12. Callum #2
“We might need to start taking those risks.” He grimaces, and I know how much he hates putting any of his pack in danger. “If the one who stole Ash’s phone is involved with those staying at the house, then that changes things.”
My fingers itch to reach for my phone, to check in with Ash and make sure he’s safe. When I see Morgan do exactly that, I place my hands on the table and let him.
It’s harder than it should be.
“You think they’re looking for Birch?” Mal asks the question, but I’m pretty sure most of us were thinking it.
“If they are part of Fox’s old group, then it’d kind of make sense since they were obviously working with him and the Feral Beasts.
” He scowls, then adds, “Maybe it’d be worth arranging another meet to see if they’re any more willing to cough up information. ”
Lynx bares his teeth.
Any mention of Birch has that effect after what he did to Morgan.
“Maybe it would.” He pauses, glancing briefly at where Morgan’s still curled against him.
“Because there’s also the possibility that those at Morgan’s house are looking for Luke.
They’ll know he was at the fight. Depending if they still have connections at the council or other hunter groups, they might know he wasn’t among the dead at the fight ring the council cleaned up. ”
“What about Nico?” Flint’s expression hardens. “You think they’ll be looking for him too?”
“There’s no reason for them to know we have him.” At least there wasn’t before. “Though I guess it’s not a stretch for Fox’s old group to wonder if we’re the ones who attacked the other fight rings.”
A feeling of unease ripples around the table. I send a pointed look Lynx’s way, because I know there’s a significant piece of information that he still hasn’t shared.
He gives me a grim nod in return.
“Luke told Morgan that there’s a central hub where all the shifters who fight in the rings are held between fights.”
He doesn’t even try and soften the blow. Fuck’s sake, Lynx.
Predictably, Mal and Flint glare at Morgan, who in turn glares at Lynx.
“You didn’t tell them?” He looks shocked, which goes a long way to mollifying the other two.
“I didn’t want anyone to have to deal with that fucking horror on top of everything else.” Lynx returns the looks Mal and Flint are still giving him, no one bothering to temper their emotions, and it’s got disaster written all over it.
“Maybe we should take this outside.” That way if anyone shifts, at least we’re not in a confined space.
“No,” Lynx snaps. “I don’t want anyone outside of us listening to this.”
“Did you know?” Mal asks me. “Because you don’t seem all that surprised.”
“I only told him two days ago,” Lynx answers for me. “And he insisted I tell all of you, so don’t get pissy with him.”
“Fine,” Flint grits out. “Just you, then.”
“I did what I thought was best for my pack. For my brothers.” Lynx doesn’t apologise, doesn’t back down.
“And I stand by that decision. Do you know how hard it is to go to sleep at night, knowing that there are other shifters locked up in fucking cages, waiting to be hauled out for the next fight ring. To go about my day knowing that they’re probably broken and scared, like Nico was when we found him.
” He rubs at his chest, expression stricken.
It fucking guts me to know all that and do nothing. ”
“Then why don’t we—”
“We can’t.” Lynx slams his fist on the table and stands.
“If they do know we have Luke, then they know he’ll have told us about where the fighters are kept.
If we manage to track down where it is, then you can bet your fucking arse they’ll be waiting for us.
And until we know who else is involved in this thing, how high up in the hunter ranks it goes, we can’t risk it.
And we can’t risk drawing hunter attention by racing all over the county and beyond searching for this fucking place. ”
He lets out a resigned sigh and his shoulders sag.
Morgan reaches for his hand, offering silent support for whatever he can feel through their bond.
“So even knowing what we know, there’s fuck all we can do about it.
I didn’t want you to have suffer with how fucking awful that feels when you didn’t have to. ”
There’s a subtle change in the air as Lynx’s truth sinks in. The why of it makes all the difference, and the anger and hurt from being kept in the dark becomes frustration wrapped up in understanding and love.
Flint leans back in his chair and groans, while Mal points a finger at Lynx.
“I swear to the fucking Goddess, Lynx, if you ever keep something like that to yourself again, I’m going to strangle you.
” Mal stands and rounds the table until he’s close enough to grab Lynx and haul him in for a hug.
“You might be the alpha of this pack, but we’re your brothers.
What we have goes above and beyond that.
Do you know how it feels to realise your stupidly noble alpha and president has been struggling for two fucking weeks, alone, with a truth that no one should have to carry on their own?
” He pulls back to look Lynx in the eye. “It hurts.”
“I’m sorry.” There’s a hitch in his voice, a wetness to his eyes that brings a lump to my throat. He pulls Mal back in, and Flint joins them.
“You fucking should be,” Flint grits out. “Don’t do it again.”
Flint grabs Morgan’s arm and drags him into their group hug. “I thought he’d told you all,” I hear Morgan mumble.
Flint grunts. “It’s not your fault you’re mated to a self-sacrificing idiot.”
Lynx growls, but it’s half-hearted at best. He looks over Flint’s shoulder at me and raises an eyebrow.
I’m moving before he even crooks his fingers to beckon me over. My arms wrap around Flint and Mal, my fingers touch the back of Morgan’s neck. I grip tight and give him a squeeze. When his hand lands on my waist and does the same, I know we’re good.
There’s one of us missing though, but before I can voice that, Lynx does it for me.
“I’ll tell Jet everything the second he gets back.”
Flint laughs, but it has an edge to it. “Good luck stopping him from going straight back out to find those fuckers.”
I’d agree with him if it weren’t for one thing.
“As soon as Lynx tells him that doing so will put the pack at risk from unwanted hunter attention, he’ll change his mind.
He won’t like it,” I add, because we all know he’ll be as fucking furious as the rest of us.
“But he’d never do anything to draw hunter eyes to our pack. ”
Flint sighs. “No, he wouldn’t.”
Lynx steps back, breaking our huddle. “If you’re free,” he says to me, “I’ve arranged to talk with Nico and Luke today, since we didn’t get to do it yesterday.”
“Yeah, I’ve got time.”
Flint eyes us both. “You’ll share whatever you find out this time, right?”
“Yes.” Lynx adds a little alpha power so they know how serious he is.
“And today, not in two weeks’ time,” Mal adds.
“Depending how long it takes, maybe not today, but definitely in the morning. I want Jet to be here for it this time. He won’t like being kept out of it as it is.”
“Okay.” Flint nods, and he and Mal leave.
I don’t even bother trying to follow them out. I’ve known Lynx long enough to read him easily, and so I push the door closed and lean against it.
Morgan looks warily between the two of us. “I don’t need to be here for this.”
“He’s your best mate.” Lynx cradles his jaw, thumb stroking over his cheeks, and Morgan sighs softly. “You can stay if you want.”
“No.” When he looks at me, I meet his gaze, letting him see everything. “I’m going to go see him instead. I think your best mate needs you. And not alpha-you or president-you,” he adds quietly.
Lynx nods. “I’ll see you later. Be careful. Take a couple of the others with you.”