She shrugged. “Steve just seems like a lion’s name. You’re the lion, right?”
“Yes. My uncle’s name was Steve. He was a real asshole.”
“Well, see? Steve. That goes with lion. Hmm.” She squinted at him again. “Soren is nice. What about that? I think it means introspective. Or maybe it means stern.” She rubbed her chin. “Either way, it would work.”
“I’ll think about it.”
She didn’t just bob her head, she bobbed her whole body, letting it go.
The night moved on, with several people coming over to chat with him or see if he needed anything. They’d be staying for the night, put up by the basajaunak, and for the first time, John was invited to stay with them, as well.
As the night was wrapping up, Jessie and Austin stopped by. They were unmistakably the alphas, but they didn’t act like it. Not traditionally, anyway. Austin had a quiet authority about him, expecting the most of everyone because he expected the most of himself, but not pushing his power or status around. He didn’t act like the biggest player in the room. Didn’t seem to care if he wasn’t, actually. He certainly didn’t care about John’spower, past status, or think him a rival in any way. For Austin, the title of alpha didn’t seem to hold any weight, it was the man that carried the mantle.
Then there was Jessie, who didn’t act like she had any authority at all. She was kindness itself, asking if he needed anything because she was ready to provide it. Hoping John joined them, said with a genuine desire to help. She was in charge of the most power John had ever seen assembled and didn’t give one shred of evidence that she knew it.
Neither of them had any ego. They weren’t out to prove anything, not if they didn’t have to. It was so damn refreshing.
They bid him goodnight. He walked Fred to her sleeping mat, chuckling most of the way, and then he sat by the fire, staring at the stars for a long time, thinking. Wondering if he’d take the risk. Wondering if he dared to hope in a life that so often let him down.
25
Ulric
“Bro, I’m nervous.”Jasper’s wings fluttered as he and Ulric stood near the van. “I’ve never been to one of the top three cairns. Besides Gimerel, but that doesn’t count because we raided and left.”
“Me, neither. That’s not whyI’mnervous, though,” Ulric replied. “My mom should’ve arrived over a week ago. She said she would go straight there, so she was probably only a few days late. She’s had, like,daysto get all up in everyone’s business. I hope she hasn’t pissed off the new cairn leader.”
“Nah.” Jasper waved it away. They watched Jessie climb out of her van. “Your mom will be fine. She’s in her element. I’d worry more about Mr. Tom. He’s been out of the gargoyle culture for…”
“No one knows. He never mentions it.”
“Well…a long time. Long enough to be very strange. By gargoyle standards, at any rate. He won’t help our image.”
Jessie reached for her suitcase. The driver tried to hand it over, but Austin stepped in the way to retrieve it for her.
“Now, that really is going too far, sir.” Mr. Tom intercepted and wrestled the suitcase away. “There is a time to be helpful, and there is a time to get out of the way. I would’ve assumed you’d know which was which at this point.”
His wings fluttering, Mr. Tom grabbed Austin’s suitcase as well before heading to the waiting private jet. Jessie put a hand on Austin’s arm to stop him from reacting.
“He didn’t seem to embarrass us at the connection request meetup,” Ulric said slowly.
Jasper shook his head. “You didn’t listen to much of the gossip about Jessie’s setup, apparently.”
No, Ulric had, he’d just tried to ignore most of it. He believed in this outfit and he knew Jessie would eventually win the day.
But Jasper was right. Going into an all-gargoyle establishment, one of the largest cairns… Well, Mr. Tom would not fit in.
Then again, would any of them? With all the various creatures in the convocation, it was necessary to compromise a great deal. That must’ve changed them. They might be outcasts among their own kind.
“Hey, guys.” Aurora stepped up to them as the group slowly moved toward the private jet. It was customary to give Mr. Tom about ten minutes to check out the plane and get things ready for Jessie. If they rushed him, he was a nightmare.
“Hey.” Jasper put up his hand for a high-five, and she slapped his palm without hesitation. Even a few months ago, she wouldn’t have done that. “Haven’t seen much of you.”
“Yeah.” She glanced to the side, her gaze sticking to the new shifter. “Without a family pass, I’m not high enough in the pack to do much on these excursions.”
“Well, then.” Jasper lifted his eyebrows at her. “Get high enough. Word on the street is you’ve got alpha juice. You’re plenty powerful enough.”
“I’m going as fast as I can.” She shoved him. “There are rules in a pack. I’ve climbed faster than anyone else but I have to stop for a moment at each level. It’s how it’s done.”
