Whatever happened at that meeting changed something.
The realization settles cold in my stomach.
“You the big scary zoo guy?” the leader asks.
Silence.
“Thought you’d be taller.”
Still nothing.
Customers begin watching openly now. Tension crawls through the bakery like exposed wiring. I look up at Kauss and realize with dawning horror that he is holding himself perfectly still on purpose.
Not calm.
Restrained.
The gang member smirks wider. “Heard you used to smash faces for fun. What happened?”
Kauss’s jaw flexes once.
Nothing else.
Another gang member circles toward the counter. “Maybe the baker declawed him.”
That earns a few ugly laughs.
Heat rises sharp and instant in my chest. “Get out.”
The leader ignores me completely, eyes fixed on Kauss. “What’s wrong, dragon? Lenrog put you on a leash?”
Every muscle in Kauss’s body locks.
There it is.
Confirmation.
My pulse jumps hard.
The gang member steps closer. Too close. “Kinda pathetic, honestly. Whole neighborhood talking about the monster under Halo, and turns out you’re just another bitch taking orders.”
The bakery goes dead silent.
I wait for Kauss to move.
He does not.
His breathing changes slightly. That is all.
The leader laughs in genuine disbelief. “Holy shit. It’s true.”
He grabs a milkshake off a nearby table.
My stomach drops.
“Don’t,” I say sharply.
He looks at me and smiles.
