"It smells weird."Geri was hugging the cat to his chest underneath his jacket, and it was so at odds with how Geri normally acted.
"So she walked in here and dropped off a familiar in hopes of what?"
Ezra shrugged."See what it sees."
"They're mapping our territory?"
Another shrug and Rourke swallowed a snarl.They were meant to have peace.
"It might be to check if I've set up wards.Or a dual purpose, they crossed over to see if you'd come, and left the cat in hopes of it walking toward the pack house in search of food."
"Cats are hunters.Why would it come to the pack house when the forest is full of mice?"
Ezra raised his shoulders only to drop them again.
"Do we kill the cat?"Ulric looked at the two of them, and Rourke noted how Geri once again hugged it to his chest.He also noticed Ezra grimace in distaste.
"If you kill it, the connection will be broken."He hesitated for a second."And the cat will be dead."Something told Rourke he didn't like the idea of the cat having to die.
"Would it weaken her?"
"No, she wouldn't have sent it here if she wasn't willing to sacrifice it.She most likely already has a new one or several new ones."
Witches were cruel creatures.
"What do we do?"Geri spoke low, his focus on the bulge underneath his jacket.
"Leave it at a shelter?"Ezra looked sohopeful, Rourke almost laughed.
"You want to leave the kitten at a shelter?"
He glanced away, and this time Rourke was sure he was blushing."If you do, she'll see things from inside the shelter until she cuts the connection.It'll take work on her part, whereas if you kill it, it's just gone.And the kitten can live a normal life away from witches."
The way he said witches as if it was something bad had the ever-present heat in Rourke's chest flaring.He hated witches, but as a witch, Ezra shouldn't dislike witches, should he?
"I'll take it to the shelter."Geri started walking before anyone could object.
* * * *
Ezra was exhausted by the time they made it back to the pack house.It was still in the middle of the night, and while he wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep, he wanted nothing more.
The group dispersed once they entered the building, huge creatures towering over him walked off in different directions.Ezra walked toward Rourke's room, conscious of Rourke walking behind him.
He hurried forward, but it made no difference.Rourke was right there, his long legs eating up whatever distance Ezra managed to put between them with no effort at all.
When he reached the door, he was out of breath, and Rourke raised an eyebrow at him as he tumbled over the threshold.Damn.
"I'll...eh..."He waved around the room, not knowing what to say.
"Undress and get into bed."
"No, I...eh..."He scanned the room.
The overhead lamp clicked off, and Ezra froze.Apart from what little light the windows let in, he couldn't see anything.A hand cupped his elbow, and he yelped.
Rourke chuckled."Come on."Heat brushed against his back, as Rourke nudged him forward, his body a warm wall behind him.Ezra held his hands out to make sure he didn't walk into something.
"I've got you.Don't worry.There is nothing you can fall over."Then a hand splayed over his stomach, and Ezra flinched anew.Rourke tsked."Jumpy."
