Lone Wolf (The Wulf Pack Book 1)

Rage was undoubtedly annoyed.

He had been sitting through meetings for hours and was at his limit of stupidity.

He hated repeating himself.

The warriors before him were now of high rank, the commanders, captions and lieutenants of their army. They had replaced the hundreds of wolves they had debriefed and sent home to prepare for the trip.

They were no longer outside in the chilly wind, but the meeting room did nothing to ease his annoyance. The wolves before him were still asking the same questions. He wondered if they were paying attention at all.

“Enough!” he growled, the room instantly falling silent, questions dying on lips before they even had a chance to be breathed to life.

“We have gone over this too many times.” His eyes wondered over the shocked group.

Hunter sat on the other side of the room, heading the meeting table, flanked on either side by Wrath and Darron. His family the only ones not looking shocked at his outburst.

“How many times are you going to ask the same questions?” Mouths gaped, eyes bugged as everyone looked at him, “We will be leaving in the morning at eight, as wolves. We will be headed to Texas, just outside of Austin, I will head the group, and we will be there for as long as it takes,”

Everyone was speechless, even his family looked surprised at what had just happened.

“We will meet in front of the castle at seven thirty, I expect none of your men to be late. You are dismissed,”

The power in his voice had the group frozen for a moment before each person jumped up and rushed out the door, in a strangely orderly fashion.

With I sigh, Rage closed his eyes and dropped back down into his chair. He had a headache.

“He definitely should be the General,” Dare said, to those left in the room.

“I agree,” Hunter said, causing Rage to frown and open his eyes.

His brothers and cousin were staring at him, a smug look across Dare’s face.

“Well I do not,” he grumbled, growling at the smirk Hunter had.

“Think about it,” he ran his hand through his knotted curls, they were getting too long, “It is something I would like you to do, IF you decide to stay,”

His head throbbed at his brother’s words. IF he stayed. Hunter was playing games. Rage may not have made a choice to stay, but he would return for Willow, and Hunter new that.

He rose to his feet, wordlessly exiting the first-floor meeting room.

The sound of purring made him pause. The sound coming from the other end of the hall could only mean one thing.

He made his way down the hall, to the sunroom he knew was at the end of it.

The sunlight spilled through the door-less entryway. He approached it quietly, not wanting to disturb the sight before him.

Willow sat on the l-shaped couch, with her feet tucked at her side. A small smile on her face as she read the book she had in one hand and stroked the black kitten curled up beside her.

She was a vision as the sun shined down on her, causing a halo around her, as if she had been blessed by the gods.

Shadow stopped purring as he caught Rage standing in the doorway, his head perked up, pale yellow eyes trained on the male.

Willow frowned, pulling her attention from her book to glance at the cat beside her. She followed his eyes to the doorway. A blinding smile took over her as she looked upon Rage.

“How was your meeting?” she asked, setting her book onto her lap.

“It was alright, glad it’s over,” his voice was gruff, the headache exhausting him.

“Are you okay?” he smiled at her worry.

“Yeah, just tired,” his fingers ran through his hair, her eyes following the motion.

“Come here,” She grabbed one of the decorative pillows, placing it beside her, patting it in invitation. Rage hesitated, he wasn’t sure what she wanted or what sitting next to her would do.

Rage watched the cat stand in annoyance, not happy for the pillow to be invading his space. He jumped to the back of the seat, curling up to look out the window, acting as if Willow hadn’t made him move from his spot.

Slowly he made his way over, lowering himself beside her. Her smile didn’t fault when he looked at her, his gold eyes questioning.

“Lay down,” the words almost a whisper. He slowly lowered himself down, on his side, his head placed on the pillow.

The moment his body was stretched out along the cushions, her fingers skimmed his hairline. His eyes fluttered as he realized what she was planning to do.

Her fingers brushed through his hair, nails occasionally brushing along his scalp. The repeated motion relaxing him. His muscles loosening for the first time in a long time. Slowly his mind eased, and sleep brushed over him.

Willow smiled down at Rage. For such a tough male, he looked so sweet while he slept. His face relaxed made him look younger, making her realize that the armor he wore did just make him look mean and unapproachable, but it also made him look older than he was.

Her eyes shot up at the sound of footsteps. Her eyes glued to the doorway for the approaching.

As soon as Joy came into view, Willow placed a finger over her lips, silently shushing the older female from waking the sleeping male beside her. Rage really needed sleep, he didn’t look like he had been getting much sleep lately.

Joy stopped in the doorway, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of Willow and Rage. Her face changing, eyes watering with the sweetness of the moment. She pushed both hands against her chest as she stared at her son.

“Everything alright?” Willow whispered, wondering why Joy was here, others didn’t come here often.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to have lunch,” Joy whisper-yelled. Willow nodded to her with a smile, she did want to eat.

Slowly, trying not to wake Rage, she stood. With one eye on him, she made her way to his mother.

“I’m so glad he found you,” she said, choked up and near tears. Willow didn’t know what to say, so she smiled. She was happy too.