The Wolf Crown (The Wolf Kings #2) (MLM)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.

                "All right," Everett mumbled, eyes wide, "I'll admit, that's certainly one of the more insane things you've ever said."

Jack had just finished telling them everything that had happened after he'd woken up in the shadows. Tiberius's arms around him were tight, unrelenting as Jack explained what had happened to the last leaders and what the Shadow Wolf had wanted of Tiberius's great, great grandfather. Violet and Everett had asked questions, Graham had chimed in with whatever history he knew himself, but Tiberius had stayed silent, either pressing his cheek to Jack's neck or his lips to Jack's jaw or his chin to Jack's shoulder.

Not even after Jack's story did Tiberius's fingers on him stop trembling, or the need for some part of his face to be pressed against Jack's dwindle down. Jack was secretly relieved for it. He thought he'd fall apart if Tiberius let him go for a second. Maybe he wasn't as okay as he wanted to look.

"I know it's stupid," Jack said, "to believe anything the Shadow Wolf tells us—"

"Well, actually, there isn't much of a word for it," Graham said thoughtfully, "because no one has ever been able to say that they've spoken to the Shadow Wolf. Except, I suppose, the first ever werewolf, and we can't exactly ask him."

"I'm not crazy," Jack said.

"No one thinks you are, my friend," Violet assured him. "But look at all the Shadow Wolf has done. With the damages done to the groves, we're pooling all the food we can together just to ensure everyone gets to eat—"

"But don't you see?" Jack said. "The Damned Quarter isn't overflowing with gold like Crescent Castle. The Shadow Wolf could've attacked you right from the inside, there was nothing stopping him. He's limiting his ambushes to outside our doors instead, why?"

"He's toying with us?" Everett suggested. "Like Prince Quartz said."

"Maybe," Jack acknowledged, "or maybe whoever's holding his leash is sending him to cause damage he doesn't want to cause. This was a person once."

"Not anymore," Graham said grimly.

"He hasn't hurt anyone yet," Jack argued. "There was no guarantee he was ever going to get to me, why's he trying so hard to be careful?"

"'Careful' is a very funny way of putting it, mate."

"Poison can have a very strong effect on the mind," Violet reasoned. "Are you sure what you saw wasn't a hallucination?"

"Even if it was real," Everett put in, "how can we believe that monster?"

"I wasn't hallucinating," Jack said adamantly. "And I know the Shadow Wolf was telling the truth. I just—I can't prove it, but . . . I have a gut feeling."

"That's good enough for me," Tiberius said with a finality that silenced any other argument, but he wasn't looking at Jack. He was staring instead at Jack's engagement ring, almost like he was looking right through it.

Jack reached a hand up and cupped his jaw, trying to look him in the eyes. Damn it, why were his own eyes burning? He was here, in the Damned Quarter, surrounded by people he trusted and the love of his life. Why was his heart still hammering like he was afraid?

He heaved a shaky breath and pressed his forehead to Tiberius's, drawing strength. Tiberius wordlessly let him take what he needed before Jack pulled back, hand still on his jaw.

"Look at me," he whispered, repeating it and repeating it until Tiberius's eyes slowly raked Jack's entire body and finally focused on his own. "I'm right here. I'm safe, with you."

Tiberius clenched his jaw and nodded, but still the heavy weight in Jack's chest would not lift. Was he about to have another panic attack?

No, not yet. He still had a few things to figure out.