If only it’d work on Jet.
“Who?” he snarls.
Grey stares back for a beat before letting out a weary sigh. “Like I said, the council don’t want this getting out. They made that veryclearto my hunter group. Not everyone was happy I brought that scrutiny on us.”
Fuck me, his own people did this?
“It’s fine,” he says softly, curious eyes on Jet. “It’s done.” He eases his hand away, and this time Jet lets him go. For a second he doesn’t move, but then Jet crosses his arms and looks anywhere but at Grey, and that’s his cue to walk back to his seat.
“What are they going to do about it now that they know?” Lynx asks, and I lean forward, more than a little interested in Grey’s answer.
Surely, they’ve got to go all out and find who the fuck is organising everything, right?
“I don’t know.” He raises both hands when snarls erupt around the room again, and I scent the air, wondering why he’s not more scared to be in a room full of angry shifters. “Ihopethey’re doing their best to discover who’s in charge, but I’m too low on the food chain to be privy to that information. As far as the council are concerned, the Silver Blades part in this investigation is over. It’s a council matter now.”
I glance around the room and get the distinct feeling that’s not reassuring.
“And what about us?” Lynx asks, eyes narrowed. “Should we expect blowback from this?”
This time Grey smiles, small but genuine. “No. I convinced them that your only involvement was rescuing a pack member, and you have no interest in the fight rings now you have Morgan back.”
“And they bought that?” Mal asks, sceptical. He’s not on his own thinking that either.
“I may have massaged the truth of what happened.” Grey grimaces. “They had a dead shifter thrown in one of the vans, so I blamed Fox’s death on her.”
More snarls from everyone else, but my heart hurts at the news. They were there that night. And they died.
“But the outcome’s in your favour, so I won’t go into details. They aren’t coming for you, and as far as they’re concerned, you played a small part in taking down the fight ring.”
“What about my house?” I can’t help but ask. “Fox and the others forced my dad to sign it over to them. Can’t you do anything about that?”
“I’ll ask around, but I can’t promise anything.”
I nod, because at least it’s something. “And Birch? Any sign of him?”
Grey shakes his head. “No. Not yet.” He stands and meets Lynx’s gaze. “I need to get back before they start to wonder where I am.”
Lynx nods, and the room empties as we walk Grey back out to his car.
He pauses before getting inside. “The Blades are heading out tomorrow morning. With any luck, you shouldn’t be seeing us for a while.”
“Let’s fucking hope so,” Flint utters from beside me.
“Agreed.” Grey flashes a smile, but there’s something off about it, and his eyes flick to Jet before he seems to catch himself. “Right, then.” He gives Lynx a nod, then gets in his car.
Jet leaves as soon as he starts the engine, but the rest of us watch until Grey drives out through the gates and out of sight.
“What does that mean for us?” My voice catches on the last word. It’s still weird referring to the pack, the club, asus. I didn’t earn my place among them, not that any of them treat me like that, and I feel like... I don’t know how to explain it.
I’m also not particularly good at shielding my emotions, not from Lynx anyway, and his head snaps around, tilting at whatever he can sense.
Taking my hand, he leads me away from the others until we’re at the clearing with the huge tree. “You belong,” he says softly. “With me. The pack. The club.”
“Do I?” I blurt out and hurt flares in his eyes.Fuck. I pull him close and wrap my arms around his neck. His scent floods my lungs, settling that nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. “With you? Yes,” I concede, because with the ever-present warmth of our connection within me, I can’t dispute that. “But with everyone else?” I shake my head. “I’m not so sure.”
Lynx cups my jaw and tilts my head back until I’m looking at him. “We were all strays at one point. Either escapees from the ring or other situations that left us alone. Your father was tortured into giving up your house, leaving you homeless. Then you were turned into a shifter against your will, kidnapped, and forced to fight in the ring against the same fucking man who started it all.” He strokes my face, expression softening to something so tender my heart stutters. “I’d say you belong here as much, if not more than any of us.”
When he puts it like that . . .
