Page 7 of Fated Guardian

“Nolan?” Thorne says, looking over at me with eyebrows that are so far up on his head, they’re pushing at his hairline.

“Yeah. Uh. She… she seems pretty solitary.”

“She’s solitary, but she definitely prefers it that way. I’m happy to oblige, since I don’t want to stir up even more trouble.”

Spying on her makes you that much more of a dick, Nolan.

“Are there specific threats you were worried about, Alpha?” It’s a shit way for me to ask if I should be looking for something specific to keep her safe, but…

The rage that’s simmering inside me is absolutely not going to be contained. I need to do something with it. And beating the shit out of the shifters who did this to her is absolutely something that would satisfy this anger.

“Not particularly. Well. I’m not sure,” Thorne says, glancing at his computer. “I’m hearing some rumblings that make me apprehensive, but nothing concrete yet.”

Great.

I lean back in the chair.

Thorne opens his computer. “I know that I’m keeping you busy with this.”

“You are,” I say. It’s the truth, even if I’m fine with it.

“Well. I’d like to have your continued support with this, but if you need to tap out?—”

“No,” I cut him off.

Thorne raises his eyebrow again.

“No. I mean. I’m fine with it. If Coral’s still at risk and you think that there’s reason to believe she needs the additional protection, I can do it.”

“Are you sure? Evander can definitely assign more of his crew to head out there…”

“I’m happy to. I can definitely do it,” I say again. It’s something that he should be used to me saying. I say it all the time. Everyone knows that Nolan is always up to help the pack out.

Still, Thorne hesitates a minute before he nods. “Good. I’d like to ask her to set some protections around the pack lands as well.”

I freeze.

Seemingly oblivious, he continues. “One of her specialties is creating boundaries, so I’d like to use that to see if there’s anything going on at the edges of our land that I should know about. I’m not certain, but I have a hunch that someone has been trespassing, and not in a particularly harmless way.”

“I see,” I say, trying to remain natural. Something inside me balks at the idea of Coral having to earn her keep. She’s been through enough, if what he’s telling me is right. She should be allowed to just exist in her happy meadow without…

“When you’re up there tomorrow, can you give her this?” Thorne reaches for an envelope and hands it to me.

I frown. “Yes.”

“Good. Thank you. I appreciate your dedication to the pack, as always. “

As always.

I stand, going to leave, when he stops me. “Nolan.”

“Yeah?” I turn to look back at my alpha.

“Be nice when you talk to her. She won’t bite.”

I laugh. It’s a little too loud.

Thorne crosses his arms and looks at me, a smirk playing across his lips.

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