“Would they smell your scent on Dylan?” Addie asked, thinking it through. “If he spends time with you, then goes back home . . .”
“Dylan’s careful about what scents he carries. He’s the most cautious Shifter I’ve ever known. If Dylan didn’t want his son’s trackers to know my scent, he’d keep it from them.”
How, Addie wondered? Long showers? Special soap? Her thoughts kept turning. “How do you know they were Dylan’s son’s trackers? They could have been Shifters from anywhere, right?”
“If they’re in South Texas, Dylan knows them. Besides, you described them to perfection. There might be other Shifters who look like Spike and Connor, but there aren’t any other tigers. Except me.”
The note of sadness in his voice tugged at Addie. Of course, his parents would have been tigers, and he’d never spoken of them. Because they’d passed away? “No? I thought there’d be all kinds of big cat Shifters, tigers most of all.”
Kendrick shook his head. “Felines tend to be mostly lions and leopards, with a few jaguars and smaller cats. There might be more tigers in the world but I don’t know about them. I didn’t know about that particular tiger until I met Dylan.”
“He watched me pretty closely,” Addie said. “Scared me a little.”
“Good. You should be scared of him.” Kendrick stepped to her, his hands on her arms cutting the chill. “Be a little scared, Addison. It will keep you safe.”
“Maybe, but what will keep you safe? I want to go to this meeting with you.”
Kendrick’s gentling look hardened again. “No.”
“Come on, Kendrick, think about it. What if Seamus turns on you? Who’s going to run for help? Plus I could keep him covered with Charlie’s shotgun. I know how to use one.”
Kendrick growled, fingers pressing down. “The last thing I need is you waving around a firearm. Humans with guns are even more dangerous than Shifters. If I think Seamus is about to betray me, I’ll . . . take care of it.”
Addie stopped. “You mean you’d kill him.” She let her voice go quiet. “Like you did those Shifters at the diner.”
Kendrick gave her a brief nod. “If I have to.”
The pain in his eyes told Addie much. He wanted this Seamus to be trustworthy, his friend, but he feared betrayal. The look of grief she’d seen when he’d thrust the sword through the other Shifter hadn’t been feigned.
“You need someone you can trust to watch your back,” Addie said.
“I need someone I can trust to watch my cubs,” Kendrick returned. “Looking around at all the candidates, that would be, hmm, you.”
Addie gave him a stubborn look. “They’ll be much safer inside the locked house than you will be waiting alone for a Shifter who might or might not try to hurt you.”
Kendrick’s brows drew down, completing his scowl. “I know that. But right now, there’s no one in this world I trust to leave with my cubs. Only you, Addison Price. Not even Charlie—I don’t know enough about him. I need you to keep an eye on him too.”
“But do you know enough about me?” Addie met his gaze. “I served you pie, then I climbed onto the back of a motorcycle with you and rode away. That’s it. That’s all you know.”
Kendrick’s grip eased, and so did the harsh note in his voice. “What I know is that you’re loyal and you care about the cubs, and you’ll break rules if you have to in order to protect them.” His look softened, and he cupped her cheek with one big hand. “I know that you love without restraint, and that you put others’ needs before yours all the time, as much as you pretend you don’t. I’ll have to teach you how to sometimes put yourself first. I also know that, right now, I trust only you.”