Moon Child (The Year of the Wolf #2) - Serena Akeroyd Page 0,71
his illogical answer. “There’s no way you’d be able to miss two of them running around your territory.”
“I figured they were on a wild goose chase—”
“And speaking of geese, you weren’t about to bite the goose who lays the golden goddamn egg. So you knew they were there on a false errand, but took their cash anyway.”
Kinsdale’s amusement had long since died a death. “Like I said, we’re not all highfalutin Highbanks.”
Austin smirked at him. “No, we sure ain’t.” He cut the call before I had a chance to do so, and I growled at him.
“I swear you were born to try my patience.”
“Like you weren’t born for the exact same reason, Ethan. We came out of the womb kicking and screaming one another, I figure we’ll go out the same way too.”
“I’d look forward to it, if it weren’t for Sabina,” I muttered grumpily. “Do you always have to be so antagonistic?”
“Do you really think he’d have answered your questions if you hadn’t bypassed the bullshit? There’s a reason I’m the people person, Ethan. Remember? You go and do your Data shit and read, and leave me to deal with folks with pulses.”
I shoved him in the side as he made to stand from his leaning position against the desk, and when he twisted around to glower at me, I snapped, “You pissed him off when we could have asked him more questions.”
“Questions he can’t answer.”
“You know that, how?”
“Because he was uncomfortable. He liked that we owed him a favor for his help in bringing Lara home, and now we know that, essentially, he did diddly squat to protect a female from hyenas who were on the hunt for her—which never bodes well, does it? Vindictive bastards that they are—that favor is null and void.”
“Eli doesn’t work that way,” I muttered, uncaring that I was being mulish.
Austin didn’t take enough care sometimes, and things were different now.
We were no longer just rogue enforcers doing what needed to be done. We had a position in the pack, and we had a mate and a child. We couldn’t just dick around anymore.
And when I said ‘we,’ I meant he.
I pushed away from Eli’s desk, something I’d taken to using now he preferred working upstairs in our room as the pack had more access to him. This room promised me no distractions, because the pack still distrusted Austin and I. Like everything at the moment, it was a work in progress.
Sighing at the thought, I got to my feet.
“Why would the hyenas be looking for Lara?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, pausing on my way to the door. “She doesn’t seem the type to get involved with money lenders.”
“Everyone needs a loan from time to time,” he said softly. “Maybe things got tight—”
“Maybe. We need to talk with her.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I don’t like that the hyenas were there for her and the male still went ape on her.”
“That’s because they have no self-control.”
“Like we would if anything happened to Sabina,” I snapped.
“We’re sensible. We die after our mates pass. We’re not left to linger on in misery,” he retorted. “That’s what happens when you choose your partner and the Mother doesn’t.”
“Merinda lingered on in misery,” I said softly, catching his eye and watching as he immediately ducked his head. “Not just after our father died, but after Eli’s did too.”
“Probably being punished,” he muttered.
“For what? Being a shit parent? I don’t think that’s how the Mother works.” His obstinacy had me gritting my teeth. “So many things have been going on of late. Everything from Lara arriving, to finding out Berry is Merinda reincarnate, what with Seth and that weird power transference and then Choi turning up?” I shook my head. “Barely a minute to think about what’s actually happening.”
“Ever since Sabina showed up, it’s been like that. I figure we just need to adjust to the change of pace.”
“Merinda’s been protecting Sabina since she came to this realm,” I murmured, and even though it astonished me to be defending my biological mother of all people, there was no hiding from that particular truth.
“What’s going on?” Austin asked warily. “Why are you talking like this?”
“I’m not talking any which way. Just saying…she endured a lot for a reason.” I hunched my shoulders as I dug my hands into my pockets. “Seeing as you’re the people person, you can go and talk with Lara, see if she knows why hyenas might be looking for her.”