Rys nodded. “Then I agree.”
“I’ll talk to him first thing in the morning.” He glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. “Well, later today.”
Max stood. “I don’t think there’s anything else we can do for now. Go home, get some sleep. I’ll be in touch if we have any news.” He shot a pointed look at Lady Sarhin.
She rolled her eyes but added. “As will I.”
Max and Jake escorted everyone out of the building to the car park.
Again I had to watch as Axel and Dathal climbed into the back of Rys’s SUV and drove off. I fumbled my keys in my haste to follow them, and Sasha swooped in to pick them up.
“I think I’ll drive,” she whispered, opening the driver’s side door and sliding in.
With the mood I was in, it was probably for the best.
* * *
I waitedwith Gabriel and Sasha while the others saw Lady Sarhin and Nathan Calder safely back through the gateway. Rys still struggled a little with having his father back on pack territory, but they were better than before.
The fact that Nathan kept his opinions to himself unless Rys asked for them went a long way to helping with that.
As soon as they disappeared from sight, Dathal turned to Axel. “Nick and I will stay here tonight.” He glanced at Sasha. “You can have a night in your own bed if you want?”
She glanced at Rys, who nodded. “That would be amazing. Not that Axel’s spare room isn’t comfortable, but I do miss soundproofed walls.”
Pink coloured Axel’s cheeks, and I bristled, wondering exactly what she’d overheard.
“Right.” Axel said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “As lovely as this night has been—” He rolled his eyes. “—I’m tired. And cold.”
He shivered, the sheer shirt he wore doing nothing to ward off the chill. The cold didn’t affect me, shifters ran hotter than most.
I could keep him warm.
I folded my arms to stop myself from pulling him in for a hug.
We said our goodnights, waiting until Axel, Nick and Dathal were safely inside.
Sasha still had my car keys and wasted no time getting behind the wheel again. I hesitated, waiting for Gabriel to get in Rys’s car.
Rys made no move to follow him.
He leant on the car instead and faced me. “What’s wrong?”
“Who’s on forest duty tonight?”
“Syl, Ethan, and Pen. Why?” His eyebrow arched. He knew why I was asking but was still going to make me say it.
“I want to do it.”
“No.”
My hands curled into fists at my side. “Why?”
“It’s four in the morning. You’ve not slept since—”
“I’m not tired.” The words were rough, almost a growl, body vibrating with frustration. Shaking out my hands, I breathed in and out, Rys’s scent of alpha and pack doing its job and calming my racing heart. “Please,” I whispered, meeting his gaze and hoping he saw how fucking much I needed to do this. “I’ll keep to the trees. Don’t make me leave here after everything we learnt tonight.”
I knew Axel was safe.
