Bayou Wolf

T
he rise
of so many lone wolves into a prospective sixth pack brings the Alphas of all the North American packs to Willow Bend for a summit. Having so many powerful dominants in one place invites challenges and hazards. No protocol can be ignored and none feels the strain more than Lincoln Buckley. He’s been charged by his Alpha to act as liaison for the Delta Crescent Alpha—the fierce and wildly beautiful Serafina Andre.

S
erafina stands apart
from her ‘fellow’ Alphas. As the only female to hold sway over a North American pack, she only has Delta Crescent’s interests in mind. She expects challenges from the other male Alphas, dominants all, due to their
need
to protect females. It doesn’t surprise her in the least to find out the wolf assigned as her liaison has also been tasked with her protection. What does startle her is the depth of her interest in him.

A
n Alpha doesn’t submit
, no matter how much the woman in her might crave him. Her pack must come first, especially since what Willow Bend proposes is insanity…

M
ason Clayborne
—Alpha of Willow Bend, mate of Alexis, father of Melissa, son of Andrew and Melissa Clayborne (both deceased).

Alexis Clayborne
—Mate of Mason, mother of Melissa, daughter of Ryan and Tiffany Huston (adopted by Ryan), older sister to Kyle Huston.

Ryan Huston
—Attorney for Willow Bend pack, father of Alexis (adopted) and Kyle, mate and husband to Tiffany. Counselor to Mason.

Tiffany Huston
—Wife and mate of Ryan, mother to Alexis and Kyle. Turned wolf.

Margo Montgomery Esposito
— Former Enforcer, southern region—now mate to Salvatore Esposito, Alpha of Seven Hills in Italy.

Toman Carlyle
—Former Alpha of Willow Bend (Deceased)

Felicia Carlyle
—Widow Mate to the former Alpha of Willow Bend, counselor to Mason.

Owen Chase
—Senior Hunter, Willow Bend, counselor to Mason. Mate of Gillian

Gillian Whitford Chase
—Healer, Mate to Owen Chase, travels with Owen on his routes.

A.J. Buckley
—The eldest of the Buckley triplets. Willow Bend Second, First Lieutenant and counselor to Mason Clayborne, mate of Vivian

Vivian Knox Buckley
—Software programmer, mate to A.J. Turned wolf.

Lincoln Buckley
—Second eldest of the Buckley triplets. Linc is training with the Hunters.

Tyler Buckley
—Youngest of the Buckley triplets, Tyler works with the juvenile boys for training and anger management

Claire Buckley
— Mate of Tyler, recently returned to Willow Bend and instructor for mid-year group youths.

Claudia Buckley
—Mother of A.J., Linc, Tyler, and Ranae. Mate to Virgil.

Virgil Buckley
—Father of A.J., Linc, Tyler, and Ranae, Mate to Claudia. Virgil works as a vehicle mechanic

Ranae Buckley
—Youngest Buckley sibling, student

Emma Halifax
—Pack Healer, mate to Thomas

Thomas Halifax –
Mate to Emma, retired Army Medic, gardener

S
erafina Andre
—Alpha, Delta Crescent

Amy Lange
–
Traiteur
, Delta Crescent

Trish LeClere –
Hound, Delta Crescent and sister to Jerome

Jerome LeClere
– Hound, Delta Crescent and brother to Trish

Hugo Ferrer
– Hound, Delta Crescent

Rene Victor
– Senior Advisor to Serafina Andre

Old Joe White
– Retired Hound, Senior Advisor to Serafina Andre

Regina Prosper –
Artiste in Residence, Serafina’s cousin on her mother’s side

Etienne Andre
– Lieutenant, Delta Crescent – Serafina’s brother and her second in command.

B
rett Dalton
– Alpha
, Hudson River

Trent
– Healer potential, Hudson River

C
assius
– Alpha
, Sutter Butte

Johnny Blaze
– Hunter, Sutter Butte

Laurel Jacobs
– Hunter, Sutter Butte

Bianca Jessup
– Healer, Sutter Butte

D
iesel
– Alpha
, Yukon

Cheryl “Fluff” Carter
- Sentry, Yukon

Benjamin “Chowder” Strieb
– Healer, Yukon – Brother to Grinder

Gerald “Grinder” Strieb
– Sentry, Yukon – Brother to Chowder

L
uciana Barrows
– Alpha
of the Rogue Pack, mate of Rayne

Rayne Barrows
– Mate of Luciana

Veronica Shaw
– Submissive, formerly Yukon Pack and Lone Wolf

R
yan slid
his hands in his pockets. If the wolf demonstrated no other tells, the act of tucking his hands into the pockets of his slacks told Mason a great deal. His father-in-law—a grounded parent, clever attorney, and dangerous wolf in his own right—remained uncertain about Mason’s proposal. While not entirely certain it would work, Mason believed the gamble to be worth it.

“Who else have you discussed this with?” Ryan asked into the quiet. Melissa lay sound asleep on her tummy on the thick rug in front of the fireplace. At eighteen months, she’d long since mastered walking and ran everywhere. Her boundless energy, however, came at a price. When she collapsed to sleep, she crashed hard.

Plucking her blanket off the back of the sofa, Mason crouched next to his daughter and covered her. Alexis currently trained with Claire Buckley, an odd match-up Mason wouldn’t have considered before his mate interceded on a fight between Ranae and Claire—well, a one-sided fight anyway. Turned wolves didn’t always know their own strength or how to use their speed to their advantage.

A natural born wolf, Claire not only survived her years in Sutter Butte, she’d also proved tenacious in her oath to attack no one since being allowed to return to Willow Bend. Will and skill combined to make her a formidable fighter. Talent and disposition made her an invaluable instructor. Mason wanted the best for his mate and Claire delivered.

Some questioned his choice, but Mason trusted his instincts. He’d trusted Claire when she said, “I want to come home.” Her mating to Tyler back on track, Claire proved an invaluable member of the pack and the perfect instructor for Mason’s mate.
Not that Alexis will ever need to fight to survive, not again.

“Mason?” Amusement colored the reminder, and Mason pushed to his feet.

“Only Alexis. She has unique perspective on wolf politics.” And he’d only discussed the bare bones of the idea with her.

“Does she know about you and Serafina?” Shocked, Mason swung around to stare at his father-in-law. How the hell did Ryan know about Serafina? It had been brief, hot, and over years before. The faint hint of amusement on Ryan’s face vanished. “I know a lot of things. It doesn’t matter how I do. What does matter is whether bringing Serafina Andre here along with the other Alphas bothers my daughter.”

His daughter.
“She’s
my
mate.” Mason met stony glare for stony glare. “One has nothing to do with the other.”

“You keep telling yourself that, son.” Ryan shook his head and glanced at the sleeping baby on the floor. “That said, it isn’t done. Meetings between Alphas, on the very rare occasion that they happen, typically occur on neutral territory. It’s safer for everyone involved.”

“We did all right with Salvatore.” He’d liked the Italian Alpha, a far more powerful wolf than he ever let show, yet he’d been a gracious guest. If he’d chosen to make Luciana’s cause his, he could have been a terrific threat. Scratching his jaw, Mason wrestled with the plan. “How often have Alphas met, anyway? I remember representatives at Serafina’s ascension. None came to mine. Brett was already Alpha when I left Willow Bend—newly-minted, but still Alpha.”

The same Alpha who’d granted Mason sanctuary for a time, but without Mason bowing to him, he couldn’t stay in Hudson River. They’d parted amicably enough. Hell, Mason half-considered the New Yorker a friend.

“Honestly?” Ryan shrugged. “Toman met with none of them if he could help it. I think the last time may have been at the end of the war, but that was before my time. He
never
hosted them here. It’s a crazy kind of dangerous to bring all the alphas together in one location, especially if the location happens to be
your
territory.”

“I’ve already considered the potential downside to having them here versus a more neutral location. Having them here gives us an excuse for the meeting…”

“An excuse?” Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “Mason Clayborne is hosting a personal auction of his territory, first come first serve?”

He chuckled and clapped Ryan on the shoulder as he circled the sofa and headed into the kitchen. The bar separating the two rooms let him keep an eye on the sleeping cub while he poured coffee. “Yes, something that lets the alphas save face with their own packs, yet agree to the meeting within territory. I’m young enough, they can see it as a foolish gesture without threat while appreciating the additional security it will provide them.”

“What are you up to?” Intrigue filled the sharp wolf’s eyes, exactly the expression Mason hoped to see.

Spurred on by glee, he smiled. “That’s the point. They’re all going to wonder what I’m up to, or at least some of them will. Brett will come because, while I owed him a favor, he owes me one now.”

“Gillian?” Not much escaped the attorney.

“Exactly. He bonded with her during her previous visit, and she’s still tacitly connected to him. She’s my wolf, but I think he still needs her on some level. So she’s all the leverage I need there.”

“Okay, that’s one,” Ryan said then folded his arms. No longer uncertain, he seemed to understand Mason had a plan. “What about the other three?”

“Serafina owes me a favor. I’ll call that in to get her here. Cassius…I have an in with Cassius.”

Ryan frowned. “Tyler won’t like you asking Claire to do that.”

“No, he won’t. But Claire will do it and, between us, we can get Cassius here. That only leaves Diesel.” The Yukon Alpha wouldn’t be easy to persuade. Chances were he wouldn’t show up at all, except Gillian would prove very useful in persuading their healer to come for a visit. The healers talked, they all did. Some thought their alphas didn’t know, or maybe they simply didn’t care if their alphas did, but the healers shared bonds. With everything that happened in Brett’s pack, coupled with the headache Mason continued guarding in Nebraska, a conference of the healers would give them all the cover they needed. If the Yukon healer came, then Diesel would have no choice.

“Oh.” Ryan laughed softly. “You are an evil bastard.”

“Yes.” Mason grinned, raising his coffee cup. “I am.”