Page 68 of Bitter Discord

“A good number of things I would never dare trouble my children with,” she said, the smile not fading. “I love you too much to trouble you with it. It’s not a parent’s place to put their burdens on their children’s shoulders. Anything else you would like to ask? I’m certain you should get some sleep now, but I want to make sure you’ve talked yourself out. If there’s anything, just ask.”

There were a thousand things I wanted to ask tonight, a list that could fill conversations for days, weeks, even years. How she felt about Heath and me was at the top of the list. If she knew what Hasan said to me in April after I stopped Dallas from being overrun by witches in control of a werewolf pack. There were a lot of things I should ask eventually as well, but I yawned, shaking my head.

“Not tonight,” I said, my exhaustion finally catching up with me. “Thank you for helping me. I should turn in for a nap, so I’m… coherent tomorrow.”

“They’ll think you’re mad whether or not you sleep, but please take care of yourself,” she said, reaching out. I figured she was touching the screen as something sad passed over her face. “And I’ll answer the question you refuse to ask. You know the one, though you’ve done very well not to speak his name this entire conversation. I don’t know yet. I’m not used to not knowing, but I don’t this time. I’m sorry it’s not a conclusive answer.”

“It’s better than most of the responses I’ve gotten,” I said, chuckling at the insanity of her statement. Of all the people, the immensely enigmatic Subira didn’t know how she felt about Heath Everson and me. I couldn’t help but smile. “I think it’s the most humanizing thing I’ve heard from you. Feelings are hard, and sometimes, we can’t untangle them for a long time. You’ve never met him. It’s totally… normal to have trouble forming an opinion. Happens to the best of us.” I shrugged one shoulder and saw Subira’s sadness wash away into a smile.

“I do love it when my children turn lessons around on me. Good night, Jacky. Get some sleep. Oh, one more thing. Tell Zuri I still haven’t cracked the issue of magic being held from our scents. If she can’t feel any, then it might not be in use at all. She’s powerful enough to feel even the slightest of shifts in the natural forces if she’s paying attention. Talents don’t disrupt those the way a spell does.”

“Making a Talent more likely,” I said softly. I yawned again. It was really time for me to sleep. “Thank you.”

“No reason to thank me. Love you, my bold girl. Good night.”

I mumbled a goodbye as well, the word love buried somewhere in it. I wondered a little if Subira could do spells across the world because by the time I reached the top of the stairs, my eyes were barely open. I couldn’t even focus on the werewolves bounding around the outside of my territory.

I’ll ask Zuri when I get up.

I fell onto my bed face first and was out like a light.

25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Iwas up less than four hours later, knowing dawn was coming soon. Heath was already moving around. So was most of the pack.

Showering quickly, I let a bit of cold water force me awake, then threw on something comfortable for the day ahead of me. I texted Zuri, telling her I had a plan, as I jogged downstairs to find Heath in my office doorway, holding my memo pad in one hand and a plate of breakfast things in the other. I could see eggs, bacon, and ham and smell the hash browns buried in there. My mouth watered.

“What do you think?” I asked, taking the plate from him as I went into my office.

“That was my breakfast,” he grumbled softly, following me.

“And that’s my notepad. I thought we were trading.”

Sighing, he put my notes down and walked back out. I wondered if he’d gotten enough sleep because it seemed I was more awake than he was, and I had gone to bed after he did. I didn’t know what time he woke up, but he seemed in a mood.

I yawned as I sat down, knowing my burst of morning energy wouldn’t last long enough with nothing to help.

When he came back into the office, he had two cups of coffee, and Dirk was following him with two more plates of food.

“Carey is still asleep,” Heath said softly, sitting across from me. Dirk put down Heath’s plate, nodded toward me, dark circles under his eyes, then walked out. “So, I won’t make this an argument. I don’t like your plan, but if you can get everyone on board, the pack will play its part to perfection.”

“What don’t you like?” I asked, taking my coffee.

“I’m ashamed to admit it, but trusting the BSA or the other werecats with Arlo’s life… It’ll be difficult, but I’ll do it and make sure the pack understands how important it is that this goes off without a hitch. The only problem I have is trusting them. I want to be in the room when you tell the werecats and the BSA about this, so I can gauge their reactions and make the call for the pack. If this was Landon, Teagan, or any of the adult wolves, even Ranger or Dirk, it would be easier, but we’re talking about a boy, and his life is precious. More precious than any of our jaded souls.”

“I understand that. That’s why I want to do this. The faster we catch whoever might have him or just get him back… the sooner this ends, the less damage he could take. It’s risky. I know I’m asking for a lot, but… do we have any other plans except telling the BSA to put out his picture and hope we get a tip?”

“Once his picture is out there, there’s no taking it back,” Heath said, staring at his food. “This will keep his identity safe from the general public. Make sure people at school don’t know what’s happened. Keep his face from the werecats here or any potential humans who would try something to hurt him.”

My office door opened once again, and Landon walked in, Dirk behind him. Each carried a plate and a chair. I raised an eyebrow as they sat down.

“It’ll also keep the killer from killing him because the attention would get too hot,” Landon added. “I was going to bring that up this morning as a last-ditch effort, so we wouldn’t have to reveal Arlo’s picture, but you two seem to have worked out something.”

“Jacky did,” Heath murmured. “Only she would think to ask a rogue werewolf pack, a group of hostile werecats, and the BSA to work together to catch a killer and save a werewolf teenager. I would never ask either of those groups to help, not to the extent she is.”

I quickly explained my plan to the pair and watched their curious expressions turn to a mix of horror and surprise.

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