Chapter Eighteen #2
“Inconvenience,” Python muttered. “That’s a nice word for harassment.”
“Additionally, we received a video recording of a shifter challenge regarding ex-Agent Arrow’s mating bond.
The challenge was conducted within established shifter law parameters and concluded appropriately.
We will be monitoring Supervisor Patterson’s conduct going forward and ask that if he contacts you for any reason in the future, you let us know. ”
Cyrus’s expression didn’t change, but Arrow caught the slight tightening around his eyes. “I see. Thank you for the update, Director Hanson.”
“I’ll email you a copy of the recording for your files. Have a pleasant evening.”
The call ended, and the silence was deafening. No one spoke. Arrow could feel everyone’s eyes on him and Flint, but he kept his gaze fixed on Cyrus, who was staring at his phone as if it might explode. The notification chimed as a message was received. If Cyrus watched that video…
“Now, babe, it’s not what you think…” Python started to explain.
“Which one of you took the video?” Cyrus’s voice was dangerously calm.
“Well, technically, I did,” Python said. “But in our defense…”
“Our defense.” Cyrus stood, slipping his phone into his jeans pocket. “You’re implying this was a group effort that you kept me out of.”
“We were trying to help,” Storm offered. “Python said Patterson was harassing you…”
“So you decided to handle it behind my back.” Cyrus looked around the table, taking in each guilty face. “Instead of trusting me to do my job as your handler.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Flint said. “We do trust you, and we all consider you our friend. It’s just…”
“You just what? Thought I was too fragile to handle agency politics? Too incompetent to protect my people?”
“No!” several voices protested at once.
“I thought you had enough shit to deal with,” Python said, standing to face his mate. “The agency’s been calling you constantly, demanding interviews, pushing paperwork. You’ve been stressed, tired, overworked with the workshop as well, and we didn’t want to add to it.”
“So you took Arrow to fight Patterson without telling me.”
“It was a legal challenge,” Arrow said quietly. “I had to defend Flint’s honor. Patterson called him unsuitable and called me weak for choosing him. Surely, you can see…”
Cyrus’s gaze swung to Arrow, and for a moment, he saw the bear beneath the handler’s calm exterior. “And you didn’t think I’d want to know about that?”
“I thought you’d try to stop me.” Arrow met his eyes steadily. “Or worse, try to handle it yourself. This was my fight, Cyrus. Flint is my mate, and it was my choice.”
“Your choice could’ve gotten you killed.”
“But it didn’t.” Flint stood, leaning against Arrow’s shoulder. “He won. He proved Patterson wrong, and now the agency knows Arrow can’t be bullied or controlled, and neither can any of us.”
“By risking his life!”
“By defending his mate,” Python corrected. “Which is exactly what any of us would’ve done. What you would’ve done for me, babe, you know it.”
Cyrus stared at his mate for a long moment. Then he turned and walked toward the sawmill.
“Babe?” Python called. “Babe, where are you going? We haven’t finished dinner yet.”
“I’m going to jack off in the back seat of your Maserati,” Cyrus called over his shoulder, “so that my scent can keep you company, seeing as you’ll be sleeping in the damn thing tonight.”
Python’s face went white. “But babe, you’ll leave stains on the leather. Cyrus, no. Wait, babe, can we talk about this?”
Cyrus disappeared into the sawmill without answering.
“Shit.” Python took off after him. “Cyrus, please. The leather is vintage. Babe!”
The moment they were gone, the entire table erupted in laughter.
“Oh my god,” Pax wheezed, holding his stomach. “Did he just…”
“Weaponized masturbation,” Storm finished, wiping his eyes. “That’s new.”
“That’s Cyrus being pissed,” Devon corrected, grinning. “Python’s going to be groveling for days. We did warn him.”
“It was worth it, though,” Levi said, raising his beer. “Arrow handled Patterson, the agency backed off, and we protected our own.”
“To family,” Calvin added.
“To family,” everyone echoed, clinking bottles.
Arrow’s shoulders relaxed as Flint sat down again, overwhelmed but in an entirely different way.
His new friends had risked Cyrus’s anger - and in Python’s case, the wrath of a bear shifter and a stained Maserati backseat - to support him.
They’d shown up without being asked, backed his play without question, and were now celebrating his victory like it was their own.
Because it was. Somehow, Arrow had found his people, despite himself.
Flint leaned his head against his shoulder. “Welcome to the Alley, babe. Where the drama is constant, the loyalty is absolute, and someone’s always in trouble with their mate.”
“Usually Python,” Wren added helpfully.
“Hey, I resent that. It’s at least forty percent Storm.”
“Thirty percent,” Storm argued. “And that’s generous.”
Arrow watched them bicker, watched Pax steal more pie, and watched as Levi and Calvin started debating the merits of different wood stains for their next furniture project. This is my new normal, he realized. His life. His family.
Our pack, his wolf said contentedly.
“Yeah,” Arrow murmured, pulling Flint closer. “Our pack.”