Page 9 of Catnip

“Rest up. I’ll bring some broth in a bit. You have time. Just not much ofit.”

He turned on his heels as she bit her lip. Before he’d opened the door, Ava stopped him, suddenly aware of an embarrassing detail. She’d observed him for weeks,but…

“Hey?” she called. When he turned back to her, she asked, “What’s yourname?”

Eagles had keen vision, but there was no way she could have caught what he was actually saying from high up in thesky.

His eyes softened a bit. Ava watched, dazzled and practically shocked as he smiled. She hadn’t seen him smile, not like that, not even to the children. It was like someone had suddenly lit a candle in thedarkness.

“Coveney. Coveney Walker. I’m the Head Enforcerhere.”

Disobedience

Coveney madehis way to Rye’s office as soon as he was done taking care of Ava, knowing the Alpha was running out ofpatience.

He’d looked at him without uttering a word when he’d brought the naked woman into the pride house. Rygan was kind like that. He could have just told him to get out, or to let her bleed out on theirdoorstep.

Rain had offered to take care of her, of course. He’d shaken hishead.

“I still have some of the salve left that you made for me. I can do it, it’s the same poison,” he explained, all the while knowing it wasn’t actually anexplanation.

In the absence of a healer, now that Ola was gone to hell where she deserved to be, their witch ally was indubitably the best person to take care of a wounded patient. But Ava didn’t knowRain.

She doesn’t know you,either.

He shut up the voice in his mind and got to work, cleaning her wound until she wokeup.

Coveney didn’t have an explanation. He should be done with her. Now that she was safe, she should be inconsequential to him. Everyone else was. He owed Rye, Kim, Christine, and Ian. He’d spent enough years with Daunte and Jas to have developed some sort of affinity with them. He liked the kids. That wasit.

Yet this stranger made him pace and mutter, wonder and worry, like nothing and no one else ever had, even before he’d become the cold, single-minded motherfucker hewas.

Maybe heshouldlet Rain have a crack at her. Witchcraft could very well be the issuethere.

The Alphas were waiting for him; Rye sat behind his desk, Ace standing at his side. They hadn’t doubted he’d come, because, well, that was just who hewas.

Rye was still glaring in silence, his eyes bright, and the mating marks peeking from under his clothing blazing. Yeah, he was pissed. Ace, however, just seemedcurious.

“I gave you a clear order,” the Alpha male finally said, an edge to hisvoice.

Coveney bobbed his head, taking a seat. “And I willfully disobeyed.” Which did support his theory: some witchcraft may be going on here. “I will accept the consequences. Demote me if you have to.” His heart practically gave out, but he also added, “I’d understand if you banishedme.”

Aisling snorted. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen, Coveney. Neither. You’re the best at what you do, and Rye and I know just how lucky we are to have a workaholic like you at yourpost.”

She said all that while pointedly looking at her mate, who sighed, dropping some of hisglowering.

“That’s right,” he admitted. “Which is why acting like that isdefinitelynot like you.Speak.”

He wanted an explanation. Great. How could he spell it out for his Alphas when he didn’t even know what made him act like a bloodylunatic?

“I told you she saved me,” he replied. “I figured she might have been hit. I couldn’t…” he stopped talking, knowing how lame it all sounded. “There’s no excuse. Idisobeyed.”

Ace rolled hereyes.

“Oh, drop the crap. Rye was in an overprotective mindset, or he would have sent you after her right away. Without her warning, we might all be dead right now. She helped us saveour son,and the rest of our pride. I’m sorry I hadn’t heard about all this before, or I would haveintervened.”

The Alpha male’s shoulders finally relaxed, and he noddedcurtly.

“I’m not used to you challenging my authority,” he told him, pausing for a beat before he carried on. “But it’s good to see you’ll do it if you think it’sright.”

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