“How could you, Ryan?” The old woman slammed her mug on the table. “What were you thinking, branding a loner? Her I expect this behavior from, considering why her pack banished her. But you . . . I raised you better than this.”

Looking at her blankly, Ryan grunted.

Jaime whispered to Makenna, “What did he say?”

Just as quietly, she replied, “He thinks she has way too much time on her hands.”

Jaime snickered into her coffee mug. “She does.”

“Whispering again?” griped Greta with a sneer.

Makenna nodded. “Try it sometime.” She jumped as Dominic started choking on his toast. Trey seemed to take delight in thumping him on the back. These people were strange.

After breakfast, many of the pack accompanied Makenna, Zac, and Ryan to the parking lot. While they made a fuss of Zac and said their good-byes, Taryn linked her arm through Makenna’s and said, “Walk with me a little.”

Makenna dug her heels in after three steps. “Um, I’d rather not.”

Taryn laughed. “I sure do like that you’re direct.”

“I know exactly what you’d like to say: that you’ve noticed all the brands, that you can see something’s going on between me and Ryan, and that you’ll come after me with a pitchfork if I hurt him.”

Taryn pursed her lips. “I wouldn’t have chosen a pitchfork.”

“The thing is . . . I would have had to then respond that what goes on between Ryan and me is our business, that you shouldn’t think I’m an easy target, and that if you come at me you should do it with everything you have because I won’t submit. So I guess it’s a good thing that this is just a hypothetical conversation.”

A smile slowly spread across Taryn’s face. “I can see why Ryan likes you. And I think you’ll be good for him. So, yes, I am going to ask you not to hurt him. But I’m also going to ask you to be patient with him, because he could easily hurt you even though he won’t mean to.” She seemed to struggle for the words to explain. “He hasn’t been involved in any serious relationships. The females he’s had fun with all said the same thing—he’s emotionally stunted, he doesn’t feel anything, which isn’t true. Ryan just doesn’t share what he feels.

“I assume you saw his scars, so you can guess what happened to him. He’s never once spoken of it. I wasn’t part of the pack at the time, but I was told that when he came back, he was a physical mess and had to be in absolute agony . . . but to look in his eyes, you would never have known it.”

Makenna could believe that. Ryan was a closed book.

“From what I heard, Ryan was always quiet and self-contained. But after that he became harder, withdrew even further. That was why everybody was so shocked yesterday when he argued with you,” continued Taryn. “That kind of emotional engagement isn’t normal for him. He likes you a lot more than any of us suspected. He might look like a guy who’s too tough to hurt, but I don’t believe that’s true. He’s vulnerable in his own way. So I’m asking you to be careful with him, and to not be upset if he doesn’t give you pretty words.”

Her wolf bristled at the warning, not liking another female interfering in such a way. But Makenna was glad that his pack mates were so protective of him. That was how it should be. He was a good guy. He deserved that protection.

Said guy then approached, glancing from her to Taryn. “Ready to go?”

“Yep.” Makenna gave Taryn a short nod. “See ya.”

When Ryan drove out of the lot with Makenna in the backseat and Zac riding shotgun, he asked her, “What was that about?”

Makenna smiled. “Are you always so nosy?”

His hands clenched around the steering wheel. “You’re answering a question with a question again.”

“Am I?”

Ryan ground his teeth so hard it was audible, which made Zac laugh. The teenager seemed to find genuine joy in watching Ryan and Makenna spar. Ryan had to admit that he sometimes found their sparring sort of invigorating.

As Ryan finally pulled up outside the shelter, Zac grinned. “I had an awesome time. Your territory is seriously cool.” A pause. “Dominic said I could go again tomorrow.”

“It’s your home, you can come whenever you want.” Was the kid not getting that?

Zac’s eyes clouded. “I could just bring trouble to your door.”

“We already talked about that.”

Makenna leaned forward and placed a hand on the juvenile’s shoulder. “Zac, if your old pack comes looking for you and causes any trouble, it won’t be your fault. No one would blame you. Every Phoenix wolf will do whatever they can to protect you whether you’re living at the shelter or not. Staying here won’t save them, if that’s what you’re trying to do.”

Ryan wanted to kick himself. Of course that was what Zac was doing. Ryan would have done the same. “Take tonight to think about it. I’ll be here at nine in the morning. If all you want is to spend the day there, I’ll return you here later.”

“I’ll think about it. See you in the morning.” Zac opened the car door. “Later, Makenna.”

Watching him run to the shelter’s entrance, Makenna said, “I think he’ll say yes.”

Ryan looked around. “Where’s your car?”

“Getting an oil change.”

“I’ll take you home.” She rattled off her address, but Ryan already knew it from conversations he’d had with Zac. “What were you and Taryn talking about?” he asked as he headed to her apartment.