AARYN

It was early evening and he was dragging.

Elreth had had even less rest than he had. He could sense her tiredness in the tension in her shoulders. But her eyes were clear and focused on the males in front of her.

His mate was stunning.

Aaryn sighed. Neither of them really slept the night before, but they had both been running on adrenalin that morning when they returned to the security building to meet with the Council.

They got there at dawn, but Tobe had already gathered the team and taken them west and north to look for the human—or humans. Aaryn knew enough of tracking to know that they could be gone anywhere from hours to days. He just prayed Raichyl and Despyna had gone prepared if they had to sleep rough that night.

He forced himself to return his focus to the conversation. The Council were talking in circles about the patrols, which directions to take, how many should be added… whether there even was a threat to the Tree City until they knew there was more than one human loose in WildWood.

Aaryn and Elreth had glanced at each other when that came up. He wondered if her stomach plunged in guilt like his had. But Hannah wasn't the same threat as this nameless, faceless human with a weapon. He was certain of it. And if Marryk wanted to take his mate across the Great Plains, if he thought they could weather the desert… shouldn't they let him?

Aaryn wasn't sure of anything anymore. He shook his head to himself.

"You disagree?" Lhern asked sharply.

Aaryn raised his head quickly, scanning back through his mind to remember what they'd been discussing. Thankfully, just then, the door into the building swung wide and the Captain of the Guard strode in, his face a thundercloud.

Tarkyn had been in and out, checking for updates and sending requests to different teams as the Council determined risks and their solutions. But usually he was discreet—moving quietly and slowly so that the others could continue to talk without distraction. But now he barreled into the room, red-faced and hands clenched, his feet ringing on the boards under their feet.

"What's—?"

"Aaryn," Tarkyn snapped. "There's a problem with your people."

It was the first time he'd been formally acknowledged as the Alpha of the disformed. The way Lhern shifted in his seat and rubbed his mouth, Aaryn wasn't certain the others felt Tarkyn was right to have done it. But it didn't matter. He stood as Tarkyn approached his chair.

"What's wrong?"

"When we left this morning, it seems one of your people resented not being chosen for the mission. He joined followed secretly, then revealed himself to the others out in the field—when they were too far away to return. He refused an order from Tobe to return, and took up positions!"

Aaryn's stomach sank. "Hholdyn?"

"How did you guess?" Tarkyn spat.

Aaryn clawed a hand through his hair. "Where is he? I'll speak with him."

"I wish I knew!" Tarkyn snarled. "The others returned just a few minutes ago. They're getting a drink then coming here to report. But apparently even after Tobe called them in to return, Hholdyn refused, stating that he knew better than the commanding officer and that he would stay to find the human!"

Oh, fuck.

Elreth's mouth dropped open behind Tarkyn and Aaryn had to fight not to let his own do the same. "I am…. Very sorry, Tarkyn. I never imagined—"

"I don't care how skilled that male is, he cannot—absolutely cannot—deny the orders of a commanding officer. And then to insist on staying in the field. Tobe returned them for a reason—and he now risks revealing our surveillance just to what? Show his pride?!"

"I'm sorry, Tarkyn. I had no idea he would be so headstrong."

"Headstrong? The male is reckless and selfish and less disciplined than a child of ten! At least a child would have returned with his team!"

Aaryn knew Tarkyn was right, but he wasn't quite sure how Tarkyn thought hauling him over the coals about it was going to change anything. Aaryn needed to get out there and find Hholdyn, speak with him, show him the way forward. Standing here wasn't going to achieve that.

"Which way did he go? We have others that are good. I'll send them after him."

"There won't be a need," another voice growled from the door. Tobe was walking in looking tired and dirty, Raichyl and Despyna on his heels. "He insists that he alone is needed to determine the outcome. The rest of us should just sit here and wait for him to return in his brilliance."

"Fill them in, Tobe," Tarkyn commanded. "Tell them the whole story and let's make sure this already fraught operation is completely compromised by one prideful male—fuck!"

Aaryn had never seen Tarkyn so bothered. Apparently most of the council hadn't either, as many stared at him, either with amused crinkles around their eyes, or shock.

While Tobe moved to the center and began to talk, Aaryn gestured to Raichyl and Despyna to get chairs from the stacks against the wall and pull them over to the circle. He was distracted for a minute making sure they had their seats and were comfortable and knew the names of all who were there. But when he took his own seat again, next to Elreth, the words Tobe spoke cut through his haze of tiredness.

"We only found traces of one human—a female, we believe, but it's hard to be certain. She was little more than an hour's trot out of the city. Though I imagine the distance is far greater for her. But there's evidence not only that she has settled there for some time, but that it isn't the first time she has visited us."

Aaryn sucked in. "Is she watching us?"

"I don't believe so," Tobe said, his jaw tight. "She seemed to be… I don't know. The camp had small spaces where there had to have been tables or other set ups. But they were all gone. There was quite a bit of evidence of time spent there—trees stripped of branches, damage on nearby trails, and more than one carcass or remains in the camp. But with that said, most of the earth was wet, and the scent levels were low. It was all very confusing."

All the listening males looked at each other uneasily.

Aaryn wanted to sigh. What was going on?

******

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