Page 171 of The Satyr's Guilt
Denim said, “I was thinking of a baseballteam. Nine. Maybe a football team. Eleven.”
“What?” Ram’s throat bobbled while the tablelaughed.
“Okay. One or two. Right, Jonquil?”
“I’ll be a terrific older sister.”
The chit-chat resumed. Bowls of food made asecond pass.
With everyone occupied, Denim leaned back inthe familiar slatted chair and crossed her arms. Jonquil chattedwith a younger boy to her left, laughing as he told a knock-knockjoke. Ram tilted his head with interest toward a woman whoexplained how she had come to Safe Haven.
That’s when it hit Denim. She had a family.No longer an outsider, she had Jonquil and Ram. And she was so damnproud.
When the satyr glanced her way, his browsarched. She shrugged, mouthedI love you, and asked thewoman across from her to pass the potatoes.
****
Tyr jacked his boots onto thecommander’s desk while Thorn sat beside him in the hotter-than-hellseat, the subject of Kole’s wrath. The warlock slouched back,flicking imagined lint from his shirt.
Next to the door is a good place to sit. Afast exit for when things go from shit to holy shit for my wolfshifter freron.
“What the fuck did you think you weredoing?” A zing of fire followed Kole’s loud question.
Defiant, Thorn glared.
“I’m waiting.” The commander laced hisfingers, probably waiting for them to cool.
“Luka’s my brother. It’s my pack. I didn’thave a choice.”
“Son, choices abound in this world. Problemis you made a shitty one.”
Thorn shrugged.
“How much did you tell him?” asked Kole.
“I didn’t really tell him anything. I askedquestions.”
“Like what? Don’t make me pull this out ofyour ass.” The commander stood to pace the room.
Not a good sign.Up. Back.
“I asked Luka whether the pack was involvedwith drugs. When he turned furry on me, I shifted to demo who wasthe better brother. Once I subdued him, my teeth in his neck, hereturned to his skin. I told him he was without honor. Our parentswould not be proud. I left.”
Tyr folded his arms across his chest andcoughed aharrumph.“Here’s the thing.” He twisted his bodyto stare at hisfreron. “By the time Dax and I got to Karth,the whole pack had moved out. Whereabouts unknown. We would havebeen to North Shelters sooner, but we were caught in a situationwith a female. We didn’t get on the road again until after Ram’srescue. You fucked up our job, buddy.”
“He’s my brother.”
“So ya said. I told you about Karth becauseI trusted you. It was a heads-up, not a call to shout out a warningwhich gave them time to run.” Tyr’s boots thudded on the floor ashe swung them off the desk.
“It was not my intent.”
Tyr shrugged. “Yeah. Well, best laid plansand the shit which goes with them.”
Thorn shot out of his seat and blockedKole’s back and forth.
Not a wise move.
“Plant your ass back in the chair, shifter.I’m not done with you.”
