Reese glanced at Clay. I knew better than to hope he'd back me up just to make the kid feel better. Reese probably knew that, too, which is why he ignored my reassurances and looked to Clay.
"If the guy's as big as you said, then, yeah, nothing wrong with running," he said. "But if you think you're going back now, hoping for payback? With us to watch your back and jump in if you can't handle it?"
Reese flushed again, deeper now. "I didn't mean--"
"No, I'm sure you didn't. But you didn't think it through either. If we meet up with these mutts, we can't be looking over our shoulders, keeping an eye on an injured kid itching for revenge. Elena came to Alaska to save your ass. I'm not letting you get killed now, making her feel bad."
I cleared my throat and shot him a look that said, really, this should not be the reason he didn't want Reese dead. But one glance at Reese told me that, if anything, he was relieved by Clay's honesty.
"All right then," Reese said. "I'll tell you whatever you need, then I'll hit the road."
I shook my head. "While Clay's right--you do need to leave Alaska--I'd like you to stay with a Pack member until we finish here."
"I appreciate the offer, but that's not necessary."
"Actually, it is. You're injured and you're still in danger--"
"I'll be fine," he said.
"As fine as Yuli Etxeberria?"
"Who?"
"The last guy Liam and Ramon blamed for their man-eating. He was a few years older than you and a recent immigrant. Lost some fingers, too. In his case, the whole hand--postmortem. Liam and Ramon mailed it to us. That's what I've been trying to tell you. They've done it before, and blamed another kid, and if you stick around, you'll be their next scapegoat."
"So you just wanted to warn me?"
"And see what you know about Liam and Ramon," Clay said. "Get your help finding them and proving they're man-eaters."
I'd planned to keep that part quiet until I'd won the kid's confidence, but now that Clay said it, Reese looked relieved again.
"Why didn't you say so?" he asked me.
"Well, maybe because you kept taking off before I could explain, convinced Clay was lurking around the next corner."
"I don't lurk," Clay said.
"I'll tell you what I can about Liam and Ramon," Reese said. "Then I'll find someplace and lie low."
"If you're going anyplace on the continent, it's New York State," I said. "As a guest of the Pack."
Reese looked at Clay.
"If you die, she'll feel bad. I don't like it when she feels bad."
"Either that or I put you on the next plane back to Australia," I said.
"No," he said quickly. "I'm--I'm here for good."
That could mean he'd done something back home and couldn't return, but from the look in his eyes--determination mingled with dread--I knew it was more personal.
"All right then," I said. "You're staying with the Pack until Clay and I get back and take care of this business with Liam and Ramon."
"So where do you want me to stay? Syracuse?"
"That's where the Alpha lives," Clay said, as if this answered the question, which for him, it did.
"Another Pack family lives outside New York City," I said. "They have a big place, with lots of room. You'll stay with them."