“Congratulations.”
Cade returned his nod and pulled Mackenna tighter against his side. “Mackenna, this is Lynk Foster. He’s a dick, but he saved my life, so I guess he’s okay.”
Lynk snorted. “That’s a hell of an endorsement, Novak.”
True, but his backhanded compliment had produced the desired result. Mackenna giggled, and some of her shaking subsided.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lynk.”
She didn’t speak loudly, just barely above a murmur, but honestly, Cade was surprised she’d said anything at all. “Look.” He jerked his head to the side. “Here comes trouble.”
“Hi!” Roux said brightly as she bounced to a stop beside them. “Boys, if you’ll excuse us, I think Mackenna is probably ready to get out of that hospital gown.” She didn’t crowd close, but she offered her hand, along with an encouraging smile. “What do you say? We can find you some real clothes, then I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“Roux,” Cade said warningly.
“No.” Pulling away from his side, Mackenna patted his arm and smiled up at him. “It’s okay. Real clothes would be great.” She straightened her spine and reached out to take Roux’s offered hand. “Thank you.”
“She’s tough,” Lynk commented as they watched the females walk away. “Roux filled me in on a little of what happened to her,” he added when Cade arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t know how someone survives something like that, let alone walks away so…normal.”
Mackenna wasn’t unfazed by the ordeal, but Cade agreed that he’d expected it to take much longer before she felt comfortable being around other people. “She’s amazing.” And he’d happily spend hours talking about his new mate. Later. “What happened out there? I thought it was supposed to be a quick in and out.”
“Fucking land mines.” Lynk snorted in disgust. “Miles tripped the first one. After that, everything just went to hell.”
“Jesus.” That was a shitty way to go, and not something he would wish on anyone. “Is that why everyone’s covered in soot?”
“No, that was the fire. The building where they were keeping the females went up like kindling. Abby is the only one who survived.”
Cade knew that from Roux, but he still frowned. There was something in the shifter’s tone, a note of confusion maybe. “What is it?”
“Luca walked right out of that fucking inferno with her in his arms. Not a single burn. Hell, his hair isn’t even singed.” His gaze strayed to Abby, and he frowned. “She looked bad. She looked really bad, man.”
Cade glanced across the room, mirroring the shifter’s scowl. “There’s not a mark on her.”
“I know.” Raking his fingers through his hair, Lynk sighed. “When he brought her out of that cabin, though, I swear…”
He had a feeling he knew where this was going, but he wanted to hear Lynk say it. “What?”
“I swear she was dead.” He looked at the female again and shook his head. “Then, there’s that.”
Cade didn’t have to ask what “that” was. He’d noticed as well. The other two humans, the remaining members of the Valkyrie, were gathered around her and Luca, their heads bent together in whispered conversation. The males reacted to Luca with respect, the way one might a superior. The way they looked at Abby, though, was more deferential, almost worshipful.
Maybe they were in some kind of polyamorous relationship. Live and let live was Cade’s motto, but he didn’t think that was the case. For one thing, neither of the men touched Abby. They didn’t hold onto her the way Luca did. While they hovered around her protectively, there was no desire in their eyes or their body language.
“Somethings going on,” Lynk said after a long pause, “and I want to know what the fuck it is.”
“I agree there’s something weird there, but if you start throwing around accusations, it’s not going to do anything but start a fight.” Yeah, something was definitely wrong when he came out of a conversation as the rational one. “Let’s give it some time. She’s been through hell and back.”
“And she looks completely unaffected,” Lynk argued. “Does that look like the Abigail Dawson you know?”
No, it really didn’t. The woman Cade had met back in Trinity Grove had been fierce and outspoken, but she’d fallen apart at the first sign of physical conflict. She was easily spooked, quick to cry, and she didn’t rebound easily. The Abby he stared at now was confident, cool, and her eyes had the hardened look of a battle-scarred warrior.
“We don’t know what happened to her since she left the werewolf pack in St. Louis,” he reasoned. He knew what he had suffered, and he’d been barely conscious for most of it. “That kind of shit changes people.”
“I guess, but something still feels off.”
“I’m not arguing that, but just give it time.”
He hadn’t even spoken to Abby yet, but he could sense the difference from across the room. And he was just a human with no extraordinary ability. So, if Lynk said something wasn’t right, he was quick to believe him. He stood by what he’d said earlier, though. Throwing around accusations wasn’t going to accomplish anything.
Abby looked up then, their eyes met, and Cade didn’t think he imagined the anxiety that flashed across her face before she quickly averted her gaze. Well, that hurt. It also didn’t make any sense. He hadn’t seen her since they’d been separated in St. Louis, and he damn sure hadn’t done anything to make her fear him.
“I’m telling you,” Lynk said, having clearly caught the brief interaction, “shit is getting weird.”
Cade started to respond, happy to continue speculating, but Mackenna reentered the room at that moment, and she commanded his full attention. She looked comfortable in a pair of flowy black pants and a white, long-sleeved V-neck. Her wild, flame-like hair had been tamed
