8. Caius #3
“Busier than expected.” I keep my voice level, ignoring the knowing glint in his eye. “Three attackers. Coordinated ambush. They knew she’d eventually come out.”
“Preservers?”
“Almost certainly.” Anouk has pulled herself back together with impressive speed. To look at her now, you’d never know she was sparking with unstable magic twenty minutes ago. “They were monitoring. Professional, prepared, and very focused on not killing me.”
“They wanted information.” Torin crouches beside the nearest attacker, checking the binding spell Anouk applied after the fight. “About the investigation?”
“Likely. Or they wanted to take me somewhere for extended questioning.”
“Neither of which we’re going to allow.” The growl in my voice surprises me. Torin’s eyebrow rises another fraction.
“Clearly.” His tone is mild, but I catch the hint of amusement underneath.
“We’ll take them to the holding cells. Extract what information we can.
” He straightens, meeting my gaze with the understanding of someone who’s known me for decades.
“Perhaps you should escort the coven leader home. Make sure there are no additional threats along the way.”
“I don’t need an escort—” Anouk begins.
“Precaution.” Torin’s voice carries the particular authority of a second-in-command who knows exactly how to handle stubborn alphas. “Given the circumstances.”
The circumstances being that someone just tried to kidnap her in broad daylight. The circumstances also being that I’m not letting her out of my sight until I’m certain she’s safe.
Anouk reads my expression and sighs. “Fine. An escort. To my apothecary, not my apartment.”
“Of course.” I gesture for her to lead the way, falling into step beside her as we leave Torin to manage the aftermath. “Wouldn’t want anything improper.”
The return to the apothecary takes ten minutes. Companionable rather than careful. Aware rather than avoidant.
Her shoulder brushes mine as we navigate a narrow street. Neither of us moves away.
“You should get a shirt.” She says it without looking at me, her gaze fixed ahead. “People will talk.”
“People already talk. About us. Constantly.” I catch the faint flush that climbs her cheeks.
“Elio keeps me informed. Against my will and despite my explicit requests otherwise.” The panther alpha has made it his personal mission to document every interaction between me and Anouk. “For ‘historical purposes,’” he claims. “I suspect blackmail.”
Her laugh is soft, barely there, but it sends warmth spreading through my chest. She stops walking. Turns to face me, her expression caught between exasperation and a warmth she’s trying very hard to suppress. “Caius.”
“Anouk.” I match her tone exactly.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“I am.” No point denying it.
She makes a sound that might be a growl—impressive, for someone without wolf blood—and resumes walking with the dignity of someone pretending the last thirty seconds didn’t happen.
I follow, grinning like an idiot for the first time in longer than I can remember.
The apothecary comes into view around the next corner, its familiar stone-and-timber facade looking peaceful in the early morning light.
“I’ll increase patrols in this area.” I stop at the door as she works the ward key. “The Network will keep watch.”
“That’s not necessary—”
“It’s happening regardless of necessity.” I catch her hand before she can turn the knob, holding it just long enough to ensure she’s looking at me. “They know where you live. They know your routines. Until we find out how deep this goes, you’re not going anywhere without protection.”
“I can protect myself.”
“You proved that this morning.” I release her hand. “But you don’t have to. Not anymore.”
She stares at me for a long moment. The morning light catches the silver streaks in her hair, the sharp angles of her face, the dark eyes that have haunted me for a decade.
Then she nods. Once. Barely perceptible.
“I’ll see you tonight.” It’s not a question. “We have journals to review. Conspiracies to unravel. A murderer to catch.”
“Tonight.” I step back, giving her space to enter. “Try to get some sleep before then. You look exhausted.”
“Charming.” But her lips twitch. “You should take your own advice. You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
“I haven’t.” The admission comes out easier than it should. “Couldn’t settle. Restless.”
Understanding flickers in her expression. She doesn’t comment on it—doesn’t make me explain what we both already know.
“Tonight.” She opens the door, pausing on the threshold to look back at me. “And Caius? Get a shirt. The shirtless alpha look is very distracting, and I have work to do.”
She’s inside before I can respond, the door closing firmly between us.
I stand on her doorstep for a moment longer, watching the sun climb higher over The Hollow’s rooftops. The wolf is quiet now—not settled, exactly, but calmer than he’s been in months. We got to protect her. We got to hold her hand. We got to see her smile at us, real and unguarded and just for us.
It’s enough. For now.
I turn and head back toward pack territory, already planning tonight’s “professional consultation.”