Luna’s voice sliced in. “Then we’d handle it.Iwould handle it.”
Leon inclined his head slightly, accepting the rebuke with poor grace.
Karl stepped forward, almost involuntarily it seemed, from the way he forced himself still again. “You scared him.”
Leon’s gaze snapped to Karl. His reaction to Karl’s accusation should have been anger. But damn it, Karl was incandescent, andgorgeouswith it. All that power, just barely leashed, darkening his eyes even further. Leon’s body betrayed him with a low spark of heat.
Well, that was a problem.
He dragged his attention back to Luna. “I didn’t intend harm,” he said. “I made a judgment call. It was the wrong one, and I regret that.”
That was as close to an apology as he could give while still keeping his spine intact.
Luna’s expression didn’t soften, but she nodded. “Thank you.”
She looked to Matt, who spoke next. “Then I think you owe Tristan a word.”
Luna flicked her gaze toward the door, and he knew he was dismissed. There were things he wanted to say, but not here, in front of wolves. The most important thing right now was for wolves and cats to have a united front against the potential threat to all shifters.
He had to tell himself that through gritted teeth, but he knew it was true. That was also, possibly, the only reason Karl was holding himself back with such effort, because it was very clear he’d like to rip Leon’s head off. Or try, anyway. Good luck with that, wolf.
He moved toward the door, the weight of Karl’s gaze on his back blistering and ice-cold all at once. And that spark in his gut? Still there. Still a problem.
Matt said, “Karl,” holding the wolf in place. Leon couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed that Karl didn’t follow him out.
He paused in the empty kitchen, and Tristan slid cautiously past him, looking as if he didn’t know what to do with himself. He wasn’t the only one. Leon crossed his arms, instinctively guarding against the awkwardness closing in. He wasn’t good at this part. Talking, explaining—apologizing.
But Tristan offered him a small, sheepish smile. “You know,” he said, voice mild, “it never even occurred to me to look up.”
Leon blinked. He’d expected resentment or cold politeness. Maybe even a little fear. Not the way Tristan had his head on one side as if simply considering new information.
He was watching Leon, not with suspicion or wounded pride but curiosity. “I always scan the air around me, searching for scents and listening for sounds. I thought I was pretty alert.”
“You are,” Leon said, before he could think better of it. “To wolves. Not to cats.”
Tristan’s lips twitched in an almost-smile. “Well. I’m definitely going to be more aware now. That was… memorable.”
Leon gave a huff of laughter. “Not the word I’d use.”
“I’d also accept humiliating,” Tristan added cheerfully. “But effective.”
That undid the tight resentment in Leon’s chest. He hadn’t done anythingwrong, just perhaps slightly mistimed. The fact Tristan had been off-duty… Maybe, in the heart of his pack territory, with the security Karl had put in place, he hadn’t been wrong to be relaxed. Not completely.
“My grandpa taught me about looking up,” he said. “He used to say some of the best details are above your line of sight—roof carvings, gargoyles, even fancy lamp posts. The things most people miss.” He paused for an instant. “Threats, too.”
Tristan nodded slowly. “Makes sense. I just wouldn’t have thought of it if I hadn’t heard or scented anything. Not in a million years.”
His cheeks were still slightly flushed, but there wasn’t a trace of malice or lingering defensiveness in him. Just openness, as if he were the kind of guy who learned from his mistakes.
Leon had learned to look for knives hidden in smiles and claws buried in kindness. He didn’t know what to do with someone like Tristan.
So he did the only thing he could think of. “Coffee?” he asked, jerking his chin toward the pot.
Tristan beamed. “Thought you’d never ask.”
He moved aside to make room, and for a moment, as their shoulders brushed, Leon had the strangest thought—wolves might be ridiculous, but they weren’t weak.
And he was going to have to stop underestimating them. Starting now.
