Crescent (Tribes, Book 1) [completed]

Chapter 18

Conner knew the instant they finished their conversation. The door opened with a soft squeak and the tiny woman—Brielle, wasn't it?—practically floated into the living room.

"Is Liana okay?" Conner shot a look past Brielle's head.

"She's fine, just scared and confused."

"She's scared?" Even Conner's wolf whined with that information.

"Yo, Wolfie." Brielle snapped her fingers, probably trying to get Conner's attention. "It's not the kind of scared you're thinking of, so cool it. She's going to clean up and get her act together, then she'll talk to you about it. We mutually decided that communication is key. So leave her alone until she's ready to talk."

Conner growled at the tiny human. She thought she could order him around so easily? If she wasn't Liana's friend, he might teach her a lesson.

Despite the threatening sound, Brielle merely sighed and shook her head. "You might be hopeless. Let me summarize everything I just said. You need to chill and she needs to talk. This will happen soon, so be patient."

"She's already on the last leg of my patience."

"Wow, you're angsty when you don't get your way." Brielle reached out and patted Conner's arm. "It's going to be okay. Now, I heard I don't have much time. Is someone going to take me home?"

"I assigned someone to take you back to the gates."

"I'm not going to get shot or something, right?"

"The guards are under instructions to let you leave with Preston."

"Oh, so Preston is his name."

Conner's attention fell to the tiny brunette. "He didn't tell you?"

"He didn't say much. I heard the words 'Liana' and 'let's go' pretty clearly, though."

For a brief moment, Conner wondered why Preston hadn't identified himself to Brielle, but he let it go. Brielle was from the human world. A world that Preston's tribe didn't tolerate. Of course he would want to keep his distance.

Conner didn't need to get involved with this human, either. "Let's go." He took her arm and steered her to the front door.

Brielle swatted at his hand. "I know how to walk, big guy."

"You're getting on my nerves." Conner opened the door and released Brielle at the threshold. "Landon!"

Conner's most trusted right-hand looked away from the small group of wolves he had been keeping an eye on. He jogged to the door.

"Is this the woman?"

"Take her back to Preston, at the gates. Don't leave her side until she's in his care."

"Yes, alpha." Landon turned and motioned for Brielle to go first. "The truck is this way."

Brielle grinned up at Conner. "I like this one better than the first."

"Me, too." Finally, something he and Brielle could agree on.

Conner waited just until Landon had loaded Brielle into the truck before he shut himself in his house again. Brielle said that Liana would clean up before she spoke to Conner, but Conner hadn't anticipated the flowery soap scent that permeated the small house.

He tapped his palms against his temples. "Get a grip. You need to talk with her. These thoughts aren't going to help." Must he have such thoughts at every moment? It didn't bode well for their conversation.

Conner dialed Preston, hoping that would clear his thoughts a little.

"Is she headed back?"

"She is." Conner flopped onto the couch again. He was still too frustrated to stand. "It'll be a while still. Maybe twenty or twenty-five minutes?"