32When Bodie stepped outside, the nurse he recognized from before from speaking with Mr. Yates was waiting in the hallway. She gave him an understanding smile. “You’ve been quite busy today visiting us.”“Not voluntarily,” he said with a hint of sourness. “Where is Mr. Yates?”She chuckled. “He’s a stubborn old coot, and when he heard about the bombing and the likelihood we might have several casualties, he insisted on checking himself out and going home.”Bodie frowned. “Are there that many casualties?”“So far, only two, but there are quite a number of injuries, and Dr. Lin thought Mr. Yates was probably safe enough to go home. We were only keeping him as a precaution and a way to force him to rest.”“I’m glad he’s okay.”“Yes.” She nodded to the waiting room. “Your parents are here.”He smothered a groan as he thanked her and headed that direction, though he didn’t want to be too far from Claire. He’d planned to linger outside her room and listen in case she called for him, but th

34The moon was full and bright overhead, which was required for a mating ceremony. They’d had a much smaller wedding at the Caliper Courthouse earlier in the day. A few of their friends had joined them, though they were mostly Bodie’s friends. No one in his inner circle had repudiated Claire, except for perhaps his parents, who were still stiff with her. They’d remained true to their word though, and they hadn’t said anything against the match when it was announced to their people and word filtered through the pack in the weeks following the bombing.She shivered as she recalled the first moment when she’d realized everyone knew. She’d been working at Saul’s place when a couple of citizens she recognized from Northstar, though she didn’t know their names, had sat down. Saul had been shorthanded that day, and he’d asked her to step in to do some serving, so she’d been taking care of tables. The couple had been cold to her from the start, and when the female half deliberately spilled h