"Don't know, but hopefully Ezra does."He pushed the door open and spotted Ezra standing by the window, looking out.He whirled around, and a strangled sound left him, then his eyes grew wide as he took in Rourke's naked form.He quickly turned back around, and Rourke almost grinned.
Connor followed Rourke but stopped right inside."Hi, I'm Connor."He nodded at Ezra, who turned around yet again.
"Ezra."He dipped his head which had Connor glancing at Rourke.As the alpha's mate, Ezra was at the top of the hierarchy, but he showed submission to Connor, who was one of their lowest-ranking members in the pack.He had some status since he was mated to Due, and she was in the top layer.They weren't a formal pack.Rourke was well aware everyone served a purpose, and Connor was valuable.He'd never be part of the decision-making, but it didn't make him unimportant.
"There is a cat in the woods."Rourke pulled on a pair of trunks.
"What?"Ezra's gaze was still mostly fastened to the floor, but he'd turned in Rourke's direction.
"I want you to have a look at it.Are you able to walk?"
Ezra nodded, but Rourke didn't know if he could trust him.He breathed in deeply, trying to scent how weak he was, but he hadn't learned how to decipher the scent of witches.
He grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt and got dressed in quick motions."Let's go."
Connor followed them, and Rourke didn't try to stop him.Due would tell him all about what went on later anyway, and he didn't think any dangers were lurking around.
They trudged through the woods, but it soon became apparent that Ezra had crappy night vision.When he stumbled for the fourth time in as many minutes, Rourke stepped closer to him and offered him his arm."Hold on."The heat in his chest hummed.
Ezra glanced at him before hiding his face.Rourke believed he might be blushing."Damned branches and tufts everywhere."The mumble was low, but it made Rourke smile.
Sometime later, they reached the spot where everyone waited, and Ezra slowed his steps.Rourke tugged him forward, but he let go of his arm and stilled.
"What?"
"I don't want it to see me."
Rourke was aware of his eyes growing wide."The cat?"
"Yeah."
He huffed, as did someone else--Farkas, he believed."Why?"
"It's a spy.Whatever the cat sees, she sees.If she's looking."
A shiver slithered down Rourke's spine, and Geri picked the cat up and put it inside his jacket.
"Why didn't you say anything before now?"Rourke hadn't meant to snarl, hadn't realized he'd done it before Ezra flinched.
"You said cat, you didn't say familiar."
Rourke stared at him and then at Geri since it was where the cat was."A familiar?Can it hear us?"
"The cat can, but not Shixyll."
"And it's Shixyll's familiar?"
Ezra shrugged."They drained all their familiars during the last battle, but she always picks black cats.I believe it's hers."
Rourke rubbed his neck.What the fuck?"Explain."
Everyone was watching Ezra who glanced at him before dropping his gaze to the ground.Again.He needed to stop doing that or everyone would believe they could walk all over him.They couldn't.He was Rourke's mate.
"About familiars?They pull power from them."
"I know, but how do you know this cat is a familiar?"
Ezra looked at him again."Don't you feel it?"
