“We may never stop all the whispering,” Luna said. “But the far louder story will be that Argents are just like any other wolf, only a bit rarer. And definitely not magical.”
Matt breathed out, deep and low, and an almost unbearable weight seemed to drop from his shoulders. “There’ll be no threat, real or imaginary, for anyone to get worked up over,” he said, his voice low, as if he were only now feeling the truth of it. The freedom in front of him and Jesse.
“It looks that way,” Luna said. “But even if the emergency planning wasn’t needed, I’m glad we made contact.”
“Likewise,” Matt said.
The room was silent for a moment. Leon hadn’t understood what the finding of an Argent pack meant. Not only would the potential threat to shifters be removed, but Jesse would no longerbe in the spotlight. Once they realized he wasn’t some kind of unique mystical figure, they’d pay him no more attention. Well, except for the women’s magazines that were so keen on him and Matt as a celebrity couple.
“With your agreement, Matt, I’d like to stay a few more days,” Luna said. “I’d like to meet this Michael.”
Her voice was smooth in a way Leon knew well. He was suddenly glad he wasn’t in Michael’s place.
And then the rest of her words registered like a gut punch. They’d be leaving here.Leonwould be leaving here. He’d known, of course. He just hadn’t thought what it meant.
He looked over at Karl and found those brown eyes held the same turmoil.
“You’re welcome to stay for however long you’d like,” Matt said.
Luna smiled at him before rising to her feet and glancing at Leon. “Come walk with me.”
With one last, lingering look at Karl, he did so.
Chapter Thirty-four
KARL
Once they were alone, Matt poured two whiskeys and slid one across the desk to Karl.
“I can’t believe they’ve been on our doorstep all this time.” Matt huffed a laugh. “You know, if Jesse had taken a slightly different route when he was running from Cale, he’d have found his pack instead of fetching up here.”
That would have saved Matt’s pack from Cale’s murdering scumbags, Karl thought. It would also have meant that Matt would still be brooding and drinking too much, and Jason would be lost in quiet loneliness. Tristan would be okay, for now, but Colby would likely have been dead at Nico’s hands before long, meaning Tristan would go his entire life without meeting his mate. As for Dave and Christian, perhaps they’d have worked things out without the trip to New Mexico, or perhaps they wouldn’t. Then there was Bryce. Karl had never thought their beta would committo any one shifter. He’d been wrong. The happiness on Bryce’s face every time he looked at Tom was unmistakable.
And there was him. He’d never have met Leon.
He took a sip of whiskey, welcoming the familiar smoky taste and the long, slow burn. Matt kept only the best.
“You don’t seem that surprised about me and Leon.”
“All I knew was that I’d never seen anyone get under your skin the way he did,” Matt said, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “I figured there had to be a reason. Just hoped you’d avoid killing each other long enough to find it. You’re together, then?”
Karl studied the amber in his own glass a moment longer before looking up. “We’re mates.”
Matt’s reaction was subtle, but Karl knew him well enough to read the shift in his eyes. Shock, slowly replaced by something else. Acceptance, maybe, followed by rueful amusement. He must be wondering why, of all the alphas in the world, he was the one to end up with such an impossible pack.
“Never heard of a cat and a wolf being mates,” he said at last. Karl knew he wasn’t doubting him but saying it because it was true.
“Doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened,” Karl said.
Matt nodded, slowly. “It doesn’t.”
They both sipped their whiskey, listening to the crackling of the fire in the grate.
“I’m glad for you.” Matt leaned forward, and there was slight sadness along with warmth in his steady regard. “If you want to leave to be with him, we’ll understand, though God knows I don’t want to lose you. You’re an integral part of this pack, not to mention you’re probably the only real adult I’ve got around here. But know that we’re safe. Your work with Colby and Tom and the others means they kept us safe when you weren’t here. And youalwayshave a home here.”
Karl’s throat was tight, and he lifted his glass to his lips to try and disguise the emotions tumbling inside him. “Thanks, boss.”
It was Matt’s job to keep them safe. The credit was Matt’s, but Matt was giving this to him. Karl also realized, with the slow dawning of something that felt like freedom, that he hadn’t thought to ask how everything had gone in his absence. Maybe he’d needed to trust his fellow pack members more. Or maybe he’d needed to be out of control for once to stop trying to exert it over everything.
