Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Artemis
The Sunday after the bayou tour, I decided it was time for a formal introduction.
Not because I needed Gumbo's approval—I was a grown woman who made her own choices, thank you very much—but because if this pack thing was going to work, they needed to understand that Gumbo came with the territory. Literally. He'd been here longer than any of them, and he wasn't going anywhere.
I'd told them to come by around noon, when the heat drove Gumbo out of the water to sun himself on his favorite flat rock near the dock. He'd be sluggish from the warmth, full from the fish I'd fed him that morning, and theoretically in a decent mood.
We'd spent the morning checking the rest of my property boundaries, as promised.
Harper had documented everything with that methodical precision of his, marking GPS coordinates and taking photos of any suspicious disturbances.
Silas had ranged ahead like a ghost, his pale eyes missing nothing.
Even Remy had been useful, his knowledge of the waterways helping us navigate the trickier channels.
We'd found twelve more stakes on the northern edge—freshly planted, bright orange flags fluttering like warnings.
They were in a pile on my porch now, waiting to join the others from yesterday.
But that was this morning's problem. Right now, we had a different kind of challenge.
Theoretically.
"This feels like meeting the parents." Remy said when he arrived, eyeing the massive alligator sprawled on the sun-warmed rock with obvious trepidation, his amber eyes wide and his usual confidence notably absent.
"Except the parent in question could literally eat me.
" He swallowed hard, his fingers drumming nervously against his thigh.
"He won't eat you." I said, not entirely sure that was true, watching Gumbo's tail flick lazily in the afternoon heat. "Probably." I added, because honesty was important in relationships.
"You keep saying 'probably.'" Remy pointed out, his voice climbing slightly, his curls sticking to his forehead in the humidity.
"I'd really prefer a 'definitely not.' Or even a 'most likely not.
' 'Probably' is not reassuring, chere." He took a step back, putting more distance between himself and the prehistoric predator currently sunbathing like he owned the place.
Which, to be fair, he kind of did.
Harper arrived next, his truck rumbling to a stop near the cabin, his boots heavy on the dock as he approached. He took in the scene—Gumbo on his rock, me standing nearby with my arms crossed, Remy hovering at what he clearly considered a safe distance—and nodded once, his dark eyes calm.
"Fontenot." Remy greeted him, something like relief flickering across his face at no longer being alone with the murder lizard. "Ready to meet the in-law?" He asked, jerking his chin toward Gumbo, his attempt at humor falling slightly flat.
"Been looking forward to it." Harper rumbled, his deep voice carrying no trace of sarcasm, his gaze fixed on Gumbo with what looked like genuine respect.
"He's magnificent." He said it simply, like he was stating an obvious fact, his massive frame relaxed despite the proximity of a nine-foot apex predator.
Silas materialized from the tree line without warning, making Remy yelp and stumble sideways, nearly falling off the dock in his surprise.
"Jesus Christ, Boudreaux." Remy pressed a hand to his chest, his heart visibly pounding beneath his thin t-shirt. "Make some noise when you walk. I almost died." He glared at the pale-eyed Alpha, who regarded him with flat disinterest.
"You almost fell off a dock." Silas corrected, his voice dry as dust, his scarred hands hanging loose at his sides.
"That's different than dying." He paused, his pale eyes flicking toward Gumbo.
"Though in this case, the outcome might be the same.
" He added, one corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly.
"I hate you." Remy muttered, but there was no real heat in it, his amber eyes betraying a reluctant amusement. "I hate all of you. This whole situation is terrible." He crossed his arms over his chest, pouting like a child denied dessert.
"Alright." I clapped my hands together, drawing all of their attention to me, enjoying the way three sets of Alpha eyes snapped to my face like I was the center of their universe.
Which, in this moment, I was. "Here's how this is going to work.
Gumbo is family. He's been with me for years.
He's protective, he's territorial, and he's an excellent judge of character.
" I let my gaze move from one to the next, making sure they understood the gravity of what I was saying.
"If you want to be part of my life, you need to earn his respect.
Or at least his tolerance." I finished, watching their reactions carefully.
Harper nodded, his expression serious, his dark eyes steady. Silas inclined his head slightly, his pale gaze already fixed on Gumbo with something like professional interest. Remy looked like he might be sick.
"Harper." I gestured for the big Alpha to step forward, watching him move with that surprising grace, his massive frame somehow not seeming threatening despite his size. "You first." I said, noting the way Gumbo's amber eyes had opened, tracking Harper's approach with ancient, patient awareness.
Harper stopped about ten feet from the rock, his boots planted firmly on the dock, his hands hanging loose at his sides. He didn't crouch, didn't make himself smaller, didn't try to appear non-threatening. He just stood there, steady and solid as the cypress trees surrounding us, and waited.
Gumbo's head lifted slightly, his snout turning toward the big Alpha, nostrils flaring as he took in Harper's scent. I watched the alligator's body language carefully—the position of his tail, the angle of his head, the subtle tension in his massive jaw.
Nothing aggressive. Just... assessment.
"He's reading you." I said quietly, moving to stand beside Harper, close enough to intervene if necessary but far enough to give Gumbo space. "Deciding what you are. Whether you're a threat." I explained, watching the silent exchange between predator and Alpha.
"What should I do?" Harper asked, his voice low, his eyes never leaving Gumbo's.
"Nothing." I said simply, feeling something warm unfurl in my chest at his willingness to follow my lead, to trust my judgment.
"Just be. Let him see you." I reached out and touched his arm, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin.
"He respects stillness. Patience. Quiet strength.
" I paused, a smile tugging at my lips. "You two have a lot in common, actually. " I added.
Harper made a sound that might have been a laugh, soft and surprised, his dark eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. He didn't move, didn't speak, just stood there like a mountain waiting to be measured.
A full minute passed. Then two.
Then Gumbo's head lowered back to the rock, his eyes drifting half-closed, his tail settling into stillness.
"He accepts you." I said, something like pride swelling in my chest, my hand still resting on Harper's arm. "That was fast, actually. Usually takes him longer to decide." I looked up at the big Alpha, finding his dark eyes warm when they met mine.
"We understand each other." Harper said simply, echoing Silas's words from the bayou tour, his massive hand coming up to cover mine where it rested on his arm.
"Both of us are used to being the biggest predator in the room.
Neither of us needs to prove it." His thumb stroked across my knuckles, gentle despite the calluses.
"Well." Remy's voice cut through the moment, high and slightly strained. "That's lovely. Really heartwarming. Can I skip my turn?" He asked hopefully, his amber eyes darting between Gumbo and the relative safety of the cabin behind us.
"No." I said firmly, releasing Harper's arm and turning to face the nervous Alpha. "You're next." I watched his face pale beneath his golden tan, his throat working as he swallowed hard.
"Chere." Remy's voice dropped, losing its usual playful edge, his amber eyes earnest and slightly desperate.
"I don't think this is a good idea. That thing—" he gestured vaguely toward Gumbo, "—he doesn't like me.
He's made that very clear. Multiple times.
With his teeth." He held up his hands, showing palms that were conspicuously unmarked.
"He's never actually bitten you." I pointed out reasonably, crossing my arms over my chest.
"He's tried." Remy insisted, his curls bouncing as he shook his head. "He's definitely tried. I saw the intent in his eyes, Artemis. Cold-blooded murder intent." He pressed a hand to his chest dramatically.
"Alligators are literally cold-blooded." Silas observed from where he stood, his voice carrying that bone-dry humor I was learning to love. "That's how their biology works." He added, his pale eyes glinting with amusement.
"Not helpful, Boudreaux." Remy snapped, shooting the other Alpha a glare that held no real venom.
"This is serious. My life is on the line.
" He turned back to me, his expression pleading.
"Can't I just... observe from a distance?
Show my respect from afar? Mail him a nice fish? " He suggested, grasping at straws.
"Remy." I stepped closer to him, reaching up to cup his face in my hands, feeling the stubble rough against my palms. "Trust me. Okay? I won't let anything happen to you." I held his gaze, watching the fear flicker behind his amber eyes, the vulnerability he usually hid beneath charm and humor.
"You promise?" He asked, his voice small, his hands coming up to wrap around my wrists like he needed to anchor himself to something solid.