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Stone lunged for me, but Graeme was fast, so very fast, and had him in his arms in seconds.

“He left,” Lauren announced sadly, trudging back into the room. “But he said he’d bring some yummy bread next time.”

“If there is a next time,” Avery groused as he followed Lauren into the room, his eyes flicking to Graeme. “Though he did say he’d already figured out a workaround, whatever that means.”

“Absolutely not,” Graeme declared, releasing Stone. “Watch him,” he ordered Gigi, then bolted from the room.

“He’s going to scare him,” Avery stated. “This is a mistake.”

“I don’t think he’s easily scared,” I said miserably.

“As if you know anything about him at all,” Stone said snidely.

I thought about hitting him, but Gigi would be mad, so instead, I stood there like a statue, not moving at all. When Graeme returned, he was annoyed. I could tell from the furrow of his brows.

“You didn’t catch him?” Avery asked.

“He’s gone. I’ve never seen anyone move that fast. It’s like…”

“Like?” Avery pressed him.

Graeme turned to Gigi. “You said he beat up those men in the room at the hospital?”

“Yes. Why?”

“That had to have been done quickly, as from what Avery’s told us, they were both terribly capable individuals.”

“Yeah.” Avery walked around to stand beside his mate. “Fixers, both of them. Why? What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that perhaps Sasha Norwood doesn’t have to shift to be strong, or fast, or agile. Probably, because he’s an omega, no one ever noticed it.”

“I don’t understand. You’re saying he’s, what, a superhero?”

“No,” Graeme answered me. “It’s simply a latent gene that happens now and then, a throwback to when we needed hunters as powerful as the wolves we descended from. I doubt he’s ever given it much thought, outside of being able to beat up men in hospital rooms who are trying to kill you. Also, I’ll bet he’s never lost his balance or dropped anything in his life.”

“Really?” Gigi asked.

He nodded. “I can’t imagine his wolf, when he shifts, is very big, but there’s no doubt in my mind that none of us could catch him.”

I would. I would definitely catch him.

“What do you think he meant when he said he had a workaround?” Avery asked Graeme.

“Someone he trusts more than me.”

“No,” Avery corrected him quickly. “He trusts you, but he doesn’t trust Deacon.”

“Which is crap,” I grumbled. “He may not like me, but I’ve never hurt him.”

Gigi scoffed.

“You know what I mean.”

“Being physically hurt is the least of his concerns,” Avery began. “Don’t be stupid. Whatever you said or did to—” Avery’s phone rang in the back pocket of his jeans, and when he pulled it and checked the screen, he announced that it was Wade before he hit the button so he could speak to his partner. “Oh yeah? He was here quite recently.” He was quiet, listening. “That makes perfect sense, and technically, yes, Linny knows even more about the jarl here than Graeme does.” He was quiet again for a few moments, nodding. “Okay, let me know.”

He hung up, and I noted the look of disappointment both Graeme and I were on the receiving end of.

“What happened?” Gigi asked.