But I had been attracted to them before. It was okay, I still had control over my emotions. All I needed to do was avoid deep, meaningful conversations and bonding-type activities for a whole fucking century.
Oh boy.
No. Do not despair. You got this. Friend zone could be a loving place. A platonic loving place.
Bee was studying me with a shrewd expression that instantly had my back up. I was starting to get sick of people trying to read me. I took a gulp of tea and slipped on my poker face.
“Bee!” A child ran into the kitchen. “The post van is here.”
She sighed and pushed back her chair. “We order supplies once a month and the van never comes past the gates. I’ll be right back.”
Long minutes ticked by, and I was done sitting about. I headed into the hallway. Maybe Bee needed help with these parcels?
“Not gonna happen.” Tor’s irate voice drifted out from a door beyond the stairs, drawing me into eavesdrop mode.
“We don’t have a choice,” Sten said. “They’ll want him. He’s the perfect bait.”
“He’s not bait.”
“He agreed to it.”
“You went behind my back?” Tor’s voice vibrated with rage. “Do I have to remind you who’s alpha now.”
“Then act like one! Your subjectiveness in this matter is a weakness.”
A growl. “Who are you calling weak, old-timer?”
“They’re opening several rifts at a time. We lost two humans last week because we were unable to fend them off effectively. Something’s changed. We need to know what, and to do that we need to capture one of them, and you know they never allow us to do that. Ever.”
“They’d rather die.”
“Yes. So we set a trap with bait. Something they want.”
“No,” Tor snapped. “We find another way… One second…”
Boot falls headed toward me. Shit.
The door to my left opened and Tor stood there, a flat expression on his face. “Seriously, Cora?”
“What? I was headed out to help Bee with the post and heard you guys arguing. What’s going on?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He lobbed the car keys at me. “I’ll meet you at the car.”
The dismissal in his tone was clear and annoyance flared in my chest. “No.”
“No?” He looked genuinely confused.
“You heard me. You may be an alpha and used to barking orders, but you’re not my alpha, so you don’t get to dismiss me. If there’s a threat to humanity that I’m not in the loop about, then you need to clue me in stat. I gave up my life to protect a fucking seal, for godsake, so I deserve to know what the fuck is going on.”
“She has a point,” Sten said.
Tor shot him a lethal glare. “And there are parties involved that have the right to their privacy.”
Sten pinched the bridge of his nose. “Cora, we were discussing the varga and increasing patrols.”
“You mentioned bait.”
“Enough,” Tor snapped, his cold gaze settling on me. “You’ve been anchor for five minutes, but we’ve been protectors of humanity for centuries. If there’s something you need to know, then you’ll be informed of it. I’ll meet you at the car.”
Anger and embarrassment swirled in my chest, but like hell would I let him see it.
I shrugged. “Whatever.” Then brushed past him and out the front door.
My anger melted as I got to the car and anxiety bloomed in its place. But it wasn’t my anger, it was Tor’s. His cold attitude was a façade. A front.
He was worried…scared.
What was he hiding?
And suddenly I was a dog with a bone.
I needed to find out.
Chapter Nine
A group of children were gathered around the Rover, peering in through the windows.
Wren.
Of course.
They backed away as I approached. “What is it?” the smallest of the group asked.
“Can I pet it?” another asked.
I couldn’t blame them for being intrigued by the living teddy bear in the back of the car. “His name’s Wren. He’s a mogwai and it’s up to him whether he wants to be petted or not.”
Wren stirred and sat up, eyes pinging wide open. The kids broke into a series of oohs and ahs.
Cuteness overload was a thing. I unlocked the door and Wren scrambled into my arms.
“Wren didn’t mean to fall asleep,” he said.
“So cute!”
“I want one.”
“Can I hold him?”
Wren seemed to notice the children for the first time. His body tensed and he shrank against me. “No childrensies.”
“Wren?”
He snuggled into me, body trembling. “No more childrensies.”
“Is he scared?” the little one asked. “We won’t hurt you.”
Wren peeked down at her. “Wren doesn’t want to sing.”
Oh shit. He’d spent goodness knows how long working for Merkle to capture children with his song. No doubt he’d been mistreated by Merkle too. These children were a reminder of that.
“Hey, Wren, buddy. It’s okay. You’re safe. The children are safe. Merkle’s gone forever, remember. He can’t hurt them, and he can’t hurt you. Ever.”
Wren lifted his chin and looked up at me with round, teary eyes. “Merkle’s gone.”
“Uh-huh.”
“No more childrensies to sing to.”
“Nope.”
“Is he okay?” the smallest child asked.
Wren looked down at her but kept a tight grip on me. “Wren okay, little childrensies. Maybe next time Wren play, but not today.” He shook his head. “Not today.”
The children looked past me and then dispersed, running toward various cabins. I didn’t need to glance over my shoulder to know Tor had joined us. His scent and the frisson of excitement racing up my back told me he was there.
“On a scale of one to ten, how pissed are you right now?” he asked in his rumbling, sexy voice.
I sighed and faced him. “Zero.”
His brows shot up.
I smirked up at him. “Why? Can’t you tell?”
He studied me for a long beat and then frowned. “You’re not mad.”
“Nope.”
He looked worried.
I smiled sweetly at him. “You should be pleased. I mean, a pissed-off Cora is very difficult to live with.”
“That does not put my mind at rest.”
I shrugged. “I can’t imagine why not.”
“Because I’m coming to know you, Cora,
