66. Beta Bites (Clay POV)

"Trevor, you'll need to swing by the pack house in a day or two. We need to hash out the new treaty," I said, locking eyes with him for a moment before we parted ways.

From where I lay sprawled in the backseat of the car, the energy of the day felt like a heavy blanket, both comforting and smothering. Luke took the wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead, but I knew he carried the weight of more than just driving. Lexi leaned over the center console, her fingers finding mine in the back. The warmth of my touch was enough to send her into an almost immediate slumber.

Luke reached over and began to twirl strands of her black hair around his finger, a soft look in his eyes that he rarely revealed.

"She was strong today, you know," I remarked, squeezing Lexi's hand lightly as I said it.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Luke chuckled, but it was an auto-response. I could tell his mind was elsewhere. It was a mask I'd seen him wear too many times before.

"Thanks for doing all this for me