Another growl, and Grayson sees this going to shit before his very eyes.
“Sorry,Professor,” Grayson interrupts what is surely going to be an admiring description of all the things he and his friend have in common, but will ping Rowan’s possessive jealousy while he’s in the heightened pre-wolf-out state. “What he’s trying to say is that I am a good student and he’s trying to keep me safe. You want that when I’m here without you, right?”
He’s close enough now to run a hand down Rowan’s spine; it often works to calm him in wolf form as well as when he’s a giant, almost-seven-foot person.
“Yes, I was worried.” Knox catches on, thankfully. “We can’t underestimate Kirwan and her connections.”
The mention of her name sets Rowan’s wolf off again, and he slams Knox back against the brick.
“Rowan Foster.” Gideon has pushed open the door so he and Grayson’s pack can exit the building. “Drop that teacher.”
It’s such a familiar tone, even if the command isn’t, that it breaks Rowan’s fixation on Knox.
“Drop him,” Gideon says again. “Gently.”
“But he was rude. He’sfondof Gray…” He whines the words, but he sets Knox down gently as if he were a toddler after a fall. “I only wanted…fine.But he should remember to be nice.” Rowan makes a final pointed glance at Knox before crossing his arms and almost stomping over to Gideon. “And he should stop being fond, too, while he’s at it.”
“Good idea. What did you mean when you said you werefond, exactly?” Luca adds in solidarity with Rowan. “He’s mated, you know? Like forever.”
Knox wisely doesn’t chuckle out loud, but he does widen his eyes where only Grayson can see.
“I am very mated, baby. Thank you for reminding him.” Grayson can’t help but join in the silent laughter when he knows Knox is well aware of his deep bonds with his mates.
“Why wereyouout here?” Luca asks, slipping his hand into Grayson’s. He’s not asking Grayson but Knox. “You sure left in a hurry.”
“Me? I was concerned Gray was going to chase her down. He’s too curious for his own good. Although I expect he’s wondering why she’d been so sure he was the—” He breaks off abruptly.
“The One?” Finn asks.
Knox looks surprised. “Yes, and pushing her would have only put us right back in the fire.”
“But he’s not, right? The Truthseeker let him go.”
It takes a second for that to settle, and then Knox huffs a breath. “She let him go because Percival asked her to tell him if Graysonlied. He hasn’t been.”
Grayson hadn’t told his family about Verity’s reliance on semantics.
“Sure, he’s been holding back.” Knox raises an eyebrow in Grayson’s direction. “Which we will be speaking about tomorrow, but he’s never outright lied about it.”
“Ohh…” Leo says quietly. “So, she could answer honestly.”
“Are you saying that if Percival had asked if he was holding back or if he was hiding something, she would have had to say so?” Nimue asks, shocked.
“Under normal circumstances, yes.”
“Whoa. That was close, then.” Leo runs a hand over his face, wiping a bead of stress sweat from his cheek.
“Wait. I’m confused,” Jay says. “What are you talking about? You make it sound like you knew the Truthseeker would exonerate him.”
Knox sighs. “Look. This isn’t the place to have this conversation.”
Nix appears beside them, looping his arm through Knox’s as if they’re old friends. “Then let’s go over there, Professor.”
They gather around two picnic benches in the shade of a large weeping willow. It must be a hundred years old, its long feathery leaves shielding the pack from the waning afternoon sun.
Nix takes up a spot on the grass near Gideon, where the alpha leans against the trunk. “Okay, spill. What do you mean by ‘under normal circumstances?’”
“It’s complicated, and most of it isn’t mine to tell.” Knox sighs, rubbing a hand over his mouth. “But hear me clearly before any of you decide to go hunting people in black SUVs.”
