Blind Wolf (A Werewolf BBW Shifter Romance #1)(6)

"South of the city will be better for us," Jordan said decisively, pointing out the map topography. "The way the mountains are lined up, the wind blows south over the entire urban area. We wouldn't have to worry about any wolf passing through the city and smelling us."

"Who passes through this city?" Kyle asked, shrugging. "College kids? Any member of a pack wouldn't be leaving their territory to go to school somewhere else. It makes no sense."

"Anybody might pass through!" Jordan said, adjusting his eyeglasses on his nose. "Just driving through. What if someone drove through the city?"

"We're in the middle of Bumf*ck, Nowhere," Kyle said. "Who's going to smell us? Pardon my language, Katherine," he said, blushing as he nodded apologetically in her direction. She scowled.

"At least we can afford any of the places around here," Jordan said. "We've got enough money to buy half the town if we wanted to. Turns out Bumf*ck, Nowhere is a cheap place to live."

"Are there any good places south of the city?" Damien asked. At his question, both Katherine and Kyle perked up to attention.

"I found a couple," Kyle said. "And Jordan scouted around the edges to see which ones we can get to from the state park's land."

"There are a few," Jordan said, scratching at his beard. "Most of them are pretty ramshackle, though. It's the poor part of the area, the houses are old."

"We're going to tear down the house anyway, right? Build separate cabins?" Katherine said. She hugged close to Damien's side.

"I'd like a study of my own," Jordan said. "For research."

"And you'll need a house for your family," Kyle blurted out. He licked his lips and bent his head, avoiding Katherine's gaze. Damien paused for a second, gathering the information he could from the subtle sounds of his pack, and then picked the strands of the conversation back together.

"Go tomorrow and check out the interesting places together," Damien said to the two men.

"In human form?" Kyle asked.

Jordan's voice was soaked in sarcasm. "Yes, in human form. Unless you think it's a good idea to go traipsing into an open house as a wolf?"

"I meant to get there," Kyle said. "I want to run. My leg is hurting." He tapped his withered foot on the floor..

"Everybody wants to stretch their legs, Kyle," Katherine said. "You think I wanted to scout in the city all day?"

"It's just that it's been three days nonstop on the road," Kyle said.

"Three whole days?" Jordan sniffed condescendingly. "Ah, to be young again and have nothing to complain about."

"You got to run all day today around the outskirts of the city!" Kyle said. "How is that fair?"

"I don't suppose respect for your elders was something they taught you in your last pack," Jordan hissed.

"Enough," Damien said quietly, but the instant he said it silence descended on the table. "Katherine and I will scout around the edges of the state park tomorrow while Jordan and Kyle visit the potential houses. Kyle, you can run with us as far as the highway, and Jordan will pick you up at the rest stop we stayed at last night before you go house hunting. That's what, a mile? Mile and a half?"

"That would be perfect," Kyle said, the brightness back in his attitude. Argumentative as he was, Kyle could never stay in a bad mood for long.

"Then it's settled," Jordan said, shoving his chair back from the table. "Can't wait to go house hunting with you tomorrow, honey."

"You got it, babe," Kyle said, smirking. "I'm going to go hit up the gas station for some donuts. Anybody want to come?"

He addressed the group, but Damien could smell his lust from across the table.

"I'll go," Katherine said.

"We have snacks in our room already, Katherine," Damien said. "Don't you remember?"

"Oh. Right." The bit of disappointment in Katherine's voice disappeared as she kissed Damien on the cheek. "I'll see you later in bed?"

"I'll be there shortly." Damien waited until he heard Katherine shut the door to their room just across the hall. Outside the window, Kyle limped across the parking lot towards the gas station.

"You worried about your competition?" Jordan asked, teasing. "Is that little crippled boy wolf going to take over the pack? Take your girl?"

"He's head over heels for her, that's for damn sure," Damien said.

"You're not going to fight him," Jordan said, only a hint of a question in his voice.

"No, of course not," Damien said. "He's a kid. Weak."

"You're blind."

"Doesn't matter that much in a fight," Damien said thoughtfully. "No, I just have to keep them apart. We don't need any fights between members of the pack."

He felt his way to the hotel end table and pulled out the bottle of scotch from his briefcase.

"A little premature to celebrate, don't you think?" Jordan asked. "Not that I won't take a drink."

"I'm alright with celebrating early. This feels like the right town," Damien said. He poured two glasses of scotch, listening for the tinkling pitch that meant the glasses were half-full. He handed one over to Jordan, and they both sat back in their chairs. The full moon was low in the sky outside of the open window. He could feel the pull of it, the same force that moved the waters of the earth.