“Sam, put your clothes on,” Simon said mildly. “Meg? You okay? Meg!”
“Can I help?” Kowalski asked, easing around Monty.
“Keep an eye on things,” Tess said. She strode to the table where Meg stood frozen and took the girl’s hand. “Meg and I need some air and time to settle. We’ll be at the Liaison’s Office.” She led Meg out of the coffee shop.
Watching the two females leave sobered Monty. Meg Corbyn was the key to so many things, and, so far, she was the only cassandra sangue who had managed to live outside a compound without having breakdowns. If she was starting to break now, how much would break with her?
Simon scooped up Boo Bear’s hind leg, then approached the table where Skippy lay mouthing the front leg and growling.
The Wolfgard snarled. Skippy dropped the mangled front leg and scooted farther under the table.
Nathan went around the counter. He came back out and held up one of the Wolf cookies. “Skippy. Cookie.”
Skippy leaped up and thumped his head on the underside of the table hard enough to be momentarily stunned. Nathan hauled the juvenile Wolf away from the table and half carried him out the back door.
Simon looked at Sam. “Go with them.”
Sam stared at his uncle for a moment before running to catch up with Nathan.
Which left Lizzy literally hugging the stuffing out of Boo Bear while Simon, Blair, Kowalski, and Monty formed a circle around her.
“Daddy?” Now the tears began to fall. “Boo Bear got hurt.”
“I know, Lizzy girl. But . . .”
“I have called the Wolfgard bodywalker,” Henry Beargard rumbled as he stepped through the archway and joined them. “She will meet us at the medical office and do what she can.”
“But he’s a bear,” Lizzy wailed. A little more stuffing dribbled out from the torn spots.
“So am I,” Henry said. “But I am the only Grizzly in the Courtyard, so when I am hurt, the Wolf tends to me.” He held out a big hand.
“Henry is the Courtyard’s spirit guide,” Simon said. “He is wise.”
Lizzy hesitated, then gave Boo Bear to Henry.
The Grizzly studied the toy bear. Then he sniffed the face, the places where the legs had been torn off, the seam along the back.
Watching Henry’s face, Monty eased Lizzy behind him. He felt Kowalski shift position to provide additional protection.
“There is sickness here,” Henry said. “The bodywalker must tend to Boo Bear.”
The Others did know Boo Bear was a toy. Didn’t they? Now that he considered it, the Wolves had talked about Boo Bear in much the same way Lizzy did—as if the stuffed bear was alive in some way.
“Is he going to need another operation?” Lizzy asked, her eyes swimming with tears that tore at Monty’s heart.
“Perhaps,” Henry said. “But I will stay with my brother bear.” He exchanged a look with Simon.
“Where is Ruthie?” Simon asked.
“She wasn’t scheduled to work, so she’s at home packing,” Kowalski replied.
Simon studied Kowalski. “Don’t leave until we talk.”
Monty bristled at the Wolf’s assumption that he could order Kowalski around, but they were all moving toward the back door of A Little Bite and then out to the medical office in the Market Square.