“But he is responsible for you, isn’t he, my dear? He’s your pack leader,” said Ma Sweets, nodding.
“Y-yes?” Dylan’s answer sounded more like a question. This time, Arlo wasn’t fast enough to stop Kenna from kicking him under the table. “I mean…”
“What do you mean, pack leader?” Jacqueline said, frowning. “If he’s not related to you, I’m afraid I’m going to have some trouble explaining to my boss how you all ran away and ended up here.”
Her eyes met Arlo’s and he could imagine what she was stopping herself from saying: that it would be even more difficult to convince the county to let the kids stay.
“But that’s no problem at all, my dear!” Ma Sweets trilled.
“But he’ll need to be registered as a foster parent. And—” Jacqueline’s expression tightened. “That’s hard, there are a lot of hoops to jump through…”
“Oh, paperwork.” Dorothy Sweets waved the idea away with a dismissive gesture. “Required to keep the county off our backs, yes, but we all know it’s not really important.” She tapped the back of Jacqueline’s hand with one pointed fingertip. “Pack. That’s all that really matters. The bonds that all shifters innately understand. Any shifter would move heaven and earth for their pack. And rest assured, we will make absolutely certain that this little pack receives all the help they need to settle here in Hideaway Cove.”
She tapped Jacqueline’s hand again. “Pack is the one thing, my dear, that we shifters value above all else. Don’t you all agree?”
At the other end of the table, Harrison cleared his throat. “I don’t know about that,” he said, spearing a steak and exchanging a look with Lainie. “All sounds a bit wolfy to me. What do you think, Lainie? Are we pack?”
“Nest, maybe,” Lainie suggested, wrinkling her nose. “Or—i-ree? Ee-rie? However you say that word. Eyrie.” She turned to Dorothy and wrinkled her brow. “Would you say alligators have ‘packs’, Mrs. Sweets? Or is there a better term we should use for you?”
“The word isn’t important,” Dorothy snapped. “What is important is that, as shifters, we all look out for one another.”
“That’s right,” Arlo interjected. He was starting to feel like the conversation was getting away from him. “And that includes our mates.”
He took Jacqueline’s hand and she smiled at him.
“Does that make me pack, then?” she asked.
Yes, Arlo’s wolf yipped. Pack!
“Of course,” Ma Sweets cooed. “We’re all so looking forward to Arlo and you starting a little pack of your own. I know it’s what he’s wanted ever since he came here.”
“That’s true,” Arlo admitted. He felt as though the sun was rising in his head. Of course. Of course that was what had been grating away at the inside of his skull.
Jacqueline dropped her fork.
The hairs on the back of Arlo’s neck prickled. Ma Sweets was smiling, but Jacqueline had gone pale. Arlo bent to pick up Jacqueline’s fork and brought his head close to hers.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Fine.” Jacqueline’s smile was tight. Arlo straightened, feeling uneasy.
“And when is it you’re due?” Ma Sweets asked Lainie.
“A few months away still,” Lainie replied, one hand on her bump.
“How lovely. It will be nice to have another griffin shifter around the place. Or a little human, of course.” Dorothy shrugged delicately.
“Those aren’t the only options,” Lainie replied, her fingers white-knuckled on her cutlery.
“Excuse me,” Jacqueline blurted out, and stood up so quickly she caught herself on the tablecloth. Arlo rose to help her, but she was already halfway out the door.
“Oh dear,” said Dorothy. “I hope she didn’t eat something that disagreed with her.”
Arlo glanced at her over his shoulder as he headed for the door, and his wolf snarled. Ma Sweets’ eyebrows shot up, and Pa actually woke up.
What the hell was that? Arlo asked his wolf as he raced after Jacqueline. It was still growling low in its throat, as though it expected Ma Sweets to jump out and ambush them.
More importantly, what’s wrong with Jacqueline?