Chapter 8

• “The clan was big once?” He didn’t remember the numbers he’d been told when he was sent this way.
• “I suppose it was.” She looked down at the table for a second, trying to keep the emotions locked up. “I’ve only been back for five years, so I don’t remember what it was like before.”
• “Where were you before you came back?”
• Her dark eyes flicked to the floor, then back to him for a second. “Can you stay for a few days?” She picked up the cup and blew on the liquid in it. “We have to figure out what to do.”
• He noted her ignoring his question and leaned on the table. “I can.” He wasn’t going anywhere until he got some answers. Jesse wondered for a second if he was going to like the answers, but that didn’t change what he needed to know. He also knew he couldn’t just turn around and walk back down that mountain and leave her up here. His cat was stirring again. At some point, Jesse was going to have to shift and go for a hard run, he’d never felt his cat change direction so often.
• “Okay.” She took a small sip, “you can stay at Aunt Tillie’s.” She glanced over her shoulder at a cupboard. “I’ll find some clean sheets after the coffee and take you over.”
• It was the first time he’d seen a vulnerable expression in her eyes. “Thank you.” He sipped the coffee and ignored how much it burned his mouth. “I’ve been sleeping in the van or hotels for the last few weeks, so somewhere without traffic noise and bright lights would be great.”
• Gone was the melancholy look, “you travel a lot?”
• He nodded.
• “What’s that like? You’ve probably seen some amazing things.”
• His cat settled again at her tone. “I have, but it gets tiring.”
• “Are you traveling for the Alliance?” She looked genuinely interested. “Papa Low and Nana Pearl once met the prince, said he was a big man with a bigger heart.”
• Jesse paused in thought, the prince must be Dev’s father before he was King. Jesse didn’t know too much about the King before that, other than he was a hard man that didn’t allow for excuses. “He’s the King now.” His mind was still stuck on where she had been if she’d only been back for five years.
• “Really?” She smiled and looked up, “Papa Low would be happy with that. He liked the man and Papa Low didn’t like too many.” She chuckled.
• Jesse nodded, “he is a big man, but kind.” It was the truth, Shepard Addison was a kind man, just not a man you wanted to cross.
• Thera yowled outside the door.
• Evanna turned and looked at the door, tilting her head to the side for a second when the animal made another noise. “I’ll get that bedding.” She smiled, “seems like we’re going to have rabbit for dinner today.”
• Jesse looked toward the door and wondered how she knew that by a few sounds from the animal. He’d never been close to a wild leopard before but wondered if over time it was easy to understand, like when other shifters were in their cat form.
• He took a sip of the coffee and had to fight to not choke on it. She’d said strong, it was definitely strong.
• She pulled out a sheet and a few blankets. “I keep the other homes stocked with wood, so you won’t be cold.” Grabbing a blanket, she put it on top of the sheet. “If you want to go out for a run, you’ll have to put up with Thera going with you,” she shrugged, “She watches over Minn when she runs too.”
• “That’s fine.” He cleared his throat and watched her drink down her coffee like it was water.
• “Leah will make some food, I’m not very good at cooking…”
• Jesse nodded, “I can give her a hand…”
• Evanna paused after she picked up the bedding, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Leah isn’t good around people.”
• “I won’t invade her space if she doesn’t want me there.” He stood up.
• Evanna eyed him up and down, “okay. Good.” She started for the door, then paused and rubbed the center of her forehead, “let’s go over to Aunt Tillie’s.” She opened the door, “we’ll bring some water over after.”