One

Chapter 7

Rain slowly started to make its way through the foliage above, hitting their fur as the two wolves darted back to the packhouse.

Pack patrol was used to stormy conditions and would keep on running. Teams would be switched more rapidly during bad weather to avoid members from getting sick, however they couldn't stop patrolling in case anyone slipped by undetected.

But Brandon knew that an Omega's fur was thinner than most wolves. Which meant that if Sean got soaked, he would get cold.

He might get sick...

The mere idea made Brandon scowl at the sky, as if he could intimidate the clouds above. Instead he got rained in the face, making him snort and shake his head, chest feeling lighter when Sean's wolf followed close behind.

Though both of them probably needed a bath, judging from the thick muck that stained Sean's fur. It still made amusement flair up within Brandon's wolf as it had only happened a few moments ago.

Evidently Sean didn't have much experience with slick surfaces and when he had wanted to push off from the floor to propel him forwards, the pup had miscalculated.

Instead of vaulting forwards into the woods, the poor Omega's paws had slid out underneath him in the mud, making its smaller, lither form skid out over the cold, clammy muck.

Brandon had to help Sean out of the damp soil, as it was pulling on the Omega's paws, refusing to let go without a struggle.

And now the muddied up pup seemed more than eager to go home and get that good soak.

Brandon was all too eager to guide Sean home, knowing how miserable it could feel. Being caked in cold mud that clung to your fur and skin, matted your fur and added unwanted weight.

Hell, even he was forced to watch his paws, often threatening to slide in the muck. Luckily they were close to the pack house and Brandon sighed with relief when he spotted his mother and father waiting at the door.

"Oh, you poor thing! Look at the state you're in!" Faye cried out, throwing a heated towel over Sean before she clacked her tongue. "A hot bath will do wonders."

Brandon smiled as Sean hesitantly allowed Faye to towel dry him as much as possible. Both of them required a good bath but Brandon knew they needed to rinse off in wolf form first.

Nobody wanted to clean up after a pair of muddy wolves had ran through the hallways. Not to mention that it was easier to clean off most dirt in wolf form, then shifting and possibly relocating that filth to unmentionable places.

Currently a thick layer of fur protected their skins and held most of the mud at bay. But in Sean's case, if he were to shift this very moment, the mud stuck on the fur of his hind quarters would feel very unpleasant on his human skin.

"Let's give you both a quick rinse so we don't need to clean the entire packhouse, shall we?" Ryker chuckled, motioning to the changing rooms.

Sean seemed hesitant, so Brandon nudged the door open, claws clacking on tiled floors as Ryker followed him with a chuckle. The omega hesitantly followed, encouraged by soft and sweet apple pheromones as Faye smiled warmly.

Sensing Sean's unease, Brandon's wolf decided to defuse the tension, waiting until his father was full stretched out to grab the showerhead above them before striking.

Pacing his paws out properly, he started shaking his fur in earnest, huffing happily at the disgusted outcry of Ryker and the laughter from his mother behind them.

"You should've seen that one coming dear." Faye snickered behind her hand while Ryker moved a hand over his now muddied face.

Ryker simply hummed in slight amusement, shaking his head as he looked down at his son. "Last time he did that, the boy was newly shifted."