19 - Greta


    Finn slid into the backseat, leaned his head against the headrest, and shut his eyes almost immediately. Well, it looks like the ride home will be a quiet one.


    “Greta, you should get some rest too. It''s been a tough week for you, and the drive


    "Don''t you dare finish that sentence," I interrupted, shooting a sharp nce at Grant. "If you jinx us, I swear I''ll make your life miserable."


    Grant just rolled his eyes. "Yes, ma''am.”


    "Seriously? You too?" I eximed.


    “What?” He grinned, unable to hide his amusement.


    "You''re not allowed to call me that, so cut it out." I turned to look out the window, trying to hide the smirk tugging at my lips. I didn''t hate the title—it was just that Finn said it like it was some kind of insult.


    "You let Finn call you that," Grant pointed out, and I quickly nced over my left shoulder to make sure Finn was still asleep.


    "Shh! I don''t. He just doesn''t listen, and honestly, it''s not worth the argument." “Uh-huh, sure. That''s the story you''re sticking with," he teased.


    I gave his chest a yful smack. "Since when did you get so chatty? Don''t you usually just sit there, all stoic and silent, ying chauffeur?"


    "I prefer to call it defensive driving, ma''am. And for your information, I do speak up plenty when the situation calls for it."


    "Get lost, Jeeves."


    "Only the Luna gets to call me that."


    "Fair enough, Jeeves.”


    "Now shut up and get some sleep, ma''am. You''ve got a meeting with the alpha as soon as we get back."


    "We need to get Finn to the healers first. I want them to draw some blood, see if that poison—or whatever that crap was-is still in his system. He''s not back to one hundred percent, so I''m hoping there''s still some trace left."


    "Hoping? You''re hoping he''s still being poisoned? No wonder he''s irritated with you."


    "No! That''s not what I meant. Wait, when did he say he was mad at me?"


    "I didn''t say mad, just irritated. And anyone who saw you twoing off the trail could tell he''s upset about something. The look on your face says you know why. Care to share? After all, he is the Luna''s favorite warrior now."


    “Take that back! I''m her favorite.” This time, I punched him lightly. At this rate, another one of Kennedy''s favorites was going toe back covered in bruises.


    “Debatable,” he shrugged. “And she won''t be thrilled if you bring back a grumpy Finn."


    “Shut up. She''ll be fine. Did anything happen while we were out here?"


    "Nothing rted to the warriors. Training''s been going well. We''ve ramped up the intensity for the neers. Some of the rogues are surprisingly quick learners when ites to our techniques."


    "That''s something I need to discuss with Ryker and the others. Janelle''s part of this new group, so we need toe up with an alternative strategy."


    "They''ve already started working on it after your SOS link. Border patrols have been adjusted. They''re focusing from the outside in, coborating with Don, Nathan, and Rory. Josh said he''d fill you in when you get back." I nodded and sent a quick link to Ryker.


    "Hey, Boss. Got a minute?"


    "For you? Always."


    "I didn''t want to interrupt, since you seem hell-bent on knocking up Kennedy," I joked. Both my wolf and Iughed along with him.


    "I''m not denying it. What''s up?"


    "I want to take Finn to the healers and have some blood drawn. He''s still off, and I think that poison might still be in his system. If it is.....”


    "You want them to figure it out."


    "Exactly. That stuff is serious. I can''t even count the times Finn was hit, and he said he and Sammy have spent time building up a tolerance. But he was having seizures, and his whole body would lock up. He was unresponsive for two and a half days, Ryker. If that''s what a tolerance looks like, I don''t want to imagine what it could do to someone who''s never been exposed."


    "Could witches be involved?"


    "Possibly. ude wasn''t above using every tool he had to take you down."


    "Hmm. You two are close, huh? Rest up. Grant says you''re crabby and that you and your mate are having a spat."


    “Does he know?!” I gasped. “You weren''t supposed to say anything until we figured this out."


    "Calm down. We didn''t say anything outright, but clearly something''s going on if Grant notices tension between you two. Have you made a decision?"


    "No. And now it''s even harder."


    "Howe?"


    “Ryker, he was dying. You should have seen him." My voice cracked, and I had to fight back tears. "I couldn''t move away without him reacting. Going to the bathroom felt like an F1 pit stop." I smiled weakly at the memory. "I had to stay close to him until this morning. My wolf wouldn''t let me leave his side."


    "She''s attached, then?"


    "Yes, especially now. I was so good at keeping my distance before. What am I going


    to do? I can''t have a mate. You know that."


    "But clearly, you were meant to have one."


    "I''m not meant for that. We both know it."


    "Clearly, the Moon Goddess thinks otherwise."


    "No! I won''t trap him. It wouldn''t be fair."


    "Why don''t you just talk to your mate and let him decide? He''s a smart guy."


    "You''re only saying that because your mate practically adopted him on sight."


    “Has she ever been wrong, in all the time you''ve known her?"


    "No," I grumbled.


    "We''ll meet you at the hospital. Kennedy''s losing her mind over you both. She didn''t want to bother you after the fight, so she''s refusing to mindlink you."


    "Tell her she''s ridiculous, and we''ll see her soon.” Iughed. Kennedy treated mindlinking like some formal business call. She was so serious about it. I could have used the distraction while lying around for two days. I couldn''t wait to hug her though. She had this calming effect, just by being near.


    "See you soon, Greta. And don''t hurt your mate before you get here."


    "F*ck you. I haven''t done anything."


    "Yet."


    "Again, f*ck you."