally, he nodded. “Nicely played,” he grumbled. “You take after your brother more than you think.”
    Casey beamed and Gray hid his own smile. He could see the family dynamic coming together. It made him feel warm inside that Beth would have these men in her life. Would he be part of the family too? He just didn’t know.
    He shook the question from his head. He had to concentrate on the task before him.
    “We should split up and take our positions. It might be a few hours but we can’t take any chances,” Casey suggested.
    The others all agreed. “Gray and RJ will take point. They’ll take the furthest position,” Casey directed. “Dawson and Mike will go south—block anyone from sneaking up on us that way. I’ll wait for the sheriff and Claude. They’ll cover the high ground.”
    “What about you?” Dawson enquired with a lift of his brow.
    Casey grinned. “I’m bait. I’ll lead them to us.”
    Zachary and Dawson started to protest but Casey held up a hand to cut them off.
    “My show, my call.”
    “Sounds good to me.” RJ grabbed a pack and threw it over to Gray. He caught it easily and looked down at it. “Water and some beef jerky,” RJ clarified. “Should hold us over till we get some action.”
    Gray shook his head at the other man but hefted the pack to his shoulder.
    “I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to a hot shower and a nice home-cooked meal,” his partner told him as he motioned towards the mouth of the cave. Gray didn’t blame the man. Hadn’t he just had the same thoughts?
    Gray caught Dawson’s eye and gave a slight nod of his head. He clasped the other man’s shoulder and followed the young wolf out. He hoped everything went according to plan.

Chapter Nine

    While the canyon was truly a beautiful environment, the waiting was driving him crazy. It’d been two and a half hours since he and RJ had left the cave and still there was no sign of anyone else.
    “So you’re retiring after this?” Gray asked the other man.
    “Yeah, my older brother accepted an Alpha position in a Pack in New Mexico. Our Pack has so many strong dominants—and our Alpha has several sons who will take over the Pack—that my brother’s name was mentioned as a replacement for the New Mexico Pack.”
    “You’ll move with him then?”
    “Yeah.” RJ was crouched down flexing his fingers. “Dylan and our younger brother Ben are going to