I let out a shaky breath. He didn’t plan to bring up last night. At least not right now.
Why was I so relieved about that? Why was I so nervous?
“That all sounds great, but don’t we lack the power to make a statement?” I asked.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I wondered… What would you say to pushing that meeting out a month so I can bring in some temporary help to fill my ranks? I’ll have the people on the ground even if you don’t have everyone you need in the air yet. When we’ve made our point, we can disband them.”
“Do they have that? Shifter temps?”
He swallowed, his eyes creasing at the corners. I finally opened the link, feeling the discomfort pouring from him. “I was thinking about calling in a favor to my brother.”
Ten
The words tasted sour on Austin’s tongue, but he couldn’t see any other way to make this work. Even to get this mage as an ally, they’d need a show of power. They’d need to show they were someone worth knowing.
But if things went wrong and Austin didn’t squish that threat immediately, it would be open season. Shifters from all over would think him weak, coming to test him, to invade his territory—more so than the normal startup growing pains. Much more so.
That wasn’t the biggest concern, though. If Jess showed off her power—and she would as soon as she did a spell—that mage would know what a powerhouse she was. He’d soon also realize how inexperienced she was. How magically naïve. How great she’d be to train up and force into a position on his staff.
It ultimately didn’t matter which way the meeting went. Austin needed experience and power on his side. He needed a steady, reliable, strong defense. He needed to guard Jess in case the worst happened, and with mages, there was usually a high probability of that.
“Would he be okay letting you pull rank?” Jess asked, her deep hazel eyes full of concern.
He wanted to run his thumb across her chin, then her lips. Given she wasn’t his mate, and his pack was standing behind him, he did neither.
“I can’t say for sure, but I’d bet a million dollars that he would. He isn’t like me. He doesn’t push for dominance without meaning to. He’s logical and balanced. And helpful. He never turns his back on someone in need.”
“Then yes, if you think it’ll work.”
He very nearly reached forward to grab her hand.
“Fingers through your hair?” she asked with a devilish grin.
He barely stopped himself from smiling. “You’re not great at guessing my reactions. What’s the schedule for your training? With the weird mage?”
“Oh.” The word rode a release of breath. “I want to spend some time with my shell-shocked son, who met you for only a couple minutes and thinks the sun shines out of your butt. I hoped to show him the town, or maybe take him to see the basajaun.”
A shock of fear coursed through him. He played it cool, though he couldn’t hide the growl. “Why don’t you wait until I can go with you for the basajaun? The basajaun can be unpredictable with strangers, and you don’t know enough magic to both combat him and protect your son at the same time. Just in case, I’d like to be there.”
She shrugged with one shoulder. “It’s pretty far anyway, not to mention we’d have to fly, and I’m not so sure he’s ready to be carried by a gargoyle yet. He is quickly coming around to magic, but that might be pushing it. So maybe we’ll do the town today and hit that tomorrow or the next day?”
He fell into that open gaze. She was so easy to work with. She wasn’t stubborn when someone suggested a change in plan, but would push for all she was worth if she knew her plan was better. He respected that. He respected her.
Which was why he’d unwittingly grown close to her over the past half-year. She’d slipped under his defenses and wound herself through his very person, touching heart and soul. He’d tried to put distance between them to cool things off, but the damage had been done, something that had become incredibly apparent last night when he’d lost himself to blind rage. Hearing that clown speak about her like that…
Rage kindled down deep, barely controlled, threatening to rise.
Mine.
“You okay?” she asked.
She’d pulled him out of it last night. She hadn’t goaded him on like his ex, Destiny, would’ve done. She hadn’t watched it happen in horror, either, too scared to intervene. She hadn’t even forced his hand, which she could’ve. She’d kept her composure, cleared the room, and brought him out of the darkness. She’d known exactly how to handle it, and she’d even helped him deal with the fallout.