Page 11 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

And couldn’t stop shaking.

He hated that he’d barked at Diego, but he was out of sorts and not in the mood to be questioned when he had no idea up from down.

The door opened again, music and laughter pouring out of it until it closed. Diego sidled up beside him.

“No, youdon’towe me any explanations. But I find you in the arms of the enemy and I’m not supposed to be concerned for your wellbeing?”

“Your concern is noted,” Echo said without looking at Diego.

“Echo? I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I can handle this.” Could he? Echo knew he was lying to the both of them if he said he could. He was a wreck after a few minutes in the orca’s presence. There was no way he washandlingthat man.

“One omega dolphin against a homicidal sea panda? An alpha one, at that? You’re in over your head.”

Echo turned to glare at Diego. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Diego’s face fell. “He’s a predator, Echo.A hunter.He was bred to kill. It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable, it’s that I sensehe’sjust that dangerous. I care about you, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Guilt slammed into Echo. He knew Diego came from a place of love and concern, but he wasn’t in the mood to be questioned. Plus, the less Diego knew, the better.

“Just… let it go,” Echo muttered before he turned away.

He stalked down the street, headed for his car.

“Echo…”Diego called after him. “I’m allowed to be worried about you!”

Tears burned at the backs of Echo’s eyes. He wanted nothing more than to confide in Diego and spill it all, but damn that plausible deniability. Though, some of that was lost with the appearance of his orca savior in the middle of town. How many other dolphins had seen? He supposed he’d find out soon enough. If someone reported it to the council, he might be called before them to explain what was going on.

What would he even say?

He might have less than twenty-four hours to come up with a story. Did he tell them the truth or lie to get out of trouble? Lying wasn’t his forte. He’d been told he sucked at it—but the truth could get him in mounds of trouble with the pod. Not justhispod, but the orca one as well. He crossed the street to his car, his mind racing as he sought a solution.

A solution wouldn’t come—particularly because his mind kept coming back to the orca. That wasn’t a solution. It was a problem.

He slipped behind the wheel. Once the door was locked behind him, he wrapped his fingers around the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip. Visions of the orca pinning him against that wall replayed in his mind. He’d sensed a kiss coming and would never admit to anyone that he’d wanted it.

Diego justhadto show up and ruin the moment.

Wasthatwhy he was angry? Because he was irritated about being cockblocked? Shame washed over him at the thought. Diego was simply being an overprotective friend. He released his tight grip on the steering wheel and started the engine with every intention of calling Diego in the morning to apologize. After a deep breath, he pulled away and headed toward home.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked through his front door and tossed his keys into the upturned shell on the console table and lowered his backpack to the floor beside it. The house was dark. He hadn’t planned to go out after work, so he’d neglected to leave a light on. He flipped on a lamp near the door and sorted through the small stack of mail he’d brought in from the mailbox. His cat, Tilly, made an appearance, curling her body around his leg and yowling with displeasure.

“What is it, girl?” he asked, leaning over to rub her head between the ears. “I filled your bowls before I left this morning, so I know you’re not starving.”

Tilly yowled again, moving in a figure-eight pattern around his ankles.

Echo dropped his mail on the table and lifted her into his arms. After checking her bowls and finding some kibble and plenty of water, he shook his head. “Just because you can see the bottom of your food bowl doesn’t mean it’s empty.” He lowered her to the floor and shook the bowl, forming a thin layer of food. “See?”

The house creaked, and Tilly took off like a jet, wailing as she found a hiding space. His house was nearing a hundred and twenty-five years old, one of the oldest on the Washington Coast. It settled and groaned all the time, but it still unnerved him a year after purchasing it. Considering his nerves were already rattled, it didn’t take much to push him back near panic mode. He froze, listening for more sounds.

Silence surrounded him, but the fine hairs on the back of his neck rose. He was sure he was probably alone, and it was just lingering anxiety, but it couldn’t hurt to check. To ensure there were no uninvited guests, Echo moved from room to room, flipping on lights and checking behind drapes. Once the downstairs was cleared, he slowly marched up, treading lightly to not alert an intruder to his presence. Too bad the old house wasn’t keeping any of his secrets. Each tread groaned in various volumes under his steps. If there was someone in the house, they knew exactly where he was.

He checked the first door he came to, the spare bedroom. It was empty, so he moved on, telling himself he was being an absolute idiot, and he’d probably find no one in his bedroom either.

He was dead wrong, though.

A hint of light spread out under his bedroom door. Echo brushed his hand against the door already cracked open an inch. The orca sat in the old leather armchair that normally held his discarded clothing, the closet light the only source of illumination. The predator had turned the chair to face the door so he was the first thing Echo would see. He sat with his legs splayed wide, his elbows on the arms with his fingers steepled, looking much too comfortable in Echo’s bedroom.

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