Surprising in more ways than one, if only because Geralt has never thought of it as loyalty. For him, duty is inherent in that word, the sort of allegiance any Witcher steers clear of. Dean's proven himself trustworthy several times over, and that makes it a rare friendship worth protecting. That's all it is.

Though at the moment, none of this is about Dean.

He steps forward. He's quiet, and the wolf that pads down the stairs with bloodstained paws is equally so. His head buzzes. Not quite anger; something deeper, more primal.

He shifts his weight. It's subconscious, the sword that appears in his hand, but he curls his fingers around it all the same. That's answer enough, probably.