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“Between you and me, I think she does it simply because she’s a bit jealous. She had Rachel and Amber to herself whenever she was home. Their entire attention was on her whenever Rachel wasn’t working. When she was, Diane had Amber all to herself when she visited. And let me tell you, that is a woman who adores her niece.”
“Sounds definitely like jealousy to me,” Mica agreed.
Merinus leaned forward confidentially.
“Add that to the fact that Harmony is here as well, with her husband, Lance, and we both know how well she enjoys poking at Jonas. I’m telling you, Mica, we’re going to be attempting to push back the war of the Breeds any day now. Harmony and Diane would decimate Jonas.”
Mica shook her head. “Rachel won’t allow it.” Then she thought about it and grinned; it was a fight she would love to see.
Merinus grimaced with good-natured regret. “And isn’t that such a shame? I personally think she should simply stand back and allow those two to count coup and let it be done.”
Mica shook her head. “Come on, Merinus, Jonas isn’t that bad. He’s arrogant I’ll agree, but he adores all of us.”
The glint in Merinus’s eye assured Mica that the other woman might consider questioning her sanity.
“You and Cassie always take up for him.” Merinus waved her hand dismissively after a moment. “Cassie’s influence on you isn’t always a good thing, Mica.” Merinus shook her finger at her then.
Mica couldn’t help but laugh at the admonishment.
“Nothing matters more to him than protecting us,” Mica reminded her. “Besides, the pressure he’s under right now has to be incredible.”
They both sobered then. Merinus looked down, her expression suddenly incredible saddened. “We try to find ways to take his mind off it, I believe,” she finally said softly as her gaze lifted. “And it’s easy to fall back on past habits to do so. But trust me, Mica, we all know Jonas well. As soon as he’s learned what that bastard did to Amber, then he’ll be up to his old tricks again.”
Mica could only shake her head. “I believe mating and fatherhood will make enough changes to surprise you. Besides, Jonas isn’t attempting to hurt anyone. He simply wants to protect everyone.”
“In the worst possible ways,” Merinus complained. “He’d lock every mate and child in an impenetrable area if possible and close us completely off from the world. We’re closed off enough as it is.”
And that was more than the truth. For all its beauty, its pristine neatness and sense of activity, as Mica had thought earlier, Sanctuary was little more than a prison. It didn’t just keep those who would harm the Breeds and their mates and children out, but it kept the rest of the world out as well. The experiences and socialization that were so important were denied the community in exchange for safety.
“At least the children can go to public school now,” Mica pointed out. “That has to be an
improvement.”
“We have three new teachers.” Merinus folded her arms on the table and stared back at Mica somberly. “But I’m beginning to wonder if we simply created more problems in forcing this issue. As far as Callan and Jonas are concerned, protection is barely adequate, though the school board often calls it outrageous, and any Breed, Breed spouse or relative of a Breed spouse is barred from running for the school board for another five years, to ensure changes that aren’t beneficial to all the children can’t be blocked.”
“Hmm,” Mica murmured. “Can’t you just imagine Jonas or Callan on the school board?” she asked facetiously.
She could, and Mica was very aware of the fact that there wasn’t a chance in hell she would want to go head-tohead with one of them.
Merinus winced. “I believe that might be what they were frightened of when that rule was forced upon us, if the letters from the school board were any indication.”
No doubt. Mica couldn’t help but laugh at that one. Anyone who met Jonas Wyatt, let alone anyone who dared to come beneath the intent stare of those eerie silver eyes, learned quickly that he wasn’t a Breed one wanted to confront.
He was quite simply spooky on a good day. Unless you had grown up getting to know him, as Cassie and Mica had done for the past fifteen or so years.
And Callan, though less terrifying, was definitely not comfortable to be around when one was disagreeing with him.
“Well, if you have no comment on Cougar, what about Navarro? Though personally, I am partial to the Lion Breeds.”
No kidding. Mica only shook her head in reply to the prima’s preference.
“There’s not much known about Navarro,” Merinus continued. “Sherra and I were checking into his lab files, and they’re amazingly light on information.”
That didn’t surprise Mica in the least. Wolves were much less prone to allow what few files existed on them into the shared data bank. It seemed that for the most part, the Felines were less concerned about who knew what. Their attitude was that they were badasses, they knew it, and they didn’t care who else knew it.
Wolf Breeds on the other hand felt it much better to keep such information in-house. Or preferably to themselves.
“And your matchmaking point is?” Mica asked in amusement.
