Page 34 of The Return

“About what?”

Wow, he’d really been focused on the yard. “The Council is coming Monday. Do you think I owe them the opportunity to talk to me?”

“The C-C-Council?” he sputtered. “Yes, you should. They’re our leaders.”

He seemed more nervous than ever. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he squeaked. “Everything is fine.”

But it wasn’t, and I could… sense it. “Can you excuse us? I’d like to take Matt out and show him what Brent put together.”

“Corey, we—”

“I just need a few minutes,” I assured Jonas.

Matt followed me out into the yard. I closed the door, but wasn’t sure the others wouldn’t hear us anyway.

“Okay, what’s wrong?”

He dropped his gaze to the ground. “Nothing.”

“Try again. We both know you’re nervous. Tell me why. I can’t help if you don’t.”

He tilted his head up. “Why do you care? I’m not your wolf.”

“Maybe not, but I’d like to be your friend.”

He bit his lip. “This job is my last chance. If I mess this up, they’re going to send me away.”

I shook my head. “Excuse me?”

He turned his back to me, his voice dropping to a cracked whisper. “I… can’t do much. People, especially strong ones, make me nervous. I have a hard time speaking to them.”

“You seem to do fine with Jonas.”

“Alpha Brodie isn’t like other Alphas. He doesn’t demand—he asks. I think he learned a lot from you.”

Another person who said that I helped Jonas become the person he was today.

“He’s a good man, and I like him. I like you too. I love working for you, because you treat me like I matter.”

“You do.”

He gave me a wan smile. “Not according to the Council. My last four assignments, I’ve messed up somehow. I was late picking someone up for work because of traffic, and he wasn’t there on time for a vote. Another one, the guy called me stupid, then threw something at me and laughed. I jerked, and we hit a parked car.”

“Did you tell them that?”

He shook his head. “It wouldn’t matter. They’re higher up on the food chain than I am.”

The more I heard about this Council, the less I liked them. “Why don’t you go ahead and try out the shelter? Let me know if you can think of anything else you want before Brent leaves.”

He frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“Me?” I smiled at him. “I’m going to get ready for the Council.”

“Corey, I—”

“It’ll be fine, trust me. Come in when you’re ready. I’m ordering pizza for dinner.”