Page 11 of Heron's Flame

Outside The Roost, multiple crows cawed. One belted out a strained kraa.

My actions disturbed me, but not as much as Rebel’s reaction. Something wasn’t right. I had to fix this, but I couldn’t do that until I figured out what the fuck had spooked her.

That tingling sensation returned, and I knew she’d been harmed, possibly abused. Sudden rage flashed through my body. I’d find the motherfucker who did it, and he’d be sorry.

“Heron.” Crow ticked his chin toward his office. “We need to talk.”

Well, shit. I wasn’t going to get anything resolved right now. “Rebel.”

Her blue eyes seemed dull, less vibrant than usual. “I’m fine, Heron.” She didn’t remove my shirt but walked to the table where Bella sat, drinking tea with Bree and Crow’s sister, Gail.

I didn’t believe for a fucking second that she was okay. I overreacted, but to become afraid of me didn’t make sense.

“Heron,” Crow repeated.

I didn’t have a choice but to obey my president. “Comin’.”

If I could have gone straight to Rebel instead, I would have done it in less than a heartbeat.

Crow shut the door behind me as we entered his office, leaning against his desk instead of sitting behind it. “Is Rebel your mate?”

I frowned. “Mate?”

“You know what I’m asking. Your crow is agitated. He won’t stop squawking, and it’s riling up the others. Haven’t you noticed?”

“I suppose so.” I scrubbed a hand down my face and over the stubble on my jaw. Sometimes, I shaved it off, but I was letting my beard grow again. “The whole mate thing is confusing.” Even after a year, aspects of the crow bond still eluded me.

“You’re possessive, overprotective, and I’m bettin’ it wouldn’t take much to make you jealous. Am I right?”

I blew out a breath and decided to be honest. Lying to him wasn’t an option, and I didn’t want to do it anyhow. “Yeah. There’s something about her. It draws me in. I can’t seem to stop thinking about Rebel.” Or dreaming about her.

“And?”

“I’m on edge.”

He nodded. “That’s how I felt with Bella, Raven with Bree, Hawk with Callie, and Talon with my sister. When the crow chooses a mate, that’s it.”

I figured that part out already. “But what if she doesn’t want me?” Fuck. The thought of it made me physically ill. And then I remembered when I promised myself I wouldn’t touch her without permission, and I did it anyway. That just made me feel worse.

“You’ll have to work through whatever is going on between you. Rebel has a past, and it’s not my place to expose her secrets. Or yours, either. You need to talk to her.”

“That’s what I’m plannin’ to do,” I admitted.

“In the meantime, you gotta chill on the crazy, Heron. We’re almost like wolves who scent their mate. It’s not that different. Shifter males have a need to dominate and protect their females. Species don’t matter. It’s the instinct that drives us. The urge to mate.”

“I understand, Pres.” I cracked my neck, still feeling anxious. “That’s not what’s getting to me. It’s the fear I’ve felt from her on several occasions. Her emotions bring out a feral side I find hard to contain.”

He seemed surprised. “You feel her emotions?”

“Yes. As deeply as my own.”

“Damn, Heron. That’s new. I don’t think the rest of us have had that ability. It makes sense why you’re struggling. You’ve got to wrestle with both at the same time.”

“It’s overwhelming.”

He stroked his beard and nodded. “I wonder if that variation comes from your bloodline.”

Crow was still digging for answers about my past and biological parents.

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