Two days after his return everything was still quiet. James did as promised and kept his distance from Hailey. During his surveillance rounds he noticed she barely left her apartment. The only times she did was when she went to see Shane and Morgan, or a tall brunette he knew from her file to be her friend and co-worker.
James felt extremely on edge, unable to release the tension in his body because he hadn't been able to let his energy out with his regular training schedule. Though, he highly doubted if even the most intensive sparring session would suffice to change his current mind-set.
James, Zaira's telepathic call sounded in his head as he stood watch on the rooftop of a high office building near Hailey's apartment. I need you to take over my shift for a while. There's been an incident at the valley.
James frowned while he scanned the streets below for suspect movements as a gust of wind swept against his face. Do you need assistance with the incident?
No, Zaira said, I've got to speak with Tavish myself. I'm currently overseeing a play date with the RainFire leopards and I need a senior staff member here. Abbot can teleport you.
Even though James didn't want to leave the city, he decided to go. The distraction might take his mind off the situation with Hailey for a while and she was under high security; the team guarding her rotated constantly so at least two of the top-ten surveillance experts in the Squad were standing watch. He trusted them to keep her safe, even though they were at a disadvantage since they couldn't track Hailey through the PsyNet.
That had been the exact reason they'd lost sight of her the night she went for a run and the attackers came for her. James vividly recalled the fear of losing her after he had been telepathically alerted that Hailey was off the radar. The moment James had known Hailey was possibly in danger he immediately came to her rescue, only to find her heaving at the corner of a busy market square. She'd been spooked but safe, not thanks to him.
Needless to say, that incident had caused him to double the security detail on her, with extra teams trying to trace high risk Psy through this area of the Net. So far they'd questioned several Psy that seemed unstable but none fit the description of the attackers in his visions. The fact that James knew they were close only added to his irritation that Hailey wouldn't allow him to stay with her.
When Abbot dropped him off at the clearing where several Arrow children were playing with the leopards, the RainFire alpha greeted him. "Long time no see," Remi said, rays of the sun lighting the dark streaks of his brown hair.
Remi's clear topaz eyes were filled with a wildness James couldn't explain but was distinctive for the predator changelings he had met.
"I've been busy." James crossed his arms in front of his chest and turned to the playing children. When a small Arrow girl jumped from a tree to chase her leopard friend, he caught her with his Tk and gently lowered her to the ground. She smiled and waved at him before turning to climb the tree again.
Remi stepped closer, his movements fluid in a way different from a Tk, the prowling predator evident even in his human skin. No one would mistake this man to be anything other than feline.
When Remi stood next to James, he leaned lazily against the tree behind him, feet crossed and a small smile on his face. "So I've heard."
James glanced at the alpha. "You changelings can't help but interfere in each other's lives," he said as he turned his head towards the playing children again. "Since our contact has been more frequent, I see you've appropriated the right to intrude in the personal lives of the Arrows as well." James wondered who he'd have to threaten to keep their mouth shut in the future for discussing his personal matters with the leopards.
Remi huffed out a laugh. "You're in one hell of a mood," he grinned as he slapped James on the back. The amicable gesture made James' eyebrows rise. Grinning, the other man studied his face, and James noticed Remi's eyes were ringed with green, his leopard rising to the foreground. "Not so Silent anymore, I see."
James decided not to react to that statement. If it was obvious to Remi, there was no reason denying it. He telepathically reminded one of the children to be careful as the boy played tag with the other children. Luka was only seven, but already showed signs of a powerful Tk set. He naturally used his Tk in motion, so he could easily keep up with the leopard cubs when he sped up his movements.
The boy jerked at the telepathic contact and nodded at James; his brown eyes big. When James inclined his head, the boy continued to play, adapting the use of his telekinesis.
"When will we meet this lovely lady of yours?" the leopard alpha drawled, a smile still lingering on his lips.
Due to his elaborate contact with Hailey, James knew Remi was trying to needle him, play a natural way of interaction to changelings. "You won't." James idly hoped the topic would be closed with his curt response, but Remi didn't budge.
"She can't be that ugly."
When James shot Remi a death stare, the alpha grinned. "I'm just saying; she must be either a cat or an Arrow if she's able to rile you up this bad."
James released a breath and thrust his hand into his hair. "She's neither."
Remi's eyes glinted curiously as his eyebrows rose. "Human?"
"Why are you so interested in her?" James' thoughts skated to Hailey as he asked for an update from the security crew through the PsyNet. When he got the validation that all was clear, he directed his attention to Remi again, who was still curiously observing him.
"She's really done a number on you, hasn't she?"
James realized Remi wasn't letting him off the hook and decided he could use some advice from someone who was used to constantly dealing with emotions. To the leopards, pack meant everything. Since Hailey meant everything to James, he might benefit from some insight the alpha could provide.
He told Remi the story of how he'd mentored Hailey and how they became close–purposefully leaving out details about her background and abilities. Besides that, he skipped several parts where physical intimacy had been involved, since he assumed the alpha was able to fill in the blanks. After all, changelings were extremely tactile when intimate skin privileges were extended.
When James was done Remi whistled, the sound slow and low, his eyebrows raised. "You're an idiot. You've fucked up."
James set his jaw and kept his Tk on a tight leash. Losing control now would hardly be beneficial to the Arrows' relationship with RainFire. Not to mention the fact that it wasn't particularly desirable for the Arrow children to see his control balancing on such a razor-thin wire. "I know."
Remi looked up at him, the yellow-green eyes of his leopard staring at James. "No, I mean you really fucked up."
James arched his eyebrow at the other man. The fact that he'd gotten it wrong wasn't news to him. "Then explain to me how to solve it." It sounded like a growl, which made the corner of Remi's mouth twitch before he shook his head.
"Have you got a few hours?" Remi thrust his hand through the shaggy brown streaks of his hair. "Maybe it's a good thing she's not a cat. If she had been, she would have clawed you bloody."
James didn't tell the alpha the way Hailey currently was–or wasn't–communicating with him was worse than any physical pain he might endure.
When a ball rolled at their feet, Remi picked it up and returned it to a girl with a sunny smile wearing a pink sundress. He ruffled the dark hair of the girl after encouraging her to try and throw it to her friend.
"It's not an easy thing to fix," Remi now said. "You broke her trust, so you'll have to win it back." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against the tree again.
"How?" Once again, James was at a complete loss. He'd tried giving Hailey space, which resulted in complete silence on her end. He had hoped she would've started talking to him again after she was used to the idea of him staying in the city, but she only seemed to isolate herself more than she'd already done the past months.
"Well," Remi frowned as his eyes followed the group of children playing tag, "you took her choice away when you left. You decided for her, which left her powerless." He shook his head when one of the children went as if to pounce on his friend, after which the boy pouted and walked away. "I get that you tried to protect her. Hell, protective might be every alpha's middle name, but the way you did it was… counterproductive."
James waited, aware that Remi wasn't finished speaking yet.
"As far as you've told me, she has every right to be upset. Her being angry, it's a normal response to the situation, even if everything you told me doesn't make her sound like a spiteful woman–she's forgiven you before."
"She has." More times than he deserved. That wouldn't stop him from asking her forgiveness once again. Somehow, Hailey understood him in ways no one ever had. He could only hope her understanding and tolerance hadn't reached their limit. "She also challenges me. Constantly."
And his instincts urged him to take up every gauntlet she threw at him, which was probably the reason why they often argued in the first place.
James watched the small group of Arrow children and shifted leopards chase each other as he remembered the multitude of challenges Hailey had presented. He felt something in his chest expand at the arguments they'd had in the past, the way she'd defiantly look at him with her unique eyes when she called him out on his behavior.
And she'd always looked beautiful when she'd done it.
Remi's right.
Hailey had done a number on him, and James wanted her to keep doing it, over and over, even when it brought out the worst in him… because she was also always able to bring out the best in him.
Remi shrugged. "The good ones always do." He stood up straight and tipped his head sideways. "Which means you have your work cut out for you." A feline grin. "You need to show her you're back to stay. Let her decide if she wants to take the leap of faith." His eyes a bright yellow green, he stared at James, the leopard in his voice. "And if she does, don't fuck it up again."