The muscle in his jaw jumps once.
"The cottage area isn't safe."
"I know it's not safe. That's why Kestria's coming with me."
"Kestria isn't enough."
“Wow, really? Kestria, are you going to take that—” I whirl to her.
"Tell him. Tell him we can handle this."
"I think..." Kestria starts slowly. "I think he has a point."
"Kestria."
"I'm not saying we shouldn't go. I'm saying maybe more protection wouldn't hurt."
"More protection from who?" My voice is somewhere only bats can appreciate. "Everyone has pack duties. Hunting. Pack work. I'm not going to ask someone to abandon their work so I can go shopping—"
Oh.
"You know what. You're right, Keer. If you're so concerned with our safety, why don't you escort us?"
That'll end this. He's the Alpha. He has responsibilities—people to lead, actual problems to handle, a territory to run. He's not going to drop everything to babysit me on a supply run just because he can't stop trying to control every single—
"Fine."
"See your—wait what? Fine?"
"I'm coming with you."
My stomach drops.
A full day. Walking distance. His body three feet from mine for hours and—no.
The cart. Focus on the cart. Wheels need greasing. Do I have grease? I don't have grease.
"You want to go. You're going." He uncrosses his arms and steps forward, and he's so fucking big, I forgot how much space he fills just by crossing a clearing. "But I'm coming with you. That's the condition."
"That's not—I didn't mean—"
"You asked."
"I was being sarcastic!"
"And now I'm being serious." Closer. Close enough that his scent hits—cedar and the heat of skin—and my pulse kicks against my throat. "You go, I go. Or no one goes."
Kestria coughs beside me. Pointed. Not subtle. When I glance at her, her face is carefully blank, but her eyes are on her brother and there's a warning in them he's choosing not to see.
The coin. Right, the coin—do I have enough? Goat prices went up last season and if the chicken woman's busy she'll try to overcharge, I need to account for the rooster separately, roosters always cost more than—
"Fine." It scrapes out. "Come if you want. I don't care. Bring coin."
I don't not-care. That's different.
A jingle. A heavy bag lands in the cart.
"Let's go." Already walking past me, toward the tree line. Not waiting.
