“I didn’t hurt him,” Leon protested. “And he’s an adult.”
Luna gave him a look, one that reminded him uncomfortably of Grandpa, seeing right to the heart of him and not buying his bullshit. “That’s not the point.”
“He wasn’t paying attention.” Leon sighed, built-up frustration shifting to the sort of weariness that came from banging his head against a brick wall too long. He looked at Luna, willing her to understand. “That’s what got me. That whole pack—they act like they’re safe here. Like they’re untouchable. They don’tunderstand.”
Well, Karl did, but it made it all the more frustrating that he wasn’t pulling the rest of them into line.
She raised a hand to her forehead, massaging her skin in a move he’d seen several times from Matt Urban. Seemed like spending time with him was rubbing off. Either that, or she was exhausted. Probably with Leon, from the way she looked at him.
“I get it, I do,” she said at last. “But you’re not giving them enough credit.”
Somehow, he stopped himself snorting.
“They’ve been through several kinds of hell these last few months. I’m willing to bet my imaginary tiara that they’ve learned to snatch bits of normality whenever they can. But only when they know they’re safe, that their perimeter’s secure.” Her eyes rested on him for a moment, searching for something, and he didn’t know what.
“You’ve spent time with Karl,” she said. “You can’t tell me he’d let them get sloppy?”
For fuck’s sake—why did everything have to come back to that annoying, bossy wolf? The one who filled his jeans in a way thatalmostdistracted Leon every time he saw him.
“He’s okay, I guess,” Leon said, and instantly froze. What the fuck? “What I mean is,” he clarified, “he’scapable. The kind of guy who could rip someone in half and still not get blood on his shirt. I kind of respect that. Which isinfuriating, by the way.”
Luna’s resulting smile was sly. “Maybe we should pair you twoup.”
Leon stared at her, wondering if he’d somehow wandered into a nightmare. “What?”
“You and Karl, patrol or recon together. You both want to protect people? Let’s put that energy somewhere productive.”
He was shaking his head before she’d finished speaking. “That is the worst idea you’ve ever had.”
“You didn’t even let me finish.”
“I don’t need to. I’d rather lick a porcupine.”
Luna just smirked, and Leon realized what she was doing. Tormenting him, yeah, because they were siblings. But her teasing was trying to get him to think differently. To wonder how he’d work with Karl—he wouldn’t—and to get him thinking like a member of a team.
Despite her teasing, her face was strained. It must be a hell of a burden, being responsible for the safety of every cat in the country. Even if half of them would probably ignore her and do their own thing if it came to it, she had to do what was best for them all.
“Sorry about this morning,” he said, meaning the stress he’d caused her more than what he’d done. “I’ll do better.”
She rose to her feet and came around to his side of the table. To his shock, she leaned down and pressed a kiss onto his hair. “I know,” she said. “I know how much you hate all the politics and diplomacy, but you do it anyway because you’re looking out for me. After this is over, it’s time we talk about whatyouwant, rather than always doing what I need you to.”
He blinked, unable to process her words. He didn’t want to leave her protection to anyone else. Ever since their parents had been wiped out by a drunk driver, he’d taken responsibility for her, no matter that she was older and smarter than him. And he knew, deep inside, that part of it was him clinging onto her because he had no one else. But maybe, at the grand old age of twenty-six, it was time he thought about living his life.
Maybe. First, they had to get through whatever might be coming at them. If it was as Luna and Matt suspected, there might not be an afterward for him to worry about.
Chapter Nine
KARL
Karl breakfasted late, after debriefing the night patrol and briefing the day shift. He’d seen Ava and Joaquim heading out to patrol the area Leon had identified in the notes he’d sent Karl, but he didn’t know where Leon was.
It was like an itch at the base of his spine, one he couldn’t quite reach, knowing that damn cat was around but not knowing where he was or what he was up to.
He was just about to take his first mouthful of bacon and pancakes when the back door banged open, and Dave skidded in.
Karl tensed. Dave didn’t rush over anything. All part of his natural balance and being one with nature or whatever his nude yoga was supposed to do for him.
“Someone’s been up on Lookout Point.” Dave was breathing hard. “Not there now, but there’s food wrappers and a pile of cigarette ends. Like they’ve been watching us.”
