Chapter 26
“Well,” Finley said, a touch uncertainly. “I guess that explains everything.”
He had to raise his voice to be heard over the commotion filling the dining hall.
In the wake of the director’s special after-dinner address, the whole camp was in an uproar.
The counselors weren’t even attempting to restore order.
Most of them were clustered around senior staff at the far end of the hall, leaving the campers to discuss the news among themselves.
“Yes, we knew all along that Shan wasn’t really a counselor,” Estelle snapped at a couple of kids at the next table.
She turned back to her own group, pointedly ignoring all the agog stares from other campers.
“It’s not fair the grown-ups solved the mystery of the camp ghost so fast. The real one, I mean.
We only found out about it last night, and now there’s nothing left to investigate. ”
Spencer looked somewhat smug. “I told you all there would be a rational explanation.”
“The ghost was a unicorn,” Archie pointed out.
“Unicorns are perfectly rational.” Spencer pushed his reacquired glasses further up his nose. “I wish this Alder-in-Winter had stuck around long enough for me to thank him for rescuing me.”
“I wish Shan wasn’t leaving,” Tiff said sadly. “We didn’t even really get a last day with him, since he was napping all afternoon. I wanted to ask him about his real job. He must have seen tons of ghosts.”
Archie gazed wistfully across the hall at Shan, now surrounded by curious staff and looking somewhat harassed. “Yeah, it was pretty cool having an actual secret agent as our counselor.”
“I’m just glad this farce is over,” said Ignatius. “The sooner he leaves, the better.”
Finley looked at him in surprise. “I thought you liked Shan.”
“Oh, I have no objection to the man himself.” Ignatius retorted. “Just the way the rest of you idiots lost your collective brain cell trying to set him up with Leonie. I’m only amazed he’s still here. In his place, I’d be halfway over the horizon by now.”
“Shan can’t leave,” Beth burst out. She’d barely touched her dinner. “He’s Leonie’s mate.”
Finley sighed. “Beth, we’ve been over this.”
“I don’t know why she didn’t recognize him, but he is,” Beth insisted. “I’m sure of it. Leonie must know that too, deep down.”
“But Leonie said they’re not mates,” Archie said. “And she’s not lying. Is she, Rufus?”
Rufus’s gaze rested on his aunt. He shook his head slowly.
“That’s it, then,” Estelle said, shrugging. She stole the last bite of Finley’s apple pie from his plate. “Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. What are we doing tomorrow?”
“So….” one of the counselors surrounding Shan purred. “Are you really a secret agent?”
“Special agent,” Shan said, distracted. He looked over her head, trying to spot Leonie. “Federal Bureau of Shifter Affairs.”
The young woman twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, giving him what he sincerely hoped was not a coy look. “How fascinating. I’d love to hear all about it. Maybe I could find you later?”
“Oh, but Sandra, you’re on cabin duty tonight,” a different counselor trilled, not so-subtly stepping in front of her colleague. “What a pity. But I’m free this evening, Shan.”
“Join us at our fire tonight,” invited yet another young woman. They seemed to be multiplying. “You don’t have to rush off straight away, do you?”
Perhaps he shouldn’t have worn his gloves and sunglasses. He hadn’t wanted to alarm the campers with his claws or eyes, but right now, he could really do with alarming at least a few of the adults.
He cast another glance around, searching for Leonie. This time, to his relief, he found her.
“Excuse me,” he said to his besiegers. As politely as he could, he extricated his arm from a particularly tenacious blonde. “I need to speak with the head counselor.”
He cut through the crowded hall, pretending not to notice other attempts to get his attention.
Leonie had her back to him, speaking to a skinny, nervous looking young man who seemed vaguely familiar.
Shan recognized him as the person who’d ambushed Leonie during her coffee break, back at the start of summer. It felt like a lifetime ago.
“But you said I only had to coach the kids at sports,” the man was saying as Shan approached. “I don’t know how to lead a pack!”
“It’ll be fine, Don,” said patiently. “I’ll be with you the whole time. I’ll manage everything. And I won’t put you on the cabin duty rota. You can still have the evenings off.”
“Well…as long as I don’t have to work any extra hours,” Don started, and then saw Shan.
Leonie gave him an aggrieved look. “Shan, you really need to stop looming at poor Don. That’s the second time you’ve scared him off.”
He would have apologized, if he had been sorry. Instead, he frowned after the fleeing man. “You’re choosing him as your new co-counselor?”
“He’s the obvious pick,” Leonie said absently, making a note on her clipboard. “He’s not already assigned to a pack, and he needs help learning how we do things here. It’ll be good for him.”
“But not for you.”
“Oh, I’m used to babysitting the newbies.” She flashed him a quick smile, cheek dimpling. “Though sometimes my partner turns out to need a lot less support than I expected.”
He swallowed the fragrant sweetness. “I am glad I was not a burden.”
“I’m going to miss having you around,” she said softly. She cleared her throat, adopting a brisker tone. “And the kids are going to miss you, too. Are you ready to say goodbye to them?”
“I…thought I might stay a little longer.” It was only delaying the inevitable, but he couldn’t yet face that final moment of separation. He added, truthfully, “I prefer to fly at night. And I would like to spend a final evening with the children.”
“They’ll like that, too.” Tucking her clipboard under her arm, Leonie held out her hand. “I’ve got a lot to do. Just in case I don’t manage to catch you before you leave… it’s been a pleasure, Shan.”
Shan hesitated, battling temptation. But…why not? He could allow himself this one small indulgence.
Rather than reaching out, he removed his right glove. Carefully keeping his claws retracted, he took her hand.
Leonie didn’t flinch. She squeezed his hand, her fingers sinking into his fur. Stepping forward, she pulled him into a quick, hard hug.
“Take care of yourself, Shan,” she whispered against his chest. “And I hope it all works out.”
He wasn’t sure if he hoped the kids would make one last-ditch attempt to force him to stay, or feared it. In any event, they didn’t. Apart from a few wistful comments from Beth, none of them even mentioned Leonie. In their minds, it seemed, the matter was settled.
It was good to see the campers at ease, only concerned with their own interests.
He watched them run about in the twilight, playing some complicated game with kids from other packs.
Spencer had been hesitant about joining in at first, but he was soon running and dodging along with the rest. None of the other campers cared that he could have paralyzed any of them with a glance.
Here, he could be just another kid, laughing with his friends.
Spencer would be all right. They all would be.
Including Leonie.
Lie, his monster said. It paced in his mind, back and forth, ears flattened in distress. Wrong, wrong. She should have known us.
But she hadn’t. She’d looked straight into his eyes, and not recognized him as her mate.
Perhaps that was for the best.
Wrong, his monster insisted. We are hers. How could she not know it? Something is wrong.
Maybe it was him.
Mates were supposed to be perfect for each other, and he’d known right from the start that he could not be right for her. Did Leonie’s animal agree? Had it looked into his soul and found him wanting?
No. Not a snarl of denial, but the whimper of a hurt cub, lost and alone. No.
Yes. It was the only explanation. And it was a kindness, really. He could leave, and she would not miss him. Her lioness was protecting her. He was grateful.
Leonie deserved better than to be bound to a monster.
A light touch on his shoulder dragged him out of his rumination. Rufus stared at him in solemn silence for a moment, then gestured at his sunglasses.
The boy’s request was clear, if not his purpose. Somewhat confused, he took off his sunglasses, blinking.
Rufus looked him right in the eye.
*Shan,* Rufus said in his head. *You need to ask Leonie about her sister.*