Chapter 104 A New Address

Barry Wood rolled up to 9 Southridge Estate Drive. Cut across the yard, grass grown out wild, nobody had touched a mower in weeks, and walked into the main hall.

Alpha Killian was sprawled on the sofa, head tipped back, chin up.

His eyes locked on Barry the second he walked in, gleaming with something downright dangerous.

Two green plugs jammed up his nostrils.

Barry’s stomach dropped. [ Who in the world stuffed weeds up the Grim Reaper’s nose?]

"Alpha Killian, you run into something? Or did something run into you?"

Alpha Killian’s stare turned sharp enough to cut glass.

Barry clammed up fast. Took a step closer, blinked hard. "Who stuck yarrow up there?"

Sure as hell wasn’t Alpha Killian’s idea.

"Dr. Wood." Eira walked out of the kitchen carrying a kettle, worry written all over her face.

Barry clocked her and it clicked instantly. He grinned. "Miss Crawford played field medic, huh?"

Eira nodded. "Dr. Wood, just Eira’s fine. I don’t work for Alpha Killian anymore."

Barry blinked. [What in the hell happened here?]

Wasn’t touching that with a ten-foot pole. Whatever was going on between these two, none of his business.

He dialed his tone back a notch. "Miss Crawford, then."

"Yarrow, that’s an old-school trick," Barry said, snapping on gloves, grabbing his tweezers. "Actually works pretty well for bleeding. Folks used to yank it off the roadside, chew it up, slap it on a cut. Soldiers used it on the battlefield way back, that’s the real deal."

"Wolves heal faster than regular folks anyway," he added, easing the plugs loose. "This just gives it a head start. Give it an hour, you won’t even remember getting clocked."

He pulled the two green plugs out of Alpha Killian’s nose.

Alpha Killian’s nostrils flared once, catching the sharp green bite of the herb still clinging to his skin, way stronger than any human nose would’ve picked up. His eyes cut to Eira. "This the same stuff you used to pick as a kid?"

Surprise flashed across her face. He actually remembered that?

She’d only mentioned it once, in passing. And he’d filed it away like it mattered.

"Yeah," she murmured, eyes still on his nose.

--

Bleeding had stopped.

Barry wiped the dried blood off Alpha Killian’s face. The stain on his collar, though, that had already set in for good.

Shirt’s a goner. Guess I’m buying the man a new one.

"What size shirt you wear, Alpha Killian?" Eira asked.

Alpha Killian glanced down at his own collar, noticed the blood too. Didn’t matter much, he had a closet full of shirts back home.

Eira sized him up for a second, doing quick math in her head. Guy’s six-three, built like that, probably a 44 or 46 jacket. Neck’s gotta be a seventeen, seventeen-and-a-half.

"Seventeen?" she guessed.

"Seventeen and a half," Alpha Killian said, flat.

Seventeen was your average guy who skipped leg day.

Seventeen and a half meant he actually put in the work.

His eyes darkened a shade.

Eira missed the chip on his shoulder completely. Just nodded, filed it away, made a mental note to grab him a bigger size.

Barry wrapped up the cleanup. Eira handed Alpha Killian a cup of hot water.

He glanced in the cup. No ginger tea in it, the stuff she always kept around for herself.

Figures. Hoarding the good stuff.

He took a sip anyway.

Eira poured a second cup, passed it to Barry.

Barry lifted it to his mouth.

Alpha Killian’s voice sliced through like a whip. "When’d you two swap numbers?"

Barry froze, cup halfway to his lips. [Oh, here we go.]

Question wasn’t really for him. It was a shot across his bow.

[Dr. Wood?]

Alpha Killian never called him that. Normally it was "Barry, get your ass over here" or "Barry, now" or just "Barry, move," always followed by an address and zero please-or-thank-you.

First time in his life this guy had ever talked to him like a functioning adult with manners. That alone told Barry everything he needed to know about how much trouble he was in.

Eira answered easy. "Last time, at the clinic."

Barry jumped in fast. "Miss Crawford used to work for Alpha Killian. I’m his doctor. We swapped numbers so I could actually reach him when he does something stupid. That’s the whole story."

First half sounded professional enough. Second half sounded weird as hell.

Eira caught the odd phrasing but let it slide.

"Alpha Killian, Dr. Wood, sit tight. I need to grab some stuff from outside."

Barry figured that was that. Lifted his cup, headed for the sofa. Butt halfway down when-

"Trunk. Two bags."

Barry froze mid-sit.

[You gotta be kidding me.

I’m your doctor, not your bellhop. Twenty years of friendship and you still treat me like the help.]

Eira jumped in fast. "You don’t need to bother Dr. Wood. I can grab them myself."

Barry’s eyes lit up. Grinned. "Miss Crawford, let’s go together. Two hands beat one, and honestly, I could use the excuse to get out of doing manual labor solo."

"Thanks," Eira said.

Both of them turned for the door.

The Reaper’s voice cut in behind them. "Stop."

They turned back. Eira looked confused. Barry looked like he was enjoying this way too much.

"Barry gets the bags." Alpha Killian waved Eira toward the sofa.

Eira shook her head. "I’ll get them."

Barry kept grinning, arms crossed now, clearly not moving an inch on his own.

Alpha Killian gave up, straightened his shirt, stood. Shot Barry a look that could strip paint off a wall. "You. Sit. Drink your water."

"Copy that, Alpha Killian." Barry dropped back down, thoroughly pleased with himself, finally getting a real sip in while he watched the two of them head outside.

--

Alpha Killian popped the trunk.

Eira bent to grab a bag. He beat her to it, fingers brushing hers.

She looked up. Got nothing but his jaw, set hard.

"I got it," he said.

He slung both bags over his shoulder, bulky and awkward, and still walked like he owned the sidewalk.

Barry watched from the doorway, shaking his head. "Golden spoon in his mouth his whole life, and here he is hauling luggage like a bellhop. Never thought I’d see the day."

Back inside, Eira reached for the bags. "I can take it from here, Alpha Killian."

He handed them over. Held on a beat too long before letting go.

"Thanks for everything. I’ve got stuff to sort out, so I won’t keep you two for dinner."

Translation: give me space. Alpha Killian got the hint.

He nodded at Barry. They left.

Barry hopped in the driver’s seat. "Where’s your usual guy?"

"Sent him home."

Barry followed his gaze, locked on the open door, on Eira’s shape moving inside. "Dude. You’re staring like a creep."

Alpha Killian didn’t answer.

"At least wait till the divorce is final before you go full stalker."

"Already final."

Barry’s eyebrows shot up. "Wait, that’s it? Two bags, that’s everything she owns?"

Alpha Killian nodded.

Barry let out a low whistle. "Usually the woman walks off with half the furniture. Guy’s place looks like a crime scene after. But Sebastian Hale’s house? Probably looks exactly the same as it always did."

Actually, it didn’t. Small changes. Subtle ones.

But knowing Alpha Sebastian, he’d probably never even notice.

The thought irritated Alpha Killian. He pulled out his phone, fired off a message to Miles.

[Keep all the intel on Alpha Sebastian and Serena. Bring it to the bid meeting.]