Jay offers his right hand to shake, even though his shoulder has stiffened up. Their leader would show no weakness to the magic user, as Were protocol demands that Jay appear strong to Grayson’s teacher.
Ignatius smiles and accepts the offered hand for a hearty and enthusiastic shake. “My pleasure, of course, of course. A pleasure to make your acquaintance and to see you again, Novice Grayson. Thank you for trusting me with your family’s safety.”
The older man bows, clearly having done some research about Were customs. He shouldn’t address anyone else in Jay’s pack until Jay allows it, despite the brief aside to Grayson.
Jay is obviously pleased, his scent pine-fresh, and the alpha noticeably relaxes a bit.
Anyone who cares enough to learn the sometimes-finicky culture that values manners and respect—just in case he might have the opportunity to work with an exceptional student—has Jay’s blooming respect…and Leo’s.
Stepping in close, Leo offers subtle support, showing a united front. Given that Gideon quite literally has his hands full, it falls to Leo to take up that space. The others huddle together near the fire. It’s a tight fit for nine men and the mattresses, even if one of them is currently a wolf.
“This is the rest of my pack, Master Parvolio. Gideon, Leo, Luca, Nix, and…Rowan.”
He adds Rowan with hesitation, as revealing his shapeshifting mate to strangers hadn’t been something Jay planned for. Rowan has crept up behind the magic Master to sit as close as he dares.
It’s not threatening, though it certainly could have been, given Rowan’s usual suspicions about strangers around Nix and the babies.
No, this time he’s sitting pretty, looking for Ignatius’s attention.
Like a good boy.
“Oh! My goodness, a dog? Well, aren’t you handsome,” Ignatius coos, before his eyebrows disappear into that red fedora perched askew atop his frizzy, wild hair. The older man’s eyes turn bleary before he startles.
“Well! This is a first. You’re not a dog at all! A wolf. The Wolf. So very interesting. Grayson, your family is so enchanting!”
He grins, slapping Grayson’s shoulder.
Nix slips his hand into Grayson’s before asking, “You can see he’s not a real dog?”
Ignatius jerks again, mouth dropping open when he sees Nix.
To his credit, Ignatius shakes it off before exclaiming, “Your soulmate! Nix, right? Well, I have a fairly healthy Zoelexis Talent. This means that animals like me and I like them. I can tell he’s not entirely an animal, but also he is certainly more…uh…in touch with his animal side than you are—which is already more than could be said for me.”
His voice fades for a minute while he appears to be considering the magic of it all before he snaps back to the present with a clap of his hands. “So very interesting. The entire lot of you. Yes, indeed.”
His eyes catch on Leo, and he grins. “And you must be Leo Costas.”
Leo smiles cautiously, not sure where the older man is going with this direct attention.
“My dear partner was very interested in you, Leo. You met her this morning, yes?”
Elysia Noctis was memorable in her mysterious demeanor and with her bi-colored eyes. When Ignatius had said she could see the nature of someone’s soul, it left an impression.
“I mentioned that she sees the good and bad in someone, yes? Most people are a mix of both. Most are more good than bad, I assure you. But we all carry the weight of our decisions, of our trials…of our intentions. They can taint our souls. Pinpricks of stain.”
“That sounds awful,” Leo says, letting his disbelief color his tone. “You can’t tell me the people I love have stains on their souls.”
Not the honorable Jay, or pure-sunshine Nix.
Not Gideon, who sacrifices his personal wants for their family every day.
Not Finn, who saves lives even to his own detriment.
Not gentle Grayson, whose art shows the nature of his heart made visual.
Not Rowan, who is driven by the simplest of desires.
Not sweet, gentle Luca, who Leo has known to be pure of soul from the moment they met so long ago, from childhood until this moment.
