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“ H ow the hell are we supposed to find this woman with only her first name?”

The card that Melinda had given to Logan was essentially useless, with a lot of the information rubbed away over time. The only thing we could really make out was that Anya’s last name started with “La—” and that she’d owned a tea shop in Winnipeg that had closed down seven years ago.

Yelena had acquired a laptop for us, and had agreed that I could help Logan today instead of being immediately assigned to the kitchens. Every time she looked at me with that amused sparkle in her eyes, it got my hackles up. I knew she was baiting me, and I fell for it every fucking time.

The speaker on the wall crackled, Yelena’s voice filling the room. “Caden, meet me on the main level. Don’t forget your collar. Precious, you stay where you are.”

There went the hackles again.

Logan looked up from Melinda’s book. “What do you think she wants?”

I shrugged, trying to work the stiffness from my shoulders. Yelena was too used to being obeyed and I wasn’t a fan of being under her thumb. Haru had placed a set of three collars by the door for us and I bristled as I buckled one of them around my throat.

Logan hopped off the bed to kiss me before I stepped out the door. “Be safe. I know you don’t like her, but we have to trust that Yelena will protect us in here.”

I cupped Logan’s face in my hands, stroking her cheeks. “If she lets anything happen to you, I’ll tear this place down to the foundation.” I glanced past her to Seth. “Be good. I’ll be back soon.”

Yelena and Haru were waiting for me when I stepped off the elevator. Her gaze swept over me, landing on the collar, and that infuriating smirk graced her lips. “Hello, panther.”

“Mistress,” I ground out. “Haru.”

The wolf inclined their head to acknowledge me.

Yelena held out her hand. “Come with me. Can’t have you getting lost, so be sure to hold on tight.”

I closed my fingers around hers, ignoring the warmth of her skin and the bite of her nails as she pulled me along. Haru trotted along next to us, weaving through the throng in the dining hall.

“What are we doing?”

“It will benefit you to integrate. I’d like you to help with at least one meal per week and get to know the staff.”

“But you sai?—”

“I acknowledge what I said, panther, but you need allies and information. The residents are the lifeblood of the nest and the kitchens are the beating heart. If you want to build connections, this is the place to do it.”

Haru nosed the back of my knee and I realized I’d pulled us to a stop. A few hours away from Logan won’t hurt you. This will be good.

“I feel like we have different definitions of good.”

“Learn to expand your definitions, then.” Yelena tugged me through the kitchen doors and everyone paused, bowing their heads briefly to her. “Hello, darlings. One of my new pets has some skill in the kitchen and I’d like you to find a place for him to assist as needed.”

A petite woman in a chef’s hat set down her knife and approached us.

“Caden, this is our head chef, Estrella Garcia Perez. She’s an Iberian lynx. Estrella, darling, this is Caden Ashford.”

Estrella thrust out her hand for mine and shook it with a strength I didn’t expect from her size. Her eyes flashed a golden green. “Welcome to my kitchen.”

“Wonderful.” Yelena beamed. “I’ll leave you in Estrella’s capable hands. Please page Haru or me to retrieve Caden when you’re finished with him for the day.”

I stood uncomfortably with everyone’s eyes on me as Yelena and Haru departed.

“Florencia!” Estrella called.

“Yes, chef?”

“Take care of Yelena’s pet and see what he’s capable of. I have work to do.”

“Yes, chef!” Florencia bounded over with a mile-wide smile, her dark skin luminous with a sheen of sweat from where she’d been working over the stove. “Nice to meet you! I’m Florencia.”

“Caden.” I shook her hand and she grinned back at me.

“Everyone’s been talking about you,” she told me, ushering me to the pantry. “You’re a panther, right? And the other one that came in was too?”

“Yeah, that was my brother.”

“So cool! I’m an antelope.”

That certainly made sense with how bouncy she was.

“Do you have commercial cooking experience?”

“Not in the past few decades. The closest I’ve come anytime recently is a barbecue.”

“That’s okay.” Florencia nodded and started passing me bags of potatoes. “The nice thing about here is the meals are at specific times and chef controls the menu. People can put in requests to be considered, but they can’t order whatever they want so it’s way less chaos and way easier to plan.”

Florencia got me set up on washing potatoes and chatted away at me as she coated the dried ones in oil before wrapping them in foil.

All manner of gossip was tossed my way—how they were all worried about Protector Calliope, who was on bed rest with her pregnancy; how one of Protector Kendrick’s chosen had moved on the week before and he’d been sharper than usual since; and of course all about Logan, Seth, me, and the monster keeping everyone on lockdown.

Florencia was eager for every scrap of information, though I didn’t give her many.

Maybe Yelena had been right. Florencia seemed to know everyone in the nest and was more than happy to talk about them.

“Is Protector Calliope still able to do her job while on bed rest?” I asked as I pulled the sink plug.

“Sort of? We see her a lot less, but I think the others have meetings in her suite so she can still be included.”

I mused on that. Did a partial Protector leave any sort of vacuum that others would try to fill?

Did Protectors get parental leave? I had no illusions that I could fill that role without some sort of artifact to aid the nest, but Logan…

They needed her to bolster the wards. She didn’t need an artifact for that. Maybe?—

“Earth to Caden.” Florencia waved a hand in front of my face.

“Sorry. Distracted.”

“No worries. Have you had a busy time since becoming Yelena’s? Is she tiring you out?” Florencia waggled her eyebrows and I tensed.

“No,” I said more sharply than intended. “We’re not—that’s not?—”

“Yeesh, chill.” Florencia patted my hand.

“I was just asking. Protector Yelena is gorgeous and she claimed you so it’s a natural question.

I know I’d be all over that opportunity if she ever claimed me.

I’m surprised she wanted you, to be honest. Not that you lot aren’t cute, but she hasn’t claimed anyone except Haru for yeeears. ”

Florencia continued on, completely ignoring the tension that had snared me. We laid out the wrapped potatoes onto a massive baking sheet and moved on to chopping green onions to top the eventual baked potatoes.

Estrella watched me intently every so often, but I must’ve passed muster because she let Florencia continue with her guidance of me. None of the tasks were difficult, but there was a flow and rhythm to the kitchen I had to adjust to.

Each downstroke of the knife helped me focus. Florencia continued to chat away at me, but my thoughts were tangled around the frankly audacious idea that Logan would take on the role from Protector Calliope. I could happily be under Logan’s power here. At least I trusted her.

I wrapped up the bowl of sliced green onion and set it in the walk-in cooler.

With any luck we’d be able to just leave the nest before anything bad happened.

Maybe the monster wouldn’t be able to follow us into the ocean and we could be safe on a pilfered boat.

Until we were pulled ashore by the coast guard at least…

Also none of us had any sailing experience.

Maybe one of the Protectors had a yacht they could lend us.

“Being distracted in my kitchen causes injuries.”

I snapped to attention to find Estrella in front of me.

“You focus or you get out. I don’t care that Protector Yelena wants you here. If you endanger yourself or others, I will page her to remove you.”

“Sorry. I’m still recovering from what brought us here. I’ll do better.”

Estrella’s eyes narrowed. “You will do better by resting. You have assisted. I will page the Protector and you will not return until you have settled. Am I clear?”

“Yes, chef,” I said quietly. I couldn’t gather a ton of energy to be disappointed in myself. We had just fled for our lives across the country, my brother and mate had both almost died, and I needed more time than I’d been given. Too much had happened.

“Don’t worry,” Florencia said as she patted my shoulder. “She’ll warm up to you, but she’s right. No sense in handling knives if you’re tired. Sometimes I work the overnight shift and it’s very quiet. You should come by once you’ve had some rest and I’ll teach you more about how the kitchen runs.”

“Sure, that sounds good. I guess send me a message?”

“Can do!” Florencia beamed at me and a moment later Haru nosed his way through the kitchen doors.

Let’s go.

I followed the wolf into the dining hall, my gaze flicking around at the plethora of people milling about.

Estrella’s a hardass. I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did.

“Yeah?”

She’s kicked people out almost as fast as they’ve walked in. She must have liked you.

“Sure didn’t seem like it.”

You’ll learn. Did you make friends?

I shrugged as we navigated the halls. “Florencia was nice. I don’t know that I made the best impression.”

Trust me. You’d know if she didn’t like you. Yelena picked this shift so she could see their responses to you.

“And do I pass inspection?” The words came out with more bitterness than intended, but Haru didn’t respond to it.

Yelena will speak to them. I’m sure you’ll find out.

Haru was quiet the rest of the way to Yelena’s suite. Seth was fast asleep when I arrived and Logan closed her laptop at our return. Haru left me at the door and went about whatever else he had to do.

Logan patted the bed. “You look exhausted. Want to loaf?”

I slipped into my house cat form without a second thought and tossed myself onto the bed. Logan scooped me up the moment I was within reach. Her fingers scratched under my chin and around my ears, her cheek nuzzling my fur as she planted countless kisses on my head.

Bliss.

My purr rumbled my worries away, stress melting under the onslaught of affection.

Logan set the laptop aside and wiggled onto her back where she could stroke me nose to tail while I sat on her chest. I flopped onto my side, letting my body stretch over hers, tucking my head under her chin where I swiftly fell asleep.

I woke sometime later to warm breath on my face.

Opening my eyes revealed a snout that sent me careening backward with a shriek, my fur puffing out in a panic.

Logan shouted when my paws dug into her organs during my leap, bolting upright.

The room was dark. Someone must have come in and turned off the lights for us.

You’ve slept twelve hours. Haru set a paw on Logan’s leg. I had to make sure you were all alive.

Logan patted the bed next to her and Haru hopped up. “We’re alive. Just exhausted.”

Seth opened a groggy eye. “What’s happening?”

I gave myself a shake to calm my fur puff down. Just Haru scaring the shit out of me.

Logan’s stomach growled. “What time is it?”

Around four a.m.

Logan glanced around the room, squinting. “Where’s Yelena?”

We had our first panic attack over the lockdown. She’s dealing with it.

“How do they deal with that here?” Seth asked, carefully adjusting himself to sit up.

Not like the Orlando nest. No one gets locked up here for having a crisis. Yelena or Velda will sit with them, Dr. Atling will check them over, and they’ll either spend some time in the infirmary or they’ll go to the dining hall for tea and snacks.

I climbed onto Logan’s lap and turned to Haru. Why is that something the Protectors do?

Logan reached out a hand. “Can I?”

Haru quirked his head but didn’t tell her no, and her fingers disappeared into the plushness of Haru’s fur. His eyes closed for a moment before he answered. Some of the Protectors care more than others. It helps the residents feel like they’re being heard…

Haru trailed off, their tail giving a few enthusiastic thumps against the bed.