“He’s still breathing.”

Austin stood up and searched for William. “Escort Ben off the property. He’s no longer a member of our pack. Family meeting tomorrow at dawn. Wheeler and Naya don’t have to be present; they already know. Everyone, go back to the party, and someone tell Trevor to start up the fireworks again.”

“I’ll do it,” Reno volunteered.

Reno looked relieved to be getting as far away from the crowd as possible in his oversized puppy-dog costume with floppy ears and a tail. Lexi had a sense of humor that not everyone in the pack could appreciate.

“And what about Wheeler?” I asked as everyone wandered away, losing interest.

Austin knelt down and bent over him, stroking his hand over Wheeler’s eye. “I’ll never doubt you again, brother. Shift.”

Chapter 27

“Why can’t I open them? This is silly.”

“Keep them closed,” Wheeler said, his words laced with humor.

On the day after the costume party, Wheeler had chosen to avoid his pack and stay in the heat house with me. He didn’t want to talk about it, and I didn’t force him. He was in pain and the last thing he needed to deal with was judgment. While his position in the pack was secure, he was uncertain how the family would feel about what he’d done. Not just the fight, but the truth.

The whole truth.

Shortly after having a private meeting with Wheeler, Austin had sat down with everyone—except for the children—and detailed everything. Wheeler dodged the family meeting, but I joined and listened to their questions and remarks.

“I knew it,” Reno said. “Something was never right with Ben.”

It had taken others by complete surprise that his gambling was not just a profession but an addiction. And then there was the history with Wheeler that went back to their childhood. A secret between two brothers. The ultimate sacrifice one had paid to protect the other, and the mistreatment many had thrust upon Wheeler. Maybe he had an abrasive tone and didn’t look like the kind of man a person could trust, but he was fiercely loyal and willing to die for his pack.

The revelation of the cage fights had made Denver uneasy. “Can we trust his wolf?”

“Any reason he’s shown us not to?” Austin asked, ending the discussion.

After that, an awkward silence had fallen over the house, one I’d felt whenever I entered a room. It was understandable for a pack to feel disjointed after losing a member, and in a sense, they were in mourning.

So in my usual Naya fashion, I sauntered into the room and gave them my best smile to brighten the mood. I informed them that Wheeler would join us after he finished brushing Misha.

Then Denver chuckled and said, “You sure have him pussy-whipped.”

When someone tossed a pillow, the tension melted away.

Wheeler would have to come out of that room eventually, but understandably, he needed time. I could be a pushy woman, but this was one instance when I didn’t want to push too hard. Not if it meant losing him.