Page 25 of Squirrel Hunt
“Smart. I assumed she’d been killed since the fucking wolves…” Jyran pursed his lips, glanced at Konrad, and studiously ignored Gideon.
Dahy nodded. “It was a close call, but she PMs me now and then when she’s able to.”
“Good. Say hi from me.”
“No!” Gideon made a move as if to walk out from behind the bar, but Konrad took a step forward to stop him, or to at least be closer to Dahy should Gideon get any ideas. Jyran wasn’t a threat, but Gideon was. Gideon frowned at Konrad but stayed behind the counter. “I don’t want Jyran’s name anywhere online, not in connection to squirrels.”
Dahy huffed and took Jyran’s hand. “I’m sorry you got landed with a stupid one.”
Gideon growled, but Jyran chuckled. “He’s all right, he simply doesn’t understand living in hiding.” Then he turned to Gideon. “We never form any connections online where people can see. Wolves are stupid, but there is normally one or two smart ones in every pack who could track us if we friended each other on different platforms, but PMs are private. And as Dahy mentioned earlier, many of us register under names other than our real ones.”
“Is it really that bad?” Myka looked horrified.
“Sadly, yes.” Jyran shrugged. “This is a good pack.” He nodded at Konrad. “Konrad helped save me when I got kidnapped last year, but Gideon is still nervous whenever there are many people around.” He gestured over the empty tables. “Which there often are.”
Myka frowned. “So…Roan isn’t exaggerating?”
“They’re always exaggerating, aren’t they? Stupid wolves.” Jyran laughed.
“Yeah.” Myka dragged it out and winced as she met Konrad’s gaze. “But he’s freaking out because there was a scary man coming to my workplace, and I was smelling of squirrel.”
Gideon made a low growl and focused on Konrad. “There is someone here looking for squirrels?”
Rubbing his neck, Konrad tried to clear his mind. “I believed they were here for Myka, some purist shit about not mixing species. But he arrived shortly after Dahy did, so there is a risk that it’s about squirrels. But I don’t think Jyran is in danger. But we’re not sure.” He didn’t want to downplay the danger, but it was unlikely the man had come for Jyran. “We found a scent neither Roan nor I recognized. Bear. And Farris tracked a bear here from Ordbury last night. He followed a group of drunk young wolves and got the feeling they’d asked this guy to fetch someone. He found it suspicious but didn’t read it as a threat to the Doson pack.”
Gideon’s lips were pressed into a thin line, and Myka stared at him with wide eyes. Dahy and Jyran, on the other hand, showed no reaction.
“Only one?” Jyran’s tone was nonchalant.
“All it takes is one!” Gideon flashed teeth at him, which Jyran responded to with a huff before turning to Dahy. “Peanuts?”
“Oh, please.” In unison, they moved toward the bar and Konrad took a step forward to be closer as they neared Gideon. Dahy wrapped the blanket tighter around himself and hopped up to sit on one of the barstools while Jyran rounded the bar, reached for a small bowl, and filled it with salted peanuts.
* * * *
Dahy had a hard time sorting everything out, and it was super distracting to have Konrad nearby. The blood in his veins was burning. When you were constantly on the run, you didn’t have the time for any romantic interludes, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been aroused. Now his body was afire, and it was not practical in the least.
He ate some nuts without tasting them and studied Jyran. Cousin. Amazing that part of the family was gathered in a room with wolves, and he didn’t even fear being eaten. He glanced at Konrad who was staring at him, and a wave of need washed over him. Insane.
No one spoke, and Dahy squirmed on the stool. Jyran cleared his throat. “So…where were you before you got here?”
“Fewood.”
“Oh, I’ve been there. Nice shoe store.”
“Yeah? All I got was a pair of too-big yellow Crocs.”
Jyran frowned. “Must have gone to the wrong shop then.”
“Oh, it wasn’t a shop. I stole them.”
Nodding, Jyran topped off the tiny bowl with more peanuts. “I have almonds.”
“Nice.”
He hurried off to a cupboard, poured almonds into another tiny bowl, and placed it in front of Dahy. Then he opened the cash register, reached for something at the back of the tray, and held up a bag of cashews. “Oh, I was sure it was pistachios.” He turned to glare at Gideon. “Did you move my pistachios?”
“No, dear, you move them so well on your own.” Gideon sighed but relaxed against the bar and looked at Konrad. “What do we do now?”