“Yes,” Jacy answered. “And when we get back we have to talk.”
Rafe didn’t respond, knowing what he wanted to talk about and he had no answers for him. Fuck, Rafe had none for himself either. He didn’t know what the hell was going on and knew he’d been neglecting his duties as Alpha. None of that seemed to matter though. This hunger inside him needed feeding and that was the fact of the matter. That he didn’t know what was happening to him was pushed to the back of his mind as he hunted.
Jacy was going to be making his Alpha face what was going on and that annoyed the hell out of him.
His Wolf growled, a low rumble deep in his chest before turning for home and speeding through the forest. Jacy kept pace, never allowing his Alpha to get ahead, sticking close and making sure Rafe didn’t disappear.
“Damn,” Rafe thought as he plowed through the underbrush with speed. He definitely wasn’t looking forward to the conversation Jacy was obviously hell-bent on having.
He pushed the impending talk from his mind, instead reveling in the feel of allowing his beast free rein in the place he loved the most. The area around their camp was his haven, where he went when Alpha duties weighed him down. His love of nature ran deep in his veins and if he weren’t Alpha, he’d spend far more time running wild and free.
However, he was Alpha and that position held responsibilities he sometimes felt weighed like a ton of bricks on his shoulders. He never allowed that to show, always calm and in control, and thinking of the Pack first.
As smoke from camp filled his nostrils he slowed his pace, loping along the outskirts until he stopped at the back door of his cabin. The smell of his mother’s cooking wafting toward him as he transformed, leaving his Wolf behind as the man appeared.
He’d changed so many times that he no longer felt pain or heard the sounds of his body realigning. His skin shivered against the coolness of dawn as he grabbed his jeans off the back porch, tugging them up over his thick thighs, and striding inside the warmth of the kitchen.
“Hey, you.” His mom, Ellie, turned from the stove, spatula in hand, as she cooked his breakfast. “Where have you been this early?”
Rafe didn’t answer immediately, giving Jacy the opportunity to enlighten her. “We’ve been out all night, hunting.”
His mom moved the pan from the stove then turned back to lock eyes with him. Rafe stared right back as she raised an eyebrow, her tone questioning. “And what did you bring back?”
“Nothing,” Jacy answered again, Rafe ignoring him completely as his mother nodded slowly.
“So you two won’t want breakfast then?”
Jacy stepped around Rafe, heading to the huge wooden table. “I’m starving, Ellie. I didn’t eat anything.”
“Is that so?” Ellie said as she served Jacy a large plate of food.
“Yes.” Jacy smirked as he glared at Rafe.
“Traitor,” Rafe flung out through their link.
Jacy turned, his dark eyes locking with Rafe’s as he shrugged. “Rafe and I have something to discuss, after breakfast of course.”
“Honey,”—his mom pointed to the table—“come sit down and eat.”
“Thanks.” Rafe strode over, giving Jacy the evil-eye as he sat down.
A plate, piled high with food landed before him, then his mom sat down next to him. Too late Rafe realized she also wanted to talk.
“This has been going on for a few days, son, and I think I know what’s happening.”
Jacy stopped shoveling food into his mouth. “Really? What’s going on with him?”
Rafe huffed, interrupting. “Him? I’m him now. Whatever happened to showing your Alpha some respect.”
Ellie waggled a finger at her son. “Rafe, don’t be an ass.”
“I see,” Rafe grouched. “I’m an ass now too. Great.”
“Ellie,” Jacy carried on, ignoring his Alpha. “What do you think is wrong with Rafe? I’m worried about him. You know he actually growled at me while he hogged an entire deer?”
“What?” Ellie’s eyes popped open. “He ate an entire deer on his own?”
“That wasn’t all,” Jacy replied, his voice lowering conspiratorially. “He’d already had three kills before the deer.”
“Enough!” Rafe slammed down his cutlery. “Stop talking as if I’m not even in the room!”
Jacy slowly returned his cutlery to the table before turning to glare at Rafe. “Maybe if you’d discuss the problem we wouldn’t have to.”
Nobody else would get away with speaking to Rafe like that. Not if they wanted to stay in one piece and if there were other Pack members around, Jacy wouldn’t either. In the confines of his cabin though, the normal rules relaxed. It was the only way for his Beta to call him out on things that he needed to.
Those times were rare, but they did happen and Rafe exhaled loudly before looking into his best friend’s face. “All right, I admit that there’s something going on with me, but I don’t know what the fuck is going on!”
Ellie shook her head. “Language,” she chastised. “Rafe, you look like hell, and you’re appetite is out of control. So, do you want me to tell you what I think is wrong? Or are you going to continue snapping at everyone and acting like an idiot?”
“Go on.” Rafe waved his hand at his mom, not at all sure he wanted to hear what she had to say.
“This is something I’ve heard about before, this hunger you have.” Ellie reached over, patting his hand reassuringly. “I know you can’t control it and you’ve been in Wolf form far more than usual. There’s a reason for that.”
Ellie paused when Jacy sat forward, his tone incredulous. “You know what’s wrong with him? Why didn’t you say anything before? I’ve been worried sick about him.”
Rafe snapped at his Beta. “You’ve been worried in case you need to take over for a while.”
Jacy’s face flushed at being caught out. Rafe knew he hated when he had to run the Pack if he were away. His friend blustered,
