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Tucker moved up beside hiht?"

Nicky turned in surprise "Who,ss I say I complainabout the wolves a lot, but it’s mostly in fun There’s no place else on earth I’d rather be than with Marco He’s everything to s too easy for hi him work for it keeps him on his toes" He winked and slapped Tucker on the back "C’out the door "Man, I’ve never seen so uard duty There’s like a solid wall of the pets, you think?"

Rory nodded "Yeah, that’s another reason Casey wanted uys, besides the fact that I’m the mate of one of the alphas Sort of extra protection"

"Froh The kidnappers are only going after the natural pets, right? Like you, Tucker"

Nicky slapped Gabe on the back of the head "That’s right,back toward Tucker, he put his hand on his arm "Don’t worry You’d have to be seriously crazy to come up in here with all these wolves around"

"Unless it’s somebody we know," Rory said darkly "That’s what Casey thinks, anyway," he said, referring to his o as they please, and not arouse suspicion"

"But ould someone we knoant to hurt the pets?" Nicky asked "Poor Toh for some," Rory said

"Gavin said they were froirl"

"No, nothing yet," Rory replied "I don’t hold out "

Nicky shook his head sadly "Don’t say that She’s such a sweet girl, alith a smile for everybody"

Gabe turned around excitedly "They’re signaling that they’re ready Showtihed "Well, stop looking like you’re going to your execution! It’ll be fine, you’ll see Just follow us and look for Gavin He’ll do all the rest"

Tucker took a deep breath and followed the others out the door The ancestral ring was not far away froe, down a short path and just inside the line of trees, easily seen froest walk in the world to Tucker, though, as he followed the other men down the path He wondered for the hundredth ti My God, he’d only known this man a few short weeks, and here he was about to commit his life to him He remembered Bryson’s response when he called to tell hih a co silence on the other end of the line that Tucker thought he’d dropped the call "Hello? Are you still there?"

"You’ve lost your mind, Tucker," Bryson’s voice came at last "Orelse they’ve brainwashed you Tell et you sohed nervously "Don’t be an ass I’m fine, and I want this, Bryson Nobody has brainwashedto invite me to this commitment cere" Another silence "Butyou back? Do you hear yourself, Tucker?" Such a long string of cussing followed that Tucker had quietly told hi up