‘Wake up Huds! Wake up, wake up, wake up!’ came Tilly’s excited voice as the she wolf bounced on his stomach wildly.
Pulling the covers down, he glanced up at his sister with bleary eyes, he’d spent most of the night awake, his mind rolling over what Quinn had said about helping other wolves.
‘Tilly, inside voice’ he mumbled, reaching out and grabbing her waist to stop her incessant bouncing on him when he hadn’t been to the bathroom yet.
‘You said you would take me swimming, you promised!’ the little girl argued, trying to wriggle out of his grip.
‘I’m sorry Tilly bear’ Hudson sighed, ‘I’m going to have to take a rain check.’
His sister’s face fell at his words, ‘but you promised’ she said, her lower lip quivering.
Pulling himself up with one hand, whilst keeping his sister safe with the other, the Alpha nodded sadly. ‘I know Tills’ he replied, ‘but something has come up and I really need to go out to the town. Uh . . it’s for the protection of the pack’ he added evasively.
Tilly sniffed, using the back of her hand to wipe her eye, ‘OK’ she whispered unhappily, ‘it’s OK, I understand.’
Looking at her disappointed face, Hudson’s eyes glazed over quickly, ‘Garrett’ he shouted through the mind link, ‘wake up!’
‘Fuck Huds!’ came his beta’s grumpy voice a second later, ‘it’s six o’clock dude, on Saturday! I am not doing extra training with you today!’
‘I need you to take Tilly to the lake to practice swimming, I promised but I have to go somewhere’ Hudson replied with a huff.
A sigh came through the link, but he could feel that his best friend was getting up. ‘Fine, but you owe me’ he grumbled before cutting the connection between them.
His eyes clearing, Hudson found Tilly watching him curiously, ‘who were you talking to?’ she asked, ‘it’s rude to link someone when you are talking to someone else you know.’
Hudson laughed, ‘I know and I’m sorry, but I was asking Garrett if he knew anyone who would like to take a certain cheeky she wolf for a swimming lesson this morning as a big brother who feels really bad right now, is flaking out on her.’
Tilly’s face lit up, ‘Garrett is going to take me swimming?’ she squealed, starting to bounce again.
‘Tills! Tilly Bear, some of us haven’t used the restroom yet, can we not bounce around on the overly full bladder?’ Her brother winced making her laugh.
‘Sorry, go do your thing, I’m going to get my water wings on’ she replied before racing out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Climbing out of bed, the Alpha headed into the bathroom, relieving himself before taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth.
Stepping out of his room fifteen minutes later, he headed down the stairs to find Tilly and Garrett stood by the front door, the little she wolf’s tiny hand engulfed in his Beta’s huge one.
‘Why would I turn down a morning with my favourite she wolf in the world?’ Garrett was asking the excited seven year old. ‘I’m just shocked it took your brother this long to ask me to teach you when we all know I’m a far superior swimmer to him.’
Tilly laughed as she clasped his big hand in both of hers, ‘can I ride Gage?’ she pleaded, staring up at the nineteen year old hopefully.
Garrett chuckled as he nodded, ‘of course, a princess needs a fine strong steed to carry her, who better than her noble subject Beta Gage’ he teased.
‘Yay!’ the she wolf squealed jumping up and down before trying to drag the older boy out of the pack house.
‘Um, you are much to happy about having Garrett take you instead of me’ Hudson called out with a mock frown. ‘I’m going to start thinking that you like him more than me.’
Tilly glanced back at him with a smile, ‘I do’ she replied, continuing to tug at Garrett’s hand, the beta allowing her to lead him as he smirked over his shoulder at his best friend.
‘Traitor’ Hudson grumbled under his breath as he followed them out just in time to see Garrett stripping out of his clothes. Hurrying over, he placed his hands over Tilly’s eyes as he growled at the other man. ‘Um, my sister! She’s right here looking at you.’
Garrett looked up, stood just in his boxers, ‘I know, I can see her’ he replied simply.
‘And you are just stripping in front of her? She’s seven!’ the Alpha retorted.
Rolling his eyes, the beta removed his underwear, ‘we’re werewolves Huds, she’s seen thousands of wolves shift.’
‘I don’t care’ Hudson stated, ‘don’t strip in front of her, she’s to little.’
Placing his hands on his hips, his lip twitching as Tilly giggled behind her brother’s hands. ‘And how do you expect me to shift back at the lake?’ he questioned. ‘Are you expecting Gage to teach her because he’s more likely to have her hold on to him while he drags her around the water.’
‘That would be fun!’ Tilly exclaimed, ‘let’s do that!’
‘No!’ Hudson growled seriously reconsidering his knee jerk decision to ask his friend to take his place. ‘There will be no wolves dragging you around a deep lake.’
‘Spoilsport’ the she wolf muttered under her breath as she pulled his hands from her eyes just as Gage appeared. The large chocolate brown wolf trotting over to the little girl and rubbing his head all over her face, licking her cheeks happily.
‘Keep your tongue to yourself Gage’ Hudson warned, scowling at the wolf who huffed at him before laying down so that Tilly could scramble on his back.
Gathering up Garrett’s clothes, he handed them to his sister, making sure she had a firm handhold before stepping back. ‘You turn around when Gage shifts back, understand?’ he called out as the werewolf stood up and took off toward the trees, Tilly screaming excitedly as they disappeared from view.
Making his way to his truck, Hudson pulled out his keys and unlocked the doors, climbing in behind the wheel and starting the engine.
Heading out of the pack territory, he followed the road toward the town. The streets were lined with cars, people milling around doing their shopping, young pups tightly gripping their parents’ hands as they moved from shop to shop.
Pulling into a space, Hudson slipped out, locked the door, and started to move down the sidewalk, looking out for any sign of Quinn.
Checking each of the shops, the Alpha came up empty, growling in frustration as he turned toward the market, as that was where she had been before.
Walking between the stalls, he was amazed at the different offerings that were available. With everything he needed being provided by the pack, he had never taken notice of the wares that were being sold nearby.
‘Fabrics ma-am’ one old woman called out, holding onto a bolt of bright coloured material, stretching it out for the woman in front of her to look at. ‘Only the finest silks used in the creation of my wares.’
The woman in front of her, rubbed the material between her fingers, nodding in approval before fishing her wallet out of her bag.
Next door a man was yelling to passers by, ‘fine fruits, get your fine, home grown fruits here. Best prices in town and all harvested from farms in our own fair state.’
Moving through the bodies of people, Hudson was starting to give up hope of finding the she wolf when he heard a familiar voice. ‘Twelve dollars Emmett? They were only ten last week, come on, don’t hustle me.’
A wrinkled, kindly looking man behind a stall filled with hats, gloves, and scarves was smiling down at the red head as he chuckled. ‘Now Quinn, pricess are going up love, you know I gotta make a few dollars for the missus, if I keep giving things away she’s gonna reject me.’
Quinn raised an eyebrow, ‘if Martha was here, she’d tell you to give them to me for four Emmett and you know it’ she replied stubbornly. ‘How long have I been a customer? I only come to you, never been to Alan on the other end of the market, been loyal since I started coming here. Do I have to start giving my money to him now? You know Martha is going to be angry if I go elsewhere.’
Emmett rubbed his bristled chin as he perused the small she wolf in front of him, ‘Martha does make special ones just for you’ he agreed grudgingly, scowling when Quinn did a little booty shake of excitement. ‘I never said yes, mind’ he added grouchily.
‘Yes you did Emmett’ she crowed, reaching out and patting the man’s cheek affectionately.
Huffing loudly, Emmett kneeled down, standing moments later with a large bag that was taped shut. ‘Here’ he grumbled, shoving them toward her, ‘sixty bucks.’
Grinning widely, Quinn fished into her pocket and pulled out a fist full of notes, handing them over before grabbing the bag and opening it. Glancing up, she gave the stall holder a knowing smile, ‘there are more than six in here Emmett’ she teased as she closed it again, adding it to the bags she was already carrying.
The old man averted his eyes, ‘the missus packed it, she’s going blind I reckon, and keeps miscounting.’
The she wolf winked at him as she backed up a pace, ‘if you say so’ she agreed with a laugh, ‘I’ll never allow anyone to say that you have a soft heart under that gruff exterior.’
Emmett waved his hand at her, pretending to swat her, ‘get away with you, ya scamp’ he growled, ‘littering up my stall and blocking proper, paying customers.’
Laughing, Quinn waved at him as she moved away, ‘see you in a few weeks’ she called back, ‘maybe a bit sooner if I can earn some more money quicker.’
Turning to the right, she disappeared into the crowd, Hudson following behind her, keeping people between them to try and stop her realising he was there.
Once outside of the market, Quinn turned left, heading down a long alleyway, away from the town toward a wooded area.
His nerves spiking, Hudson hurried slightly, keeping Quinn in view as she moved fearlessly through the trees toward the centre.
Moments later, two men, one blonde and one black haired, stepped out of the shadows, flanking her. The Alpha stiffened, preparing to go to Quinn’s defense when one of the men, a man with blonde hair, leaned closer and said something making her laugh as she shook her head.
Nodding, he straightened up and waved for Quinn to go first, the she wolf starting to walk again without fear.
Following them all, he stopped at the edge of a clearing where a couple of roughy made tents were pitched. Outside of one, a woman was washing clothes in a bucket of water whilst keeping an eye on two children that were running around in front of her trying to catch each other.
Upon seeing Quinn, the two pups stopped what they were doing, running toward her and circling their arms around her legs almost causing her to topple over. As she patted the little girl’s head that was wrapped around her left leg, she held her bags over the head of the young boy, nodding as he excitedly pointed to them.
The she wolf stood up from her bucket, wiping her hands on her apron before approaching Quinn, holding out her hand to grip the teenagers as she greeted her. The woman’s eyes moved to the clearing, homing in on Hudson who moved back slightly.