“Has anything out of the ordinary been going on that I should know about?” Austin asked, stirring the bowl of stew after retrieving it from the microwave.
Denver wrapped his arms around Maizy. “Like what?”
Austin kept stirring, showing us his back. “Just anything out of the ordinary.”
Denver laughed quietly and grabbed a handful of Cheetos from behind him. “Aside from Wheeler and Naya humping like bunnies every time she cooks dinner?”
“What about the drifters?” Maizy asked.
Austin closed the distance between us. “What drifters?”
She raised her head, sweeping her wavy hair back. “While you were gone, there were a few bands of rogues reported. I noticed something a month ago and asked around—that’s when people were talking about a few unfamiliar Shifters asking questions about some of the larger packs. Anyhow, it seemed like a good story, but the Council wouldn’t let me write it.”
Three months ago, Maizy had approached the Council about starting an online subscription news site for Shifters—stuff relevant to Austin residents. Naya connected her with some Internet gurus who set up a secure website that was password protected. They assured the Council that no one except subscribers could gain access. How they managed to do that, I didn’t understand, but they would have to maintain the system round the clock, so the Council approved the endeavor because it would create jobs.
Maizy still wrote fiction on the side for a creative outlet, deciding someday she’d do something with it, but her interest in the community had transformed her into a regular Lois Lane.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Austin asked.
She shrugged. “Do you know how many different stories I hear? Most of them don’t pan out to be anything of interest. I try to focus on new businesses, land for sale, and another popular thing that’s come up lately is young Shifters looking for a new pack. Like a classifieds section.” She flicked a quick glance at me. “Sorry, I’m rambling. While you two were on vacation, a few rogues traveling together were spotted at a Breed bar. Someone noticed their plates weren’t from Texas, and they were asking a lot of questions. A friend of mine checked out the Breed motels but didn’t come up with anything. It seems kind of suspicious as to where they’re staying or going.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why would the Council want to bury that story?”
“They said writing something like that without any hard evidence was sensationalism,” Maizy replied. “I disagreed because it seemed relevant, but they’re right. Without hard facts, I have to be careful about writing something that would cause people to speculate and panic, not to mention it might come across as slander and get me in trouble. Responsible reporting and all that.”
I shared a look with Austin, and he returned to the counter, retrieving my bowl of stew.
“My, someone’s behaving differently,” Denver remarked, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched Austin butter my roll. “That must have been some vacation. Next thing you know, you’ll be painting her toenails.”
Maizy elbowed him in the chest.
He kissed her neck and made a growling sound like a dog fighting for a bone. Maizy giggled and stood up, tugging his hand. “Let’s leave them alone. We’ll see you two in the morning.”
I rubbed my eyes. “Good night, Maze.”
Austin stepped over the bench and sat beside me, facing the table while I sat facing the kitchen. He swiped the Cheetos out of the way and set the bowl of stew on the table. “I scheduled a meeting with the Council tomorrow. After that, I’m telling the pack.”
I leaned against his shoulder. “I need to check on the shop and get started making orders.”
“Maybe you should take the day off.” His arm slid around my midriff, and I scooted closer.
“Since when does Austin Cole want me to lie around on my lazy butt and eat all day?”
“Speaking of… why don’t you turn around and eat while it’s hot.”
I began kissing the rogue whiskers on his throat, my hand sliding down to his jeans. “Because I found something tastier to nibble on.”
He backed away and lifted my legs to turn me around. Then he scooted the bowl close enough so that the steam was wetting my face. “No dessert until you finish every bite.”
Austin was behaving strangely, and my guess was he was anxious about how the Council was going to react to the news, although maybe they already had information of their own. It seemed that coddling me was his new distraction.
But I didn’t mind.
I ate every bite.
And I got my dessert.
Chapter 6