Page 173 of Beasts of Mine

“She'll leave for work again too.” Tavian said as his thumb moved along the rim of his cup, his amber eyes shifting from Malek to me. “She travels.”

“Yes.” Malek answered Tavian, his gaze lowering toward the table while something guarded settled over his expression. Malek knew more about some parts of Evie's life than either Tavian or I did. She had talked to him for days while she still thought he was only Cat, but he'd never repeated those conversations to us, and I didn't expect him to. Being packmates didn't make something she'd told him privately ours.

What we knew because Evie had chosen to tell us herself was enough. Her work took her away regularly, sometimes far away. She had clients, schedules, expensive equipment, medication she managed herself, and responsibilities that existed long before any of us appeared in her life.

“I could travel.” Tavian announced as he straightened in his chair, the thought apparently occurring to him while Malek and I were considering all the reasons Evie would keep leaving.

“To where?” Malek asked Tavian, one brow lifting faintly as he turned toward him.

“Wherever she's working.” Tavian answered as he spread one hand toward the open shutters. “Other forests exist.”

“I am aware.” Malek replied dryly, his face remaining completely serious.

“Mountains too.” Tavian added, apparently deciding Malek needed examples.

“Yes.” Malek answered Tavian with growing patience.

“Snow.” Tavian continued, his eyes brightening as though that were somehow the most convincing possibility.

“You hate cold.” Malek reminded Tavian, narrowing his eyes at him.

“I could hate it somewhere interesting.” Tavian defended himself, lifting both shoulders while amusement started returning to his scent.

I laughed, shaking my head. Although Malek remained completely serious. Tavian wasn't entirely joking, and that was what caught my attention. He wasn't treating Evie's work as something that automatically took her away from us. He was already considering whether, sometimes, one of us could go with her.

“She may not want anyone coming along.” I reminded Tavian, watching to see what he did with a possibility that didn't match the future he was already imagining.

“Then we don't go.” Tavian replied easily, lifting one shoulder without showing even a trace of offense. “I'm not saying we follow her everywhere. I'm saying sometimes we might not have to stay here while she goes somewhere else.”

Malek's scent sharpened enough that both Tavian and I noticed, but Tavian didn't tease him this time.

“What?” I asked Malek when he remained silent, watching the muscle move once along his jaw while his attention drifted toward the courtyard.

“I want her here.” Malek admitted after several seconds, his fingers moving slowly along the side of his cup. “When she leaves, I want to follow. When I can't smell her, I want to know where she is.”

Neither Tavian nor I interrupted. Malek rarely talked just to fill silence, and when he volunteered something he clearly didn't enjoy admitting, the worst thing either of us could do was make him fight for enough room to finish it.

“When she talks about another assignment, part of me wants to tell her she could stay instead.” Malek continued, his voice lower now as the cedar around him carried the agitation his expression rarely showed. I understood more of that feeling than I wanted to. Evie had been gone only a few hours, and I'd already caught myself wondering whether she'd reached the station even though I had no reason to think she hadn't.

“What happens if you tell her not to go?” I asked Malek, resting my forearms against the table while I watched him.

“She tells me no.” Malek answered immediately, one corner of his mouth tightening because he didn't need any time to imagine the response.

“Very quickly.” Tavian added as he gave Malek a knowing look, keeping the teasing mild enough that it didn't turn the admission into a joke.

Malek glanced toward him.

“You know I'm right.” Tavian told Malek, raising one hand when Malek's expression flattened.

“I do.” Malek admitted, giving Tavian a short nod before looking down again.

“And if you keep trying?” I asked Malek, already knowing the answer but wanting him to say it.

“She gets angry.” Malek replied, exhaling slowly through his nose as some of the tension finally shifted across his shoulders.

“Also quickly.” Tavian added, the faint smile touching his mouth disappearing when Malek looked toward him again. Malek ignored the comment. He watched the water inside his cup for a moment before leaning back slightly, and the cedar surrounding him gradually lost the restless edge that had sharpened it.

“I don't want her here because she thinks she has to stay.” Malek said, his voice quieter than before. “I want her to come back.”