Baxter shifted toward the door, then paused.
“We play the cards we’re dealt,” he said. “And both of your decks are stacked better than you realize.”
Silence settled over the room for a moment.
Mac broke the silence. “Sir, we need to talk.”
Baxter didn’t look surprised. “The room’s secure. Go ahead.”
Mac held his gaze. “We stopped by the guard shack. It was enlightening.”
Baxter’s mouth curved slightly. “Fae,” he said. “Not something a wolf or a panther can sniff out.”
The words settled in the room.
Melvin felt Mac go still beside him.
Melvin shifted his weight. “When you said the shack was enchanted, that told us enough.”
Baxter watched them for a moment, then his expression grew more serious.
“I assumed it might,” he said.
Mac studied him carefully. “You already knew.”
Baxter met his eyes without hesitation. “I knew enough.”
Silence settled in the room.
Melvin exhaled slowly. “Enough to know what we are?”
“Enough to know what you are responsible with,” Baxter replied.
His gaze moved between them.
“You’ve both done good work here. I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of packs in my career. Most of them fall apart long before anyone notices the cracks. What you’ve built together looks different.”
Mac’s jaw tightened slightly. “Sir… if someone’s asking questions—”
“They already did,” Baxter said calmly.
That stopped both of them.
“Nothing formal. Someone higher up heard the gossip. Two officers who work unusually well together.”
Mac held his gaze. “And?”
“And I advised them there was nothing to pursue.”
Baxter leaned back slightly. “Two officers doing their jobs well is not a problem. Since the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, anyone trying to make it one would find themselves explaining that decision to people with more stars than they have.”
The corner of his mouth lifted faintly. “I suggested we focus on winning the war instead.”
The sense of pressure in the room eased. Baxter reached for the door.
“Finish strong,” he said.
Then he opened it.
