Pol raised his eyebrows. *Everything all right, Arlo?*
Arlo desperately reined in his wolf, which was still snarling—snarling!—at how close Pol was. *Fine,* he muttered, and Pol’s eyebrows shot up even further.
*I see.* His eyes slid sideways towards Jacqueline, who was looking at them both like they’d just gone mad, and Arlo’s wolf raised its hackles. *That’s how it is, is it?*
Arlo braced himself for Pol to say something embarrassing, but to his surprise, he simply withdrew his hand. Jacqueline made a short movement as though she was going to try to grab it to shake, which made Arlo’s wolf whine.
Pol blinked, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed dramatically.
“My apologies. My name is Apollo Jenkins, but you can call me Pol.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The faint hollowness was fading from Jacqueline’s voice; Arlo’s chest tightened as she visibly pulled herself together. “Arlo said you washed up here—does that mean you’re a relative newcomer, too?”
“The most recent, not counting the prodigal daughter. Which I don’t, personally. You don’t count as a newcomer if you half-grew up in a place.” He heaved a sigh. “I’ve been bracing myself to lose the crown, what with the new subdivision on the hill, but it looks like I’m going to have to hand it over earlier than expected.”
He smiled at Tally, who promptly squealed with delight and shifted. Arlo dived forward to grab her before she wriggled out of Jacqueline’s arms, and somehow he ended up with one hand on Jacqueline’s waist, the other helping her hold Tally over one shoulder.
Pol’s laughter echoed in his head. *I can’t believe this. You sneaky bastard.*
“That’s why I’m here,” Jacqueline explained before Arlo could reply to Pol—or tell him to shut it. “These three—Kenna, Dylan, and Tally here—have been trying to make their way to Hideaway Cove. Arlo offered to bring them the rest of the way, and I…” Her cheeks glowed. “I, er, came along for the ride.”
“You were traveling by yourselves?” Pol looked aghast. Kenna and Dylan had sloped up while the adults were talking, and at his words, Kenna scowled.
Pol exchanged an uncharacteristically serious look with Arlo and turned his attention back to Kenna. “Well you’ve fallen on your feet here, I’ll tell you. Arlo Hammond might look like something he scraped off the bottom of his own boat, but—”
“I’m taking them to the Sweets. Until their actual guardian turns up.” Arlo’s chest twisted as he said the words, and that must have been why they came out as a half-growl. Three pairs of seal-shifter eyes snapped to his and the wave of disappointment crashing off the children almost made him rock backwards.
Arlo rubbed his temple as the emotions throbbed like the beginning of another headache. This was the right thing to do, he knew it—and what else could he do, anyway?
“I won’t be far away,” he reassured them. “No one will. Town’s so small, everyone’s in everyone else’s pockets. Besides, the Sweets are my pack. Being with them is pretty much the same as staying with me, except you won’t have to sleep on the floor of my workshop.”
“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor,” Dylan said quietly. Arlo shook his head.
“Well, you don’t have to,” Arlo repeated. He smiled, but on the inside, his wolf was whining fretfully. Something about the situation was worrying it.
I don’t have time to mull it over now, he thought. Jacqueline and I have got to get these kids home. His wolf calmed down a bit.
*About that,* Pol began, but was interrupted.
*What about Eric?* broadcast Dylan in a whisper that was probably meant just for Kenna.
Pol’s eyes bulged. “There’s another one?”
Jacqueline looked around the group. “Wait, did I just miss something again?”
A wave of guilt poured off Dylan. “We’re talking about Eric,” he explained. “We’re going to find him, aren’t we? He wants to live in Hideaway Cove too.”
Arlo’s stomach hollowed out. “Sure, kid,” he said, trying to hide the surge of frustration that filled the suddenly empty space inside him.
This was what had his wolf so bothered. The kids needed help, and whoever this Eric guy was, their so-called uncle, he’d failed them. He didn’t deserve to look after the pack—kids, he quickly corrected himself.
“I work at the council over in Dunston,” Jacqueline said. “I can ask people there to keep an eye out and let him know where you are, if they see him.”
“That covers the human side,” Pol announced. “And Harrison will manage the shifter side. We’ll round this Eric up before too long, you’ll see. And then you can all play happy families in Hideaway.” He shot Arlo a cheeky grin that he didn’t even want to contemplate translating.
He had enough to worry him as it was. Once the kids were settled with Ma and Pa Sweets… maybe he and Jacqueline could go for that drink she’d mentioned.
11