“Youknowwhat I mean, Dawson Beckett.”
He grumbled again. “We don’t have any hard information right now. It’s something that’s in flux. Peyton’s keeping tabs on it. Part of it is the whole Faegan Lewis deal. Part of it might be something else. We don’t know for sure.”
She scowled. “Are any of us in immediate danger?”
“I don’t know. I hope not.” He debated how much to tell her. He wasn’t a Prime and couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t tell someone else. “I really can’t tell you a lot.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
“Not even your brother and sisters. No one. Understand?”
She nodded.
He updated her on the latest about Faegan Lewis, including Peyton’s blood order about anyone caught assisting Faegan Lewis.
She waggled her fingers at him. “What else?”
He thought about it. “I’m serious, you can’t tellanyone. Not Malyah or Da’von—no one. We can’t have the pack in fear.”
Her expression softened. “I won’t. I promise.”
He flopped over next to her on the bed. “I can’t give you any details, mostly because there aren’t any yet. But there might be a rogue out there trying to sell out shifters. It’sjusta rumor. There’s no hard proof. For all we know, it might be a rumor Faegan started to put us off his track and cause fear.”
He hated she looked scared. “Sorry I asked.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Thisis why secrecy is so important. Do you want me to ask Badger to Prime you to forget it?”
She shook her head. “No,” she quietly said. “I don’t want to forget it. I need to know this stuff.” Her hands settled on her tummy. “Is she safe?”
He placed a hand over hers. “Babe, I’d die to protect you both. So would Dewi and all the others.”
Nami stared into his eyes. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispered. “People dyin’ because of me.”
“You’re not a shifter.”
“No, it’s worse. I’m a human. I don’t have the senses y’all do. How am I supposed to protect her?”
“I’m going to protect you both. You focus on being a mom and a mate and a student.” He needed to get her mind off this and fast. “Someone’s got classes starting soon, don’t they?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
“Why?”
She sighed. “Puttin’ me out there alone? I don’t want you worryin’ about me.”
“I’m going to be worried about you even if you’re only going to the grocery store. Ialreadyworry about you. I’d be horrible at my job if I didn’t worry about you every time you’re out of my sight, babe. That’s no reason for you to give up on your dreams. I want you to go back to school. I know it’s what you want.”
She snuggled into his arms. “You don’t think it’s a mistake?”
“Not in the slightest. The mistake would be for us to stop living our lives and let fear rule what we do. Then, if we really do have an enemy out there, they win by default.”
“That sounds like some expert-level motivational bullshit, right there.”
He snickered and kissed her. “Maybe it is, a little.” His smile faded. “But it’s the truth. We lived for decades worried about who killed Charlie and Chelsea. My whole life became focused on protecting Dewi, me and Badger both. I gotta tell you, I love Dewi. You know I do. But I don’t want to go back to living like that. For all those years, Endquist had all of us living in fear. I don’t know if he fully appreciated that or not. But I hate it. I wish I could’ve helped kill him myself. He caused a lot of misery for a lot of people. And that’s one of the reasons I love Ken like a brother, because he not only saved Dewi, he saved all of us from that persistent fear.” He kissed her again. “No, I refuse to live in fear.”
She stared into his eyes. “Do you think we’re safe?”
“I think we’re reasonably safe right now, yes.”
