Page 7

I snorted. "Alpha of what? A displaced pack living on borrowed land?"

"For now," Kaylan conceded. "But you've got resources you're not using. The bears respect you. Phoenix and Emery would back you. I'd back you."

The rain pounded down as we stood in silence. Somewhere in the darkness, Danny was nursing a head injury, probably thinking I'd abandoned him. The thought made my chest ache.

"Come on, there’s a bar stool with my name on it," Kaylan said, breaking into my thoughts. "You need beer and shots, in that order."

I hesitated, glancing in the direction Shane's car had disappeared.

"He's safe at his mom's," Kaylan reminded me. "You can stalk him tomorrow."

"I'm not stalking him," I muttered. I thought about what Kaylan had suggested. I’d never be able to make Danny see me as worthy enough to be his mate, but I knew what I was doing around cars. The piece of shit he’d been driving was useless, but there was enough stock in the pack garage to make it into something better.

Shame the same couldn’t be said of me.

“How’d you get here so fast, anyway?” I’d expected to be back at the gammas’ house before Kaylan got here.

“I shifted and ran to where I leave my pickup for just such an emergency. I realized last year I might need to get here in a hurry.”

I felt lighter already as I got in, glad he wasn’t using his car, because even with the seat pushed back, it was still a squeeze.

“Want me to drive? You can stay at the gamma house.”

Kaylan grinned. “Nope, I’m going to do my best to get you drunk.”

I scoffed. Getting a shifter drunk was nearly impossible, unless they never shifted, because of our metabolism and our healing ability. “Good luck.”

“Where do you want to go? Molly’s?”

“No,” I said softly. It would remind me too much of Danny. “There’s a new wine bar off of Main Street.” I winced as I said it. My big hands looked ridiculous holding a teeny-tiny glass.

Kaylan grinned. “New bar it is.”

Luckily, the wine bar also sold beer. Unfortunately, it also sold shots. Kaylan had practically forced two down my throat. It wasn't raining here, so we sat outside on the patio that was still fairly lively, but at least we could hear ourselves talk. We’d also gotten the table away from the space heaters that no one else wanted.

I could feel a little buzz by the time Kaylan came back with my second beer and third shot, so when he started talking, I started answering. Plus, he was my friend.

“You’ve lost weight again.”

I pushed my chest out a little. I’d been pleased when my best jeans were a little looser.

“Buddy, that wasn’t a compliment.”

I eyed him and took a gulp of beer.

“Have you eaten at all today?”

“Yes, Mom,” I fibbed. Well, I’d had an apple and a shit-ton of coffee. Emery always said coffee was its own food group.

He arched a disbelieving brow. “We can get something from the food truck.” I gestured to where it was sitting in the parking lot, unsure what they actually sold.

“What’s your plan?”

“Plan?” I echoed. “Plan for?”

He leaned forward. “To get your mate.”

“He doesn’t even like me,” I admitted.