Chapter 12
Avi lifted the metal slat and held it in place while Ford set the bolt. His mind was split between the task of fixing the front gate and his mate, who was inside the farmhouse talking to her mom.
He couldn’t believe the turn of events.
Everything had happened so quickly, and if it weren’t for Sera’s intervention, Fallon could have gotten seriously hurt. Not to mention the other members of the herd.
Avi was thankful that the losses to the herd had been to the farm itself and not a member.
Unlike Colton’s herd.
“You okay?” Ford asked.
“Just thinking.”
“It’s been a crazy day. But it’s been kind of crazy since everything was set into motion with Colton’s herd coming into New Jersey.”
Avi hummed and picked up another metal slat. “I didn’t really know Weston, or Colton, either. Weston was pretty young when my mom and I left the herd. Part of me feels like I should feel some kind of guilt over his death, but he’s basically a stranger.”
“Plus, he came to abduct Fallon.”
“That too.”
As Ford bolted the slat into place, Avi glanced at the farmhouse. He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to Fallon. Already it felt like she’d been part of his life forever, not the short amount of time she’d been there.
“Probably why you don’t genuinely feel remorse over Weston dying is because he tried to take your soulmate.
Colton’s herd was told that if they set foot in our territory, we’d meet them with deadly force.
It was sheer arrogance that got Weston killed.
” Ford gave him a long look. “Better him than Fallon, or you or any of our people. Colton needs to get the hell out of New Jersey and start over somewhere else.”
“I think he’s too psycho for that.”
“Yeah. I kind of do too.”
Crew joined them, looking at his phone screen for a moment before he put it in his shirt pocket. “I’ve got two ideas.”
“Just two?” Avi asked.
Crew smirked. “In this situation, yes. How long will you be with the gate?”
Ford took a step back and looked at the gate. “Twenty minutes, give or take.”
“Meet in the kitchen when you’re done. Fallon and Sera are welcome to join us, Avi.”
“Sure thing,” Avi said. Crew walked away while Avi and Ford got back to work on repairing and reinforcing the gate to prevent a breach from happening again.
As they finished up, Avi helped Ford put away the tools and clean up, and then they headed into the kitchen where the entire herd—from elder Dexter and his mate Nancy, to Fallon and her mom—were seated around the big table.
Snacks and drinks were in the center of the table, and Avi grabbed a chilled bottle of iced tea before taking an empty seat next to Fallon and kissing her cheek.
“The gate is all set?” Crew asked from the head of the table where he sat with Zara.
“Yep,” Ford said, taking his seat. “Repaired and reinforced.”
“Excellent.” Crew folded his hands and looked around the table.
“There are two things that I want to deal with before the end of the day, and I want to get input from the herd. I’d like to reach out to the park and ask them to loan us a few security team members.
I believe if we had one or two security people in shifts around the clock for a while, it would give us a chance to breathe and work on the electronic surveillance systems we have in place.
It’s been rough with only so many of us on patrol here.
It wouldn’t be forever, just for a week perhaps. ”
The herd was quiet.
Then Avi said, “That would potentially be a lot of traffic back and forth from the park here. Can we say for sure that they wouldn’t be followed by Otto?”
“They’re no slouches in the security department at the park,” Khyle said. “They could definitely get here and back without being followed.”
Avi gave Fallon’s hand a squeeze. “I just want the farm and the herd to be safe. All of us.”
“Understandable,” Crew said. “We’re definitely on the same page. Does anyone object to me reaching out to the park for security help?”
When no one objected, Crew moved on to his other idea.
Which involved reaching out to Colton for a cease-fire of sorts. “He may very well want to retaliate, but if we contact him first and point out that he can stop the losses to his herd by walking away, perhaps we can get him to see the light,” Crew said.
“Do you think he’ll walk away?” Grey asked, looking at Avi.
Avi shrugged. “I was telling Ford earlier that I don’t really know him anymore. I was a kid when Mom and I left. Zara would know more than I would.”
Zara grimaced. “He’s very stubborn, and now that he’s lost his brother, I would imagine he’d see taking over our herd as a point of honor.
He may keep coming after the herd to show himself as the rightful alpha.
Going back on his plan to take over the farm…
he might think it would get him killed by one of his people so they can take over.
They were already a small herd, and now they’ve lost two of their people, including the second-in-command. ”
“Good point,” Crew said. He tapped his fingers on the table and blew out a breath.
“I still think it’s worth reaching out to Colton and making it clear he needs to move on for the benefit of the few remaining people in his herd.
It will be a chance to renew our threats to him, that he is forfeiting their lives if he tries to come after us again. Does anyone disagree?”
No one raised their hand.
“Then we’ll move forward with that tonight. I’m going to reach out to the park alphas.” He pushed back in his chair and then paused. “I think we need a cookout for dinner. Can we put that together?”
“Definitely,” Tris said, with Zara and Nancy agreeing.
“Mom and I will help,” Fallon said.
“I need someone to come with me to get Tatum from the library,” Grey said. “Then we’ll help.”
“I’ll come,” Dexter said.
“Great,” Grey said. “On to our jobs and a cookout tonight. Whatever happens, the herd’s safety is the most important thing. Watch each other’s backs.”
The group dispersed.
Fallon turned to Avi and said, “Are you on patrol tonight?”
“Yep. Why?”
“I was wondering if you’d mind if I stayed with Mom in her room. I want a chance to spend time with her.”
“Yeah, of course, no problem.”
She hugged him and whispered in his ear, “We can still spend time together in our room before that, though.”
He squeezed her hips and let out a soft growl. “I’d love that.”
Kissing her neck, he leaned back and smiled.
“Shall we see what’s in the pantry to get dessert going?” Sera asked, rising to her feet.
“Sounds good to me,” Fallon said.
With a kiss goodbye, they parted ways once more, Avi heading to Crew’s office to hop on the call with the alphas. After dinner, they’d call Colton and tell him to stand down and walk away.
Avi wasn’t sure it would happen, but at least they could try.
* * *
After dinner, the herd males sat in the kitchen while the females hung out on the back patio, enjoying fresh strawberry pie that Fallon and Sera had made.
Thankfully, they’d made more than one, because the males had inhaled the sweet treat with strawberries picked fresh from the greenhouse.
“All right,” Crew said. “First of all, two males from the park will be here by dawn tomorrow to start their shift. The alphas suggested two twelve-hour shifts with two males per shift to limit the number of trips. They’ll be careful coming here to make sure they’re not tracked.”
“That’s good news,” Dexter said. “Hopefully, this call to Colton will fix one of the problems we have for good. And then we only need to worry about this Otto fellow who wants to find Fallon.”
Avi grimaced. “I can’t believe that getting rid of Colton is only half the problem.”
“We’ll keep everyone safe,” Grey said. “It’s what we do for our family.”
Avi nodded.
Crew put his phone on the table with Colton’s number on the screen. His finger hovered over the button. “Everyone ready?”
The herd nodded.
The call was answered on the second ring, and Colton kicked off the call by screaming at them for his brother’s death.
Crew cut in through the rant. “Weston died because you wouldn’t let things go. Our herd is not going to be taken down by you or anyone else. I’m giving you a chance to walk away clean, Colton. No more blood. No one else has to die. Find a new place to settle down and start over again in safety.”
“You killed my brother! I will see you dead and dance on your graves. Especially you, cousin.”
Avi ground his teeth together. “You’re being unrealistic. We outnumber you, we’ve consistently beaten you when you’ve come for us. There are three of you. Take your people and go. It’s the only choice that allows you to stay alive.”
There was a beat of silence, then Colton spoke in a low, cold tone. “I’m not walking away. You took my brother, I’m going to take someone from you.”
The line disconnected.
Avi’s jaw clenched as he stared at the black screen.
So much for hoping Colton would do the right thing.
Crew tapped his fingers on the table until Avi looked at him.
“If he wants to keep this war going, we’ll be ready. I swear.”