Luna of Rogues

Part 53 - Family Time

"I saw what happened with the ferals," Rhodric began. "You did the right thing, as far as I'm concerned. They were already dead in all the ways that matter."

"And the hunters?" I asked.

"Dead, too. Mostly. Their leader got away," Rhodric said, quiet enough to betray his frustration. As soon as he noticed me staring, he buried it all beneath a shrug. "Hunting him down shouldn't take too long."

Rhys watched him with a half-clenched jaw. "That's why you left so soon after the police station, isn't it?"

"I left a rather delicate situation when I'd heard you'd been arrested," he explained. "Because I knew that certain other people would have heard, too. Turns out I was hardly needed."

"We were in deep shit when you turned up, actually," I muttered. My legs were starting to ache, so I sat myself down on the bed and let them have a rest. It was looking like I wouldn't get my nice, warm bath after all.

"You would have been fine," he said dismissively. 

"Are you going to have to leave again now?" Rhys demanded with a hint of a challenge.

The look Rhodric gave his son was the same as I had seen him use with many unruly rogues over the years. It was the type of withering stare that would make normal wolves run away with their tails between their legs. "No, I think I'll stick around for a bit."

Rhys didn't drop his stare, an accusation burning in his eyes. It was true that we had been abandoned twice already, and personally, I felt like I was mostly over it, but Rhys was another story. It fell to Fion, as usual, to diffuse the tension. "Hey guys? I could really use something to eat."

"Leo can bring us something back," Rhodric said. "Do you want anything in particular? I'm guessing the cravings have already started."

Cravings...

Oh, hell. He knew. How the hell did he know? It was still very faint in her scent — almost indistinguishable, in fact, unless you knew what to look for. One of these days I was going to make him teach me all his secret ways of getting information.

Fion's eyes went wide, and she avoided his gaze, but she shook her head. "Any food is okay."

"Well, it can't be too much longer. You must be what — a month along? Whenever I got Jess pregnant, she needed fish and chips on tap."

Rhys stiffened, as he always did when his mother was mentioned. It may have also been something to do with him still being sensitive about the whole Fion situation. Although they were talking to each other now, I could almost taste the tension in the air.

"Two weeks," Fion corrected very quietly. I was sure it was only for Rhys's benefit. Rhodric wouldn't have pinpointed a timeline if he didn't already know who the father was.

Leo ducked through the entrance to the tent with four plates balanced carefully on his arms. He must have been summoned through the link. I seized my plate with a nod of thanks and began devouring the shepherd's pie at an alarming rate.

Emma and Kara were standing shyly in the entrance, not sure quite what to make of Rhodric. Apparently, he was intimidating even to Lunas. He smiled at Emma, though, as if he recognised her.

"Hello again, Emma," he said.

"Do you know everybody?" I demanded.

"Not everyone, no. Emma's a special case," he said. "She should be a rogue, really. She would be happier that way — her brother certainly was."

"Don't be so sure," she said. They were slow and strangely careful words. "I'm happy and loved where I am."

Rhodric gave her a slow nod. "Good. You know where to find us if that ever changes."