Chapter Seven
“No, wait.” Xias swung around to stare out the back window as they drove away. “Go back.”
“Sorry, man,” Tao replied. “Can’t.”
“But—”
Tao shot him a hard look. “Zhuang told me to get you and the cubs out of here, and that’s just what I’m going to do.”
Xias wanted to smack the man. He wasn’t trying to be difficult, but he couldn’t stand the idea of Zhuang fighting all alone. “Can’t you go help?”
“Right now, Zhuang needs me to get you and those cubs to safety so he doesn’t have to worry about you and he can just concentrate on fighting those guys. If he has to worry about you, his attention will be split. Do you want that?”
Xias did not like this guy, but he supposed Tao was right. That didn’t mean he didn’t want to go back for Zhuang. His heart ached at the thought that the man was facing deadly danger because of him. He hadn’t meant to bring so much trouble into Zhuang’s life.
“What if he’s hurt?” he whispered. Thoughts of Zhuang being too injured to find them or get out of the snow raced through his head.
“He probably will be, but he won’t die.”
Xias gasped as he snapped around to look at Tao. “How can you say that?”
He really didn’t like this guy.
“Because it’s the truth. He’s about to face off against two cats who want nothing more than to take him out so they can get to you and those cubs. That’s a dangerous situation he’s in. It’s not a day at the bloody spa.”
Xias wanted to growl at the man, but he didn’t know enough about Tao to know if he was violent or not. Growling at Osamu, or any sign of disrespect toward the man, tended to get one hurt, bad, if not killed. He couldn’t chance it.
He considered jumping out of the CAT and going back for Zhuang, but he had a responsibility to the cubs. Choosing between saving Zhuang and protecting his cubs tore at Xias until he thought he might puke.
When one of the cubs began to stir, Xias pulled his attention away from the back window and lifted Bai into his arms. He cradled the small cub to his chest, letting Bai bury his face against him. He knew his scent would settle the small cub.
“I can’t believe Zhuang has cubs.”
Xias glanced at Tao when he spoke. “Why not?”
“I just never saw him as the ‘family guy’ type.”
Xias frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s just not the type.”
Xias’s frown deepened. “Zhuang is wonderful with the cubs.”
Tao shot him a look as he snorted. “And you know that after knowing him how long?”
Xias narrowed his eyes. “Why are you being so mean?”
Tao’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m not trying to be mean, Xias. I’m trying to be truthful. Zhuang is kick-ass in a fight, but the man doesn’t have a gentle bone in his body.”
Xias wasn’t sure he agreed with that statement. Zhuang had been nothing but gentle with him and the cubs since the moment they mated. He was actually having a hard time seeing him as anything else.
He gently patted Bai’s back as he turned to look out the passenger-side window. Tao was right. What did he know? He’d known Zhuang for mere hours, whereas Tao had known him for years. He just… Zhuang had been so sweet and kind and gentle and just so… He had been wonderful. Xias felt as if the man was made for a family, but maybe that was wishful thinking on his part.
“It’ll be okay, Xias,” Tao said.
He wanted to believe that, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t the truth. “Do you know where the council is?”
“Sure, every shifter does.”
