Sarah frowned before her eyes darted to the tattoo on Cat's bicep and then back to her brother. "A dragon-shifter is your fiancée? When did you get engaged?"
Apparently, when Lachlan had called his sister, he hadn't mentioned much of anything. She wondered if Sarah even knew Cat was pregnant or not. She was going to have a chat with Lachlan about that later, for sure.
Lachlan merely said, "Recently."
His sister studied Cat a few beats, and she debated what to do. Staying quiet wasn't her way, and yet she didn't want to scare the human. Or, worse, leave a bad impression. If they were going to convince Sarah to stay on Lochguard, they needed to keep her calm and open to the idea.
Her inner dragon stirred but remained quiet. Usually the pair of them made decisions together, or at least talked them out.
This time, she'd just have to go with her instincts. She decided talking would help. "I love your brother, Sarah."
The human frowned. "Why does that matter right now?"
She decided to keep it light. "Aye, well, just so you know, I didn't kidnap him and keep him captive, forcing him to marry me."
Lachlan met her gaze and shook his head, although she could see the spark of humor in his eyes. He said, "I'd like to see you try to kidnap me one day, love. You're strong, but are you that strong?"
She grinned at him, but Sarah's voice garnered her attention. "You really are different, Lachlan."
He met her gaze and nodded. "Because of Cat."
She was about to say it wasn't entirely because of her that Lachlan had finally allowed himself to hope for the future, but Sarah's voice prevented her from saying anything. "And whilst I'm happy for you, truly, I'm not sure how she's going to help me. Unless she works with the clan leader?"
Lachlan replied, "No, she doesn't. But I did talk with Finn, and to make it all work out, I need Cat's help."
Sarah's gaze turned wary, and Cat had a feeling Lachlan might try to retreat a little to protect his sister. As much as she loved him for thinking about his sister's feelings, Sarah seemed made of sterner stuff than Lachlan probably realized. After all, she'd been willing to face her brother at his lowest, wanting to help him even if it meant getting hurt.
So Cat decided to jump in. "I think it might help us all if I'm blunt and lay it all out. Lachlan found a way to protect your family. We move up our mating ceremony—the equivalent of a human wedding—and we bring your family to Lochguard. You'd stay here for a while, allowed because of the family connection to Lachlan, until everything gets sorted. That way, the hunters can't hurt you, and they also learn that intimidating us won't work. At least not always."
Sarah met her brother's gaze. "What is she talking about?"
Her dragon wanted to speak up at the dismissal, but Cat sent soothing thoughts to her beast.
As her dragon calmed down, Lachlan replied, "It's the best way, Sarah. In the long run, if we give in to hunter demands, it means they'll use the tactic over and over again, until anyone associated with a dragon-shifter becomes a target. And if that happens, all the progress made in the last few years will disappear."
Sarah's mostly calm exterior faded a fraction, and she reached out for Lachlan's hand. "Can't you just cancel this once? Rob will never live with dragon-shifters, and…and…"
Lachlan's voice was gentle when he asked, "What? There's something you're not telling me."
Sarah swallowed, and Cat's every instinct was to reach out and hug the female.
And yet, she didn't know if she should.
It was bloody hard for her to imagine how comfort could frighten someone or make them uncomfortable, but she had a feeling it was the case with the MacKintosh siblings. Well, at least with strangers, and Cat was definitely that when it came to Sarah.
She barely resisted putting a hand over her abdomen and murmuring to her bairn that she loved them, even now.
Sarah finally murmured, "Rob owes money, a lot of it, to some dangerous people." Her voice lowered. "He has a gambling problem. He's been trying to be better about it but keeps stumbling. I have a feeling that if he just disappears and moves to a dragon clan, those dodgy people will go after members of his family until he pays up."
Bloody hell. For the first time, Cat realized how easy her life was on Lochguard.
And any problems with her mother seemed extremely trivial by comparison.
Lachlan squeezed Sarah's hand. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
She looked to the side, avoiding his gaze. "I noticed your addiction so easily and fought until you saw reason. I missed it completely with Rob until he was in so much trouble, and even then, I couldn't convince him to get help on a regular basis." Her voice dropped even lower. "I was ashamed, especially because I found out about his problem right after I thought about divorcing him."
Lachlan had been doing his best to remain calm and collected. But at his sister's revelation and the crack in her voice, he pulled her into a hug and held her a few beats.
With hindsight, he could see how his isolation and forced distance, and how thinking both would help those he loved, had done the opposite.
To the point, his sister had found herself in trouble and hadn't bothered to ask him for help.
He wasn't sure what the bloody hell he could do now, but he had to do something. But first he needed all the facts.
After a few beats, he finally leaned back until he could see Sarah's face. "Don't be ashamed, Sarah." He released her and continued, "We knew each other our whole lives, aye? I imagine it's easier to notice if something is off the longer you know someone. Even after all this time, you've only known Rob roughly ten years or so. And from the few interactions I've had with the bloke, he's not the most forthright person."
Well, unless he needed to blame his wife or children for something. But Lachlan thought it best not to mention that right now.
"Maybe," Sarah murmured.
He hated how defeated his sister sounded.
He most definitely needed to get her to Lochguard, not only because of the hunters but so he could make sure her bastard husband didn't harm her further.
First, focus on the current set of problems. Squeezing her shoulder gently, he said, "What I need right now are all the facts about Rob and his debts. What you know—names, amounts, places he goes, anything that could help."
She looked up at him again, her eyes looking far more tired than they should be for a woman not even thirty. "Why? What can you do? Unless you suddenly have a fortune I don't know about, only money will solve this problem."
He was about to say he'd think of something when Cat spoke up. "You live in Glasgow, aye?" Sarah nodded, and Cat continued, "Lochguard has contacts in the bigger cities of Scotland. I don't know all the details, but I know they exist. If you talk to some of our clan members, they can probably help." She hesitated, but before Lachlan could ask what she meant, Cat added, "We collect favors. I think most dragon-shifters do, but especially Lochguard in the last few years. If you agree to move here—at least for a while—I'm sure my clan leader will find a way to keep your family members safe from your husband's gambling debts."