“Maybe she just doesn’t like cats,” he offered, trying to soften his statement.
“Or princes,” Karl murmured, leaning closer.
Leon elbowed him lightly in the ribs, which earned him a grin and zero remorse.
“She and Leon got off on the wrong foot, that’s all,” Karl said, probably more for Jesse’s benefit than Leon’s.
“Huh,” Jesse said. “Seems like there’s a bit of that goin’ around.”
Leon bit back a laugh.
“She’s snarky too,” Karl said. “I don’t know how it took me so long to see the similarity.”
Jesse snorted, but didn’t rise to the bait. He stood after a moment, lingering long enough that Leon saw something unguarded flash across his face.
“But she was okay?”
Karl’s voice softened. “She was well, I promise. And she’ll be happier once she sees you again.”
Some tension eased from Jesse’s frame. “’Kay then,” he said, kicking at the dirt with his boot, before turning to walk down the slope toward the house, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.
Chapter Thirty-six
KARL
Jesse’s retreating footsteps faded into the evening air. Somewhere below, a goat bleated in protest, and Tristan laughed, loud enough for Karl to hear even from here.
He let the quiet settle for a moment. Just the rustle of wind in the grass, the warmth of Leon beside him, the faint smell of pine, and something sweeter clinging to his hair. Coconut. How the fuck did Riley cope with that scent all day? And then he remembered—non-shifter, no enhanced senses.
He watched Jesse on his way back to the house, automatically checking he was safe.
“You really can’t stop, can you?” Leon asked quietly.
Karl didn’t pretend not to know what he meant. His mouth twitched, just a little. “Habit.”
Leon hummed, still watching Karl’s face. “Joaquim said Colby invited them to join your patrols.”
He said it neutrally enough that Karl wasn’t sure what he thought about it.
“I heard,” he said. “I was going to ask how they’re finding it. Don’t want anyone pushed into something they’re not ready for.”
“Most of them think your wolves are a bit weird,” Leon said. “Which, you know, fair.” He grinned at Karl’s lowered brow. “Ava got snarled at for climbing a tree during her shift. But seriously, I think it’s a good thing—they’re learning from each other. Your wolves are understanding more about how cats think and operate, because up till now, they’ve been concentrating on other wolves and non-shifters as the threat.” He shrugged slightly. “Guess we’ve been learning too.”
That was onehellof an admission. Karl turned toward him a little. “Yeah?”
Leon nodded. “Doesn’t mean they’re planning a joint spa day anytime soon, but… they’re adjusting.” He bumped Karl’s shoulder with his own. “You worried we’d scale the first inconvenient tree and stay there?”
“Little bit,” Karl admitted. “But not anymore.”
Leon let the silence hang for a second before he asked, just as quietly, “Can I ask you something?”
That sounded ominous, but if anyone had the right, it was Leon. Karl hesitated an instant, before nodding, just once.
“You didn’t like cats when we got here,” Leon said, and he sounded curious rather than accusing. “I mean, youreallydidn’t. I thought it was just me at first, but it wasn’t, was it?”
Karl stilled, stopping his jaw from clenching, his shoulders from tightening, controlling all the little things that wanted to give him away. It wasn’t something he wanted to relive,ever.Being out of control of a situation, having to obey—orchoosingto obey—orders, even when his gut had told him somethingdifferent.
If he had to do it again, he’d do it differently, but that was the thing about life—there was no such thing as a do-over. And Max had paid for it with his arm, Sheldon with her peace of mind, and God knew what scars the rest of them carried. All because Karl had made the wrong choice.
