Chapter 20 #3
Jay’s expression goes flat in that way Grayson knows means danger. “You keep saying ‘we.’ You? The Truthseeker? There are others?”
“Hmm. I work with people who have the authority to do something about people like Dahlia Kirwan,” Knox says, and there’s the first hint of steel under his usual smoothness. “Officially…if that’s what you’re asking.”
Luca makes an offended noise. “So, this whole thing was in the bag from the start? You let us panic for fun? Gray was bait?”
“No,” Knox says, looking genuinely sorry. “We had to let this play out because if Kirwan had known what protections were already in place, she would have changed tactics. And because we did not know who around her was compromised.”
“Not nice. Not at all,” Luca grouses from Rowan’s lap.
“I know, and we’re sorry. We couldn’t put our people at risk either.”
“Like that Truthseeker? She’s just a kid,” Leo says, echoing what everyone had been thinking.
“Don’t worry about Verity. We’ve got her covered in an official capacity.” Knox doesn’t elaborate, but the guy in the designer suit comes to mind.
Jay stands taller, eyebrows lowered over dark eyes. “Let’s assume we believe you—that Gray isn’t in danger and that you ‘have it covered,’ what is it you want from us?”
“Two things.” Knox lifts two fingers. “Discretion, and to go on about your lives like this was never a big deal.”
Rowan bristles instantly. “Not a big deal?”
He’s not alone in his surprise. They’re all remembering that the suitcases are still packed at home.
“Yes.” Knox doesn’t back off. “It’s important that you get on with your regular programming. Not because you aren’t…special, Grayson. It’s that visibility gets people hurt.”
Rowan growls. “You’re saying he doesn’t need to be this ‘One’ guy they’re looking for to be a powerful tool in whatever shit they’re toil and trouble-ing over?”
The Macbeth reference isn’t lost on Knox, and he gives a huff of laughter before he continues. “Right. You have already done the part that only you could do. Kirwan is off the board. That’s more than enough.”
Nix leans forward, eyes sharp. “And now?”
“As I said, don’t ask too many questions. Live your lives as if none of this happened—” Gideon snorts, finally standing straight. He’s already shaking his head.
“Okay, maybe that’s too much to ask, but the more you go poking around here, Mr. Carnell,” Knox says meaningfully. “The more likely it is that they’ll turn their eye on your pack again. Don’t remind them Grayson exists. You don’t want to give them a reason to look closer at him or Skye, or Rose.”
Something hot and savage surges through Grayson, and the bond lights up with Nix in the same instant. Nix is on his feet, fangs down, and eyes flashing blue. “Let them come.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said it like that, but it’s still true.” Sighing, he adds, “Please don’t give them more cause to remember you. You’re free from this, and we’d like for you to enjoy it. Let the experts handle this.”
He’s no longer asking—he’s telling.
Gideon studies him for a long beat. “And if they come for him again?”
Knox shrugs. “Then we will deal with it.” He lets the words settle, and a breeze whispers through the long fronds shielding them all from prying eyes inside the building.
Now that Grayson knows that whatever happened with Kirwan is on the radar of people who can actually do something about it, he finds his wolf is, if not happy, exactly…then cautiously happy to let them do it.
“Gideon?” Jay asks. It never ceases to amaze him that Jay will publicly defer to his second-in-command over something as delicate as pack security.
“If they think it’s safer this way, for Skye and Rosie especially, then…okay.” It’s not a resounding agreement, and he’s not actually committed to keeping his fingers out of it, but it’s good enough for Jay, and thus it’s good enough for the rest of the pack.
Wisely, Knox realizes that it will have to be good enough for him, too.
“Good. I’ve got a few loose ends to tie up—” His phone rings in his hand, and he checks the caller ID with a curse. “Dammit, I need to check in.” He offers his hand to Jay and then to Gideon, before smiling at Nix.
He walks away but turns around at the last minute, seeming to hover above the ground. “See you tomorrow in class, Grayson. Don’t forget those fifteen minutes.” With a last wave, they watch him disappear into the Admin offices.
“That’s it?” Leo asks. “Are we just going to let this go?”
“We leave it to the experts,” Jay says. He hauls a still-frowning Leo up from the table. “Let’s go home. Don’t we have a Moon Dedication to plan?”
It’s enough to get Leo’s mind onto something else, but Grayson isn’t foolish enough to think his Alpha and Gideon are done with the Guild’s machinations despite Jay’s faux cheer.
Kirwan may be gone (he’s not thinking about to where right now), and a looming trip to the Aeternum Academy is off the table, but there’s still Percival and even Bixby to deal with.
For now, however, Grayson will leave it up to Knox and his secret society to worry about the pale man, and as Verity had said, he’s going to “take the win, dude.”