“Tell me you—holyshit,” one of them said, and Jesse shot to his feet.
That was Red, the asshole who’d taken him down earlier, and he wasn’t looking any friendlier now than he had then. His mahogany hair echoed the red-tipped ears and tail Jesse remembered. The blond guy behind him with the butterfly stitches on his cheek must be the one Jesse had swiped.
Red was glaring at him. “You’re feeding the little shit?”
“Christian.” Matt’s voice was low and deep, filled with warning. “Jesse’s our guest.”
“Youdidsee what he did to Dave?” Red’s words were practically a snarl.
“Hey, I asked for it, sticking my muzzle in his flank. Right, Jesse?” Dave said, coming further into the kitchen.
The room was getting too full. This was too close to being out of control.
“Appreciate you gettin’ my boots,” Jesse said, and bolted for his duffel and the hallway.
Chapter Three
MATT
As Jesse made a break for it, Bryce shot out a hand and caught hold of Jesse’s wrist. Gently but firmly, he reeled him in, as Jesse shook with tension.
“It’s okay, Jesse,” Bryce said soothingly, not standing and crowding Jesse but not letting go of him either. “No one here’s going to hurt you.”
Christian growled, deep in his throat. “I repeat, have youseen—”
“Sit down, Christian.” Matt’s tone brooked no opposition, and Christian sulkily pulled out a chair and plunked down on it. Dave settled quietly beside him, his eyes on Jesse—as were everyone’s. Which wasn’t helping the tension in the room dissipate.
Matt kicked Jason’s foot under the table and indicated his plate. Jason got the message straightaway and went back to cutting his steak, catching Tristan’s gaze as he did so and sending a silentmessage, which went around the entire table until Jesse was no longer the center of attention.
Jesse looked defiant as he glared at Bryce, but the tremble of his limbs and the rabbiting pulse at his throat told a different story. If Matt wasn’t mistaken, he was only seconds from shifting. And wouldn’tthatbe fun, trying to restrain him in wolf form without injuring him or anyone else getting hurt.
“Jesse, sit down,” he said, his tone imbued with the same command he’d used on Christian.
Jesse’s chest was still rising and falling unevenly, but the innate need to obey an alpha won out, and he sat once more.
Matt looked over at the least-threatening member of his pack. “Jason, you want to do the honors?”
Jesse tensed even further when Jason pushed his chair back and stood, but he eased when Jason simply gave plates to Dave and Christian before noticing Jesse’s was empty and refilling it. That was some impressive speed with which Jesse had packed away his meal—even Tristan hadn’t finished yet.
Christian looked slightly less likely to lunge at Jesse, which Matt thought had more to do with Dave sitting beside him than because he was reconciled to Jesse’s presence. Matt was willing to bet Dave had his hand on Christian’s thigh under the table. Sometimes touch was the only way to get through to him.
Matt looked again at Jesse. He was terrified, though if it weren’t for Matt’s shifter-enhanced senses picking up his racing heart and shallow breaths, he probably wouldn’t be able to tell. Jesse had done a good job at honing a defense that would fool most people. If Matt didn’t settle him down quickly, Jesse would bolt again and more blood would be spilled.
Bryce grabbing Jesse might have been necessary, but it had shattered the illusion that Jesse was here by choice. Matt decided to acknowledge Jesse’s fears.
“You’re probably wondering why we’re feeding you,” he said. “If one of my pack knocks someone out—and to be honest, it’s usually Christian who does it—it’s kind of incumbent on the rest of us to make sure they’re fed, rested, and healed before heading out again.”
Christian glared at Matt’s words. Evidently, Jesse’s attack on Dave had wound him up even tighter than usual. And Jesse looked like he didn’t believe a word of what Matt had just said.
Matt’s wolf pushed again, demanding, but Matt didn’t have time to figure out what he wanted right now.
“Dig in,” Matt said to Jesse. Maybe after he’d eaten his fill, he’d lose some of that attitude, and Matt would be able to get to the bottom of where he was from and what he was doing here. Matt would do that regardless of his attitude, but he’d like to take the easy option for once—it hadbeen a long day at the State Council’s annual open meeting.
“Any news from the suits?” Bryce asked, as if he’d read Matt’s mind. The number of years they’d been friends, he probably had.
“The Durango pack’s got a new alpha, for whatever that’s worth,” Matt said. Not much, given how far away they were.
“Not too much of a surprise, given Diaz’s age,” Bryce commented.
