He Will Be Mine

Chapter 99: War It Is

*** Matt's POV ***

After the call finally came in from Nick this morning, things started moving quickly. Alpha Jesse is dead, and Nick needs our help. He requested me and Mr. Bentley specifically, and though Tyler wanted to come and check on our grandparents in person, Zeke wouldn't let him leave Aly's side. Considering that we don't know what might happen with the rogues now that Jesse is gone, I can't say I disagree with him.

Once we've finished helping Nick, we'll be bringing Granny Tam and Grandpa Gabe home with us anyway. Nick's first official action as Alpha was to approve their transfer to our pack. They're no longer in danger at Silver Crescent, but we still want our family back together. That's been the plan all along.

Once our group arrives outside the Silver Crescent packhouse, Nick comes to greet us. He has a little boy in his arms, a blue-eyed, chubby-cheeked, ginger-haired little guy who seems happy to see us even though we're complete strangers to him.

"Hi," the boy exclaims excitedly, waving his chubby hand expectantly.

"Hi," I chuckle, waving back at him.

"This is my nephew, Morgan," Nick explains. "And for the time being, he's the Alpha heir, and we're spending some time getting to know each other while his mother tends to some things in the packhouse."

Morgan reaches for me, and I take him from Nick without thinking much of it. I don't have a lot of experience with kids this young, but since he seems so determined to come visit me, I'm not about to deny him. He throws his arms around my neck and nestles his face against me as Nick explains why he brought us here.

"Jesse was keeping a lot of people in those dungeons, people who I don't think belong there, but I need to be sure before I release them. Many of them are rogues." He looks straight at me before he adds, "I was hoping for a non-intrusive means of figuring out who they are and whether they're a threat to my pack or yours. Elder Gerard is coming to help with that, but I get the impression that some of these women have already been handled too much. I was thinking that your ability to read people without touching them might be better for them."

"Oh wow, okay," I comment absently as I take that in. That's a tall, intimidating order for someone who barely knows how to use his "brain powers," as Tyler would say.

Figuring Nick should probably know that, I tell him, "I can try, but there's no guarantee of how much I'll be able to help. I'm still learning how to control my ability."

"Yeah, I get that. All I'm asking is for you to try. And as for you, Mr. Bentley, I was hoping to have your assistance with organizing and preparing my warriors. They're kind of a mess currently. Things have never been the same here as with your pack, and we're going to need a crash course in combat discipline to stand a chance against the rogues."

"I was worried about that," Mr. Bentley admits. "It was something your father and I went back and forth about constantly."

"I know. I remember," Nick says, smiling wistfully. "I almost wish he was still around so you could gloat and have your 'I told you so' moment."

Mr. Bentley grasps Nick's shoulder affectionately the way he often does to me and Tyler, and Nick reaches up to pat his hand a couple times. It's clear that these two have had a good chance to bond over the months he stayed with New Horizon.

"Well anyway, we should probably get to work," Nick tells us next. "I'll take Morgan back to the nanny and then we can get started."

While he's in the house, Mr. Bentley turns and gives some directions to our team of warriors we brought with us, preparing them to help him mentor our allies. I notice Elder Gerard walking down the path toward us and wave at him.