“Have we asked him?” I slapped my forehead. “Cannon, why didn’t we ask him?”
“Okay, fine, I get it, stupid question.”
“We asked him,” Cannon told him, shooting me a look of reprimand, and I stuck my tongue out at him. “He deemed it wasn’t pertinent to answer yet.”
Royce was once more looking between us with confusion. “That means what?”
“We don’t know.” I got off the couch, wandering over to the window where the alpha just happened to be standing. Cannon pulled me into his side, and I felt content once more.
“Do you ever not touch each other?” Royce asked us.
“You make it sound sordid,” I admonished him, sharing a smile with Cannon.
“Do you even know you’re doing it?”
“If you don’t want to look at us, don’t keep coming into the house.”
“Kezia.” Cannon nudged my hip, and I glowered at him. He ignored me as he spoke to his beta. “It’s still new for us,” he reminded him. “I am sure in time, we will be like any other married couple. Until then, I’m not going to not touch my mate in case it makes people uncomfortable.”
Royce flushed and, for once, looked put out. “You know I don’t mean it like that,” he spoke to Cannon directly. “But you plan to lead us into a pack war. Your pack is ready, and you haven’t been exactly…present.”
I felt Cannon bristling behind me, but before I could come to his defense, he spoke first. “You’re right. I need to be seen.” Turning me to face him, Cannon kissed the tip of my nose. “Do you want to come check the pack with me? Or stay here with…it?” We both looked over at the rabbit, which was still watching us.
“Don’t leave me alone with it.”
“Agreed.”
And that was how the three of us went on pack patrol. Cannon told me not to call it pack patrol, but since I had coined the phrase, it was firmly implanted in my head.
We met Kris deep in conversation with Ned, and I loved how easily my brother fit into this pack. I didn’t love the fact that Cass still hadn’t told him she was pregnant. A fact I decided I was going to rectify right then.
“I need to go back to the house.”
Cannon’s look of surprise faded when he saw me looking at my brother. “Kezia…”
“It happens today.” My voice was firm, and he gave a slight dip of his head in agreement.
“Kris, I need you.”
My brother’s head snapped up, and he looked at me with concern. “Why? What’s happened? Are you hurt?”
Luna, I loved this man. Why had I been such a brat to him when I was younger? “No, I’m fine. I just need you to come with me.”
“But—”
“Just humor me, okay?”
Kris mumbled his goodbyes, but like a good brother, he followed me as I made my way to the house.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“I’ve never been better,” I told him truthfully. “You?”
“I could be better,” he said with a tired sigh. “I feel guilty for wanting more. I have my mate, my sister is happy, and we all have our health, but…”
“But we’re still going to fight a pack war and overthrow a Pack Council?”
Kris chuckled as we walked. “Yeah. That.”