“Mayhap you should,” I snap. “He could get himself in trouble!”
Helga clears her throat. “Hold your horses, lads. Let us wait and hear from the boy himself before making our own conclusions, aye?”
It’s too late now. My berserker is agitated just imagining Lyall around humans. I understand his wish to visit Anders. But what if that isn’t all he’s doing?
“It’s only right to be worried for him. Unless you’ve all forgotten what happened the last time he trusted a human?”
Kieran whips around to face me. “Would you cool it, man? That wasn’t Lyall’s fault.”
Wulfric says, “Enough. He’s coming. I will speak to him first.” He walks out to greet Lyall. I fidget, fighting the urge to listen in on their conversation.
Lyall walks in with Wulfric and I bite my tongue while he and Kieran exchange greetings.
“Where have you been?” I ask as soon as Lyall’s done speaking.
Lyall doesn’t respond.
“Answer me.”
He flinches, and I make myself take in a slow, deep breath. “I was visiting Anders and Jamie.”
“All day?”
Lyall folds his arms. “Aye. I can go where I please, with whoever I please.”
“You spend too much time there. Have you forgotten they live among humans? What if they find out who you are?”
“Anderslivesthere. I never hear you pestering him about safety. If I were you, I’d worry about yourself, brother. Have you looked in a mirror as of late?”
Damn it, he has a point, but what would he have me do? Break my vow to Leif? “It isn’t safe for you to be there. If anything were to happen to you—”
“Worry about yourself!” Lyall’s shout fills the house.
Wulfric clears his throat. “Lyall, we only want to make sure that you’re safe. That’s all. Besides, Helga misses you at dinner, and we need you during hunts.”
Lyall sighs and averts his gaze like a kicked pup. “Apologies.”
“It’s all right,” Wulfric says, but no, it damn well is not. “You’re welcome to visit Anders, but remember your responsibilities here. Aye?”
“Don’t be a fool, Wulfric. It’s not Anders he’s seeing. It’s someone else.”
It was just a guess, but when panic spikes Lyall’s scent, my fears are confirmed.
He’s keeping something from us.Why?
“It’s none of your business, Gunnar. Mind yourself, not me.”
My brother has never lied before. What is he doing in Jamie’s time? With whom is he meeting? My jaws snap together as the berserker stirs, hungry for blood.
“Who is it? Who are you seeing? Are they safe?” I close in on him. The fur on my shoulders writhes and comes to life, crawling down my arms. Whoever this person is, they willnothurt my brother. I will not let them!
“I am safe,Gunnar.”
My heart races as memories flood my mind. “Are you? Because the last time you thought that, our father was killed, Leif and—and Bjorn. They were—” A lump aches in my throat, and Lyall becomes a blur through my eyes. Gods. I can’t lose anyone else in my pack. I’ll do anything, whatever it takes, to keep them all safe, no matter the consequences.
Lyall’s lips tremble and he presses them into a tight line. “You blame me.”
I shake my head. “No. Never you. I blamehim.”Fury surges through me at the very thought of that traitorousscum.“Is it him? Are you seeing him?” I seize his shirt, claws tearing at the fabric. Soren tricked him and betrayed him. I will never let him take advantage of my brother’s trusting nature again!
