Page 147 of Poet & Protector

Fey snarled with pleasure and rested her fingers on Dax’s biceps. “What if we put them in a room together again without Calla there to interfere and then saw if Shay could keep his arms? Maybe you’d like the sight of him bloodied up so much you’d just give Mason the extra ten dollars.”

I no longer cared about the bet or the money because I spotted Logan approaching our table from the other side of the cafeteria. I jerked away from Nev as I watched the Keeper come toward us, fighting to stay calm. I didn’t know what would set Logan off. Could I do things like put my arm around Nev in a friendly way because we were still packmates? Was I not allowed to touch him at all? Memories of the previous night wracked my body.

Nev tensed as Logan drew near, and I knew his mind had been snared by what happened last night, too.

“What is wrong with you?” Calla brought her fist down on the table, shouting at all of us.

The violent strike shocked me back into the present. Her frustration and anger nearly split the tabletop. She had no idea Logan was standing behind her.

“Don’t you realize how serious this is? Ren attacked Shay in the middle of class and now he’s left school. Ren could get into serious trouble with Logan for this!”

My pulse sped up. Not only because Calla was right, but because Logan’s eyes locked on me for a long moment before he spoke.

“Yes.” The Keeper finally looked at Calla. “He could.”

My alpha turned to face Logan. I watched her tremble at his cold smile.

“Calla.” He acknowledged her then beckoned someone to join him.

Shay appeared at our master’s side. I’d been so alarmed by Logan’s arrival I’d failed to notice the human trailing behind him.

Ren was nowhere in sight, but Shay was here. With Logan. What the hell was going on?

“I was quite concerned to hear about the incident in your class this morning.” Logan kept his focus on Calla. “As you can imagine, word reached me very quickly since Shay’s uncle is a good friend of my father’s.”

Calla’s eyes were fixed on Logan as he spoke. She gripped her chair so tightly I heard the wood creak.

“According to Shay,” Logan continued, “the fault is solely his. Apparently he insulted you in such a way as to provoke Ren to defend your honor?”

Shay insult Calla? That didn’t track at all. I could see him getting frustrated about Ren, but he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Calla, I was sure of that.

Logan tilted his head, peering at Calla. “Nurse Flynn reported something similar about an argument between Shay and yourself that would have contributed to this…unpleasantness.”

Nurse Flynn? This was getting weirder and weirder.

Calla was blinking rapidly as she processed Logan’s words, but she quickly nodded. “Yes, that’s what happened.”

The hell it was. She was lying. Something was very, very wrong here.

“I see.” Logan nodded at Shay.

After clearing his throat, Shay said, “Calla, I’m sorry that I lost my temper this morning. I was out of line. I don’t blame Ren at all for coming after me when he heard about it. I hope you can forgive me.”

Yeah. That was a lie, too.

Logan smiled and looked at Calla.

“Thank you.” She hardly spared a glance at Shay. “It’s fine.”

And…scene.

None of that was real, but Logan seemed as invested in whatever bullshit had just played out as Calla and Shay.

“Quarrels between friends are so unfortunate and best quickly forgotten,” Logan said to the rest of us. “It’s been so heartening to see you welcome Shay. Let’s not change a good thing. I’m certain Ren will find it in his heart to forgive him, as should all of you.”

Not a request. An order. He waited for us to give quiet acknowledgment of our agreement before he smiled again.

“Very good. I’ll leave you to your reconciliations, then.”