What I wanted to say was- “At least I’m going home to Menace, you bitch, Something you’ll never do,” But, I just smiled and said, “Ok.” I really didn’t feel that I had anything to prove. I knew I could be a fantastic teacher. I’d do the best damn job I could do. Unrealistic expectations would not break me.
She watched me leave, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. The halls were empty, my footsteps the only sound as I made my way outside.
Seeing Menace waiting in the truck, his protective stance a stark contrast to the day’s hostility, brought a rush of relief I didn’t know I was holding back. I slid in beside him; the tension melted away with the comfort of his presence.
“How was it?” His voice was low, careful.
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. “Tough,” I admitted, the word too small for the weight of it all.
His hand found mine; the connection grounded me. “Tellme.”
As we drove to Pearl’s for dinner, the stories spilled out, each one a piece of the larger struggle. The teachers’ hostility, Karen’s scrutiny, my fear of failing him and myself.
His jaw tightened with every word, his anger a fierce contrast to the calm he usually wore. “You want me to talk to her?” he asked, his voice edged with protective fury.
“No,” I said quickly. “I need to do this. I need to prove I can.”
He nodded, but his tension didn’t ease. “You can,” he said, the conviction in his words more reassuring than anything else.
“I hope so,” I whispered, the doubt gnawing at my insides.
He looked at me, his eyes meeting mine with a promise I wasn’t sure he could keep. “I know so.”
We walked into the restaurant together, the scent of grease and determination heavy in the air. I held on to his hand like it was the only thing tethering me to the world I so desperately wanted to be part of. I could feel his love surging through our bond, and already I felt so much better.
Chapter 10
Menace
Bronc eyed me from a corner booth, stress dark in his gaze. I joined him, the diner alive with too many voices and too little space. “This is gonna be a fun breakfast,” he said, tossing a paper between us. “Hope you like your coffee with a shot of bad news.” The email subject screamed at me. Missing Shifters. Then the body of the email clearly indicated that Rafe was pissed because Iron Valor had knowledge, and neglected to share it. Before I finished reading, I felt Savannah’s stress through our bond. My jaw clenched.
“I see how this is playing,” I said, bitterness in my voice. “It’s not enough that our Luna was our main concern and we had to tread lightly or risk losing her. The other packs are gonna want blood cuz we couldn’t save them all.”
Bronc signaled to the waitress for two coffees. “We made it worse by not notifying them.”
“They failed us before,” I shot back. “My sister was abducted, and the council did fuck-all to find her. She’s dead because ofthem!” I felt my anger like a living thing inside me, the memory still raw.
Bronc’s face softened. I know he loved my sister like she was his own. “Hey, you’re preaching to the choir, man. We just haveto figure out how we’re gonna handle Rafe. He wasn’t the reason we lost her,” he added quietly.
“I know,” I replied, my voice tight. “But he had a representative on the Council. You know how it went down.” I didn’t have to remind him how her disappearance ended. How the responsible pack only got a temporary sanction for it. My fists were clenched under the table, wishing I’d destroyed Greenbriar completely.
“Should’ve known they’d be out for blood,” Bronc said. “Rafe’s pissed.” He rubbed his eyes, weariness showing in the lines on his face. “We should’ve told him what was going on.”
“And give him the chance to take over the investigation?” I asked, knowing what Bronc would say.
“If we let the council handle it, Juliet might well be dead. We did the right thing. Rafe will understand that too when we can explain it in person. As far as Savannah? Who the fuck knows?”
“We’ve got nothing but time and force on our side.” I set the paper down, my gaze holding Bronc’s. “What’s our move?”
The waitress brought the coffee, and Bronc waited until she was out of earshot. “Rafe wants us in Birmingham within the week. Says the missing shifters are our mess now. But Declan’s another story. I think we’ll wait until we get to Birmingham before we spring that bit of information on him.”
“Holy fuck is he gonna shit a brick when he learns that the princess is mymate!”
“Oh, it’s hitting the fan. There will be hell to pay. I honestly cannot see how this whole thing is gonna play out, brother. Everyone is gonna get a say in this I’m afraid.”
“Listen to me loud and clear, Bronc. I’ll kill before anyone takes Savannah from me. I’ll die before anyone takes her.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Bronc muttered. “They think we’re renegades,” he said, his voice low. “They might use this against us.”
