Light the Fire (Jackson's Hollow #1)

Chapter 46

"If you tear up this meeting room, I'm putting you all in the pound," Dr. Callaway said, her arms crossed over her chest, most of her disapproval aimed at Ryker. He held up his hands and then put them on the table, trying to give off nondestructive vibes.

"Thanks again for letting us use the space, Marnie," Malcolm said. "We'll take care of it."

"It's not a problem. It's in all of our best interests if there's not some kind of werewolf war going on around here. Wolves running around create problems." She shot Ryker another glance. Apparently she still remembered that one time he and Charlie and Hannah had ripped up her flower beds when they had raced through her yard back when they were thirteen and just getting used to shifting.

"None of us want a battle," Malcolm said firmly, "Or at least our pack doesn't."

"If you could get Hayes Duncan to see it that way too, I would appreciate it." She sighed and reached up a hand to press against the bridge of her nose.

"That's what the meeting is for."

"And if this doesn't work, we'll figure out something," Ryker said. There was more threat in his voice than he meant to show, and Dr. Callaway made an exasperated sound.

"Peacefully!" she said.

"Yeah."

"Ryker..."

Ryker looked at her, and she looked at him, but she must've known she wasn't going to win a staring contest with an alpha. She sighed and looked at Malcolm instead.

"We'll be fine," Malcolm promised. "Just see that-"

"Hayes knows the rules too," she said, lips thin with frustration. Her usually perfectly kept blond bob looked a little windblown, or as if she'd run her hand through it multiple times today. Ryker was pretty sure she wasn't so thrilled at the idea of two packs who attended her college possibly going to war. Dr. Callaway glanced down as her phone buzzed. "They actually just arrived. One moment and I'll be back with them."

As her heels clicked away, Ryker glanced at his dad, tension returning to his muscles rapidly. The idiot was here.

"Son," Malcolm warned.

"Not you too," Ryker growled. "I'm under control." And he was. Maybe he wouldn't have been before Jo, but he had to think about her now too. A war between werewolf packs would put Jo in a dangerous place as his mate. He didn't want that, no matter how much Duncan was pissing him off right now.

"So the little pup came to the Alpha meeting too?"

Ryker growled in warning as his eyes met Duncan's calculating brown ones. What a moronic insult. He was bigger than Duncan. He didn't move though, all too aware of his Dad's warning glare.

"And the big bad Alpha Duncan brought his bodyguard," Ryker said, forcing an amused smile on his face as he eyed Jake. The guy that had tried to touch Lexi. Apparently Duncan was trying to rile him up.

And that was the reminder Ryker needed to take a deep breath. If that was what Duncan was trying to do, he couldn't give him that satisfaction.

"Never know when a Monroe could go rogue," Duncan said coolly, taking a seat across from them at the table.

Before Ryker could retort, Malcolm leaned forward. "By all reports, it's your pack that's going rogue, Duncan," Malcolm said, frowning at the young Alpha. "At least, I have to assume that's what's happening since otherwise some of your pack members' actions on my territory could be considered acts of war."

Duncan drummed his fingers on the table. "Or they're just claiming to be part of my pack," Duncan said dismissively. "You know we always have a few rogues wandering around these mountains."