He exhales slowly. “We need to loop the others in.”
“I already talked to Conrad.”
“And?”
“And we stay alert.”
Mason nods, but his gaze sharpens. “That’s not everything.”
I don’t respond.
He watches me for another beat, then sighs. “This about the bookstore?”
I go still.
“Thought so,” he mutters.
“It’s not your concern.”
“Everything that affects this town is my concern,” he counters. “Including you making decisions that could backfire.”
“I’m not making reckless decisions.”
“No?” Mason pushes off the bench, stepping closer. “Because from where I’m standing, getting attached to a human right before rogues start sniffing around looks pretty reckless.”
I meet his gaze, something dangerous flickering beneath the surface.
“I said I’m handling it.”
Mason holds up his hands slightly. “Alright. Just… don’t underestimate how fast things can escalate.”
“I don’t.”
“Good.”
He pauses, then adds more quietly, “And don’t underestimate her, either.”
That catches me off guard.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means,” Mason says, “humans aren’t as fragile as you think. Especially not the stubborn ones.”
A flash of Tessa arguing with me—chin lifted, eyes blazing—cuts through my mind.
I exhale sharply. “That’s exactly the problem.”
Mason huffs a quiet laugh. “Yeah. I figured.”
After he leaves, the garage falls silent again. But it’s a different kind of silence now.
Heavier. Final.
I push away from the workbench and grab my jacket, shrugging it on as I head for the door. No more delays. No more second-guessing. If I’m going to do this?—
I need to do it now. Before I lose my nerve. Before I convince myself there’s another way. Because there isn’t. There’s only distance. Only cold, hard separation. Only making sure that when the rogues come back—and they will?—
She’s not standing anywhere near me. I step out into the night, the cool air hitting my face like a wake-up call.
