Page 188 of Knot Happening Again

And somehow, they keep figuring out what our next moves are.

"Well," Leon chuckles, his voice rumbling through his chest, "I could get used to this kind of reception."

I pull back, suddenly aware of what I've done. Heat rises to my cheeks as I step away, but Leon's hand lingers on my waist, his touch warm through the fabric of my dress.

The others crowd around us, their voices overlapping as they pepper Leon with questions.

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"Did anyone follow you?"

Leon holds up his hands, a wry smile on his face. "One at a time, guys. I'm fine. No one followed me."

"What did you do?" Rhys asks, his voice tight with concern.

Leon runs a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "I gave them a bit of a show," he admits. "Nothing I'll get in trouble for—well, no more trouble than I'm already in, at least."

I frown, worry creeping back in. "What kind of show?"

He shrugs, but I can see the mischief dancing in his eyes. "Oh, you know. A few choice words, maybe a rude gesture or two. Then I pretended to go back to my old apartment—the one I was using when I was living separately from the pack."

"And then what?" Troy prompts, leaning forward.

"I waited it out," Leon says. "Gave them time to get bored and leave. Once the coast was clear, I took my motorcycle and came home."

"You have a motorcycle?" The question slips out before I can stop it.

Leon grins, and for a moment, I see a flash of the cocky alpha I remember from our youth. "I do indeed. Among other hidden talents."

"Yeah," Troy snorts, "not getting laid for seven years will do that to a guy."

Leon flips him off, but there's no real heat behind it. The tension in the room dissipates, replaced by relieved laughter.

"You could have called," Rhys mutters.

Leon shakes his head. "About that… I think I need a new phone. We all do."

"What?" Mace asks, frowning. "Why?"

"No matter how careful we are, no matter how last-minute the plans we make, those assholes still keep finding out where we'll be," Leon says, his voice harsh with frustration. "We haveto start thinking about the possibility that they've got one of us bugged, as paranoid as it sounds."

"It does sound pretty paranoid," Troy mutters.

"Do you have any better ideas, smartass?" Maddox asks. "

Troy shrugs. "Maybe we've got a mole."

"A mole?" Rhys echoes doubtfully. "Within the pack?"

"No," Troy says. "Of course not."

"None of our families would do that," Mace insists, pausing. "Although Troy's nana is a little shady."

"Oh, fuck off," Troy grumbles in response to Mace's joke.

The bigger alpha chuckles, but grows somber. "Leon is right. We're going to have to start taking precautions. New phones is the bare minimum."

---