Min-Seo sighed. “Shan, don’t you think you’re over-reacting a little?”
“No.”
“Uh-huh,” Min-Seo said skeptically. “Well, from my position, it sure sounds like it. This isn’t like you at all, Shan.You’ve handled far worse situations alone. What’s got you so worked up?”
“You don’t understand.He hurt my?—”
He barely stopped himself in time. Clenching his back teeth, he took a deep breath; in through his nose, then out again.
“My co-counselor was injured,” he said, when he could trust himself to speak without snarling. “It could have been far worse. It could be a child next time, Min-Seo.”
Min-Seo sighed again. “Look, I am taking this seriously, Shan. If I could, I’d have agents patrolling that whole damn mountain. But I simply don’t have the manpower. Or the budget. Some of this stuff, I can do. I’ll put our best analysts to work combing over the reports from the sheriff, and there’s a local private investigator I may be able to put on the case, too. But when it comes to actual boots on the ground, you’re all I’ve got.”
He’d known that was the case. But he’d had to try. He rubbed the sides of his nose, massaging the sore spots. He’d worn his sunglasses so much, they’d left deep indentations in his skin.
“I’ll continue to guard the camp,” he said. “All summer, if necessary. But I don’t think there’s much more I can learn here, Min-Seo.”
“Just keep your eyes and ears open. And talk to the camp director about security. Whoever’s running around in the woods, we don’t want them getting close to the kids.” Min-Seo paused. “How are you holding up? With your… personal matter.”
“Fine,” he said shortly. “I have to go. The children are expecting me. I’ll contact you if I uncover any further information.”
He ended the call before she could press him for anyfurther details. Letting down his breath, he looked down at his hand.
Hishumanhand.
His nails were still black, and somewhat sharp and thick…but they were definitely fingernails, not claws. He made a fist, then stretched his fingers out, joints flexing smoothly. He hadn’t been able to do that for… how long? He couldn't even remember.
Leonie hadn’t noticed last night. He was sure of that. She would have commented otherwise. Asked what had happened. Been happy for him.
With a sigh, he reached for his gloves, pulling them on. The familiar leather felt odd against his newly bare skin. Now more than ever, he had to keep his hands covered. He couldn’t risk Leonie wondering why they’d changed.
He knew exactly why. He’d felt it the instant he’d sensed Leonie was in danger—a suddensnapof alignment, the qiongqi’s soul merging with his own.
In that moment, there’d been no cage, no chains, no control. Just her pain, and the total, all-consuming need to protect her.
HUNT. STALK. BITE. TEAR.
Even now, he wasn’t sure if the furious anger came from his animal, or himself. He closed his eyes, counting backward from a hundred in his head. Rampaging through the forest wouldn’t get him any closer to his prey. In order to end this threat permanently—to protect his mate, and the children—he had to control his emotions.
Slowly, the snarling rage subsided. He rolled his shoulders, forcing knotted muscles to unclench, then slid his sunglasses into place. His eyes, at least, hadn’t changed. Even if Leonie hadn’t been an issue, he’d have had to keep them hidden in public.
He left the cabin, heading to the dining hall. It was only halfway through breakfast, the long tables still full of campers gobbling down cereal, toast, and thick slabs of bacon. Most of the staff were eating with the children, but he found Zephyr and Buck in a secluded corner, away from anyone else.
“Shan,” Zephyr murmured in greeting. The director cast a glance over his shoulder at the busy hall, and turned a little, putting his back to the kids’ tables. “Leonie told me what you found last night. Have you, ah, made some calls?”
“Yes.” He kept his voice low as well, though he suspected the campers were all far more interested in stuffing their faces than trying to eavesdrop on a boring staff meeting. “We are looking into it. But resources are limited. I am afraid you cannot expect additional direct support.”
Zephyr nodded. “I understand. I appreciate your continued assistance. Leonie and I are going to inform the other counselors to keep the kids in the immediate vicinity of the camp until further notice.”
“Someone’s bound to ask why,” Buck said. “And so will the kids, when they realize we aren’t letting them roam as far.”
“We’ll tell people we have some concerns about someone camping nearby,” Zephyr replied. “It’s true enough, if not the entire truth. And I’ll quietly increase the number of staff on duty at night. Shan, as our resident security expert, is there anything else we should do?”
“I will patrol the area as well, when I am not required for other duties.” He couldn’t leave Leonie to look after the kids single-handled, but that still left plenty of time in the evenings. With the qiongqi’s restless anger seething under his skin, it wasn’t like he’d be getting much sleep anyway. “And I want to question Alder-in-Winter again. He clearly knows more about this matter than he was willing to admit.”
“I’ve got some time free this morning,” Buck said. “I maynot be able to taste lies, but I’ve smelled enough bullshit in my time to recognize when someone’s trying to feed me a steaming pile of horse apples. I’ll head over to unicorn territory and see what they know.”
“He may not be willing to talk,” Shan warned.
