Page 154 of The Hyena’s Guardian

“That is slander,” Mac replied.

“It’s objectively true.”

“I am still on this call.”

Theron had been quiet through most of the conversation, studying the wolf and panther on the screen with the same careful attention he gave everything unfamiliar. Then his eyes shifted briefly toward Matt before he nodded once. “That,” he said calmly, “is already very obvious.”

Matt stared at him in open betrayal. “You’ve known me for like two days.”

“And yet,” he said calmly, “I am already fully convinced Matt could verbally survive in complete isolation for several centuries.”

Melvin laughed first. A second later, even Mac looked away briefly like he was losing the fight against amusement too.

Matt pointed accusingly between all three of them. “Wow. Okay. Incredible. Glad everyone’s bonding.”

Beside him, Theron looked suspiciously unbothered by the accusation.

Mac noticed it and his expression softened as he studied both of them through the screen for another moment before nodding once, like some internal decision had finally clicked into place.

“Get some rest,” he said. “Both of you.”

“That sounds suspiciously responsible coming from you,” Matt replied.

“Near-death experiences occasionally inspire personal growth.”

Melvin snorted beside him. “No they don’t.”

“Fair.”

Matt smiled despite himself, but exhaustion was starting to settle heavily through him now that the adrenaline and relief had finally begun fading. The bond carried the same fatigue from Theron beside him, quieter but no less deep.

Mac noticed because of course he did. “You look exhausted,” he said flatly.

“I got crushed by a mountain yesterday.”

“And somehow you still won’t sleep unless someone orders you to.”

Matt considered that briefly. “That feels emotionally targeted.”

“It was intended to.”

Melvin shook his head fondly before looking toward Theron again. “We are looking forward to getting to know you better when you get here.”

The sincerity behind the words softened something in the hallway.

Theron went still beside Matt for half a heartbeat before inclining his head once. “I believe I would like that as well.”

Something warm crossed Melvin’s expression at the answer, and even Mac looked faintly more relaxed afterward. “We’ll see you both in Colorado soon,” Mac said simply.

Home. The word settled heavily through the bond between Matt and Theron.

Matt swallowed once before nodding. “Yeah,” he said. “Soon.”

The call ended a few seconds later.

Silence pressed softly through the hallway afterward while rain continued tapping against the safehouse windows beyond them. Matt lowered the phone and leaned back against the wall, suddenly aware of how exhausted he actually was now that the conversation was over.

Beside him, Theron remained quiet for a long moment before speaking. “They accepted me very quickly.”