“How was it?” Dad asked, referring to my last few months of duty.
“Good. No issues being discharged.”
Silence hung in the air for a few moments, and I knew they were waiting for the reason behind my suddenly urgent call.
“I met someone,” I said.
“Emmitt,” my mom said on a watery exhale.
“We are so happy for you, son. How did you meet?”
“I stopped for something to eat on my way home, and she walked into the same diner. Before her scent even reached me, I knew she was the one.”
I could hear Mom sniffle.
“When will we get to meet her?” Dad asked.
“That may be a while yet.” I sighed. “She’s human, Mom, and running just like you did. Only it’s not from humans. One of our kind found her and kept her prisoner, and we just learned he shifted and killed her stepfather in public.”
The silence was heavy, and I knew Dad was probably conferring with Winifred via their link.
“She’s beautiful, Mom, and strong. She’s nineteen. The mutt who had her also kept her little brothers locked away. They are five and four and just starting to laugh and trust us. We’re treading carefully and not pushing for more information than she’s ready to give. That’s why I didn’t tell you right away. And why we might not be visiting for a while.”
“Emmitt, your first priority will be to your Mate. But don’t forget the safety of the pack. The fact that someone’s out there breaking rules and not reporting their infractions according to law is—”
“Unthinkable,” Dad finished for her.
And it truly was unthinkable for our kind. One of our rules stated not to kill humans. And the corresponding unbreakable law was that anyone responsible for breaking the rule, or a witness to the breaking of the rule, must admit the deed to an Elder. It was a law that was essentially a direct command from an Elder, and as Jim had experienced firsthand, a direct command was unbreakable. So how, then, did someone break it?
“Winifred filled me in. The call is going out tonight. Keep in touch, Emmitt. Your Mom and I were starting to worry.”
“I’m sorry. I’m home now and will be here if you want to ring us again.” I hung up and went back to Jim’s place.
“Mom cry?” Jim asked.
“Yeah.”
“She’s happy she’ll have a chance to spoil grand-cubs. Well, unless you screw up again. I wonder how many kneeings it takes to crack a nut.”
Chapter 13
Each day following the revelation of how Richard had died, Michelle sank further into the fearful existence in which she’d lived when she arrived. She woke often at night, walking through her apartment to check windows and doors. During the day, she hovered over her brothers, unwilling to let them out of her sight.
Jim, Winifred, and I each tried to reassure her. Richard had died the month before, and it had been all over the news then. There was no reason for the mutt responsible to believe she was now safely hidden away with us. Our words did little good.
By Thursday morning, she was once again a pale shadow of herself. When she and the boys weren’t around to notice, I prowled my apartment in frustration. I hated the fear that ate at her and the haunted look in her eyes. But what more could I do to help her feel secure here?
She needed sleep. She needed peace and comfort.
By dinner, I couldn’t stand it anymore. She barely ate and didn’t say a word through the whole meal. The boys, thankfully, weren’t taking their cues from her and laughed through dessert, a lopsided cake Aden and Jim had baked. Jim and I worked hard every day so they would feel safe and loved and it seemed to be enough for them.
When Michelle drifted from the room, I went to catch her in the hallway.
She looked up at me with lost, sad eyes when I wrapped my hand around her arm to stop her from climbing the steps.
“I’ll sleep on the couch after the boys go to bed.” I didn’t ask; I told her. And, if me being on the couch didn’t help her sleep, then I’d lay on the bed next to her and hold her all night.
“Okay.”
Her simple acceptance told me just how bad it had gotten.
That night, I helped put the boys to bed and insisted she keep her apartment door open. As soon as the boys were breathing deeply, I let myself in and closed the door behind me. Michelle wasn’t in the living room. I found her already in bed, her eyes closed and her hand tucked under a cheek as she lay on her side.
“Michelle,” I said, gently running my fingers over her hair. “I’m here. Everything is locked up tight. Get some sleep.”
She nodded, keeping her eyes closed. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out. I watched her for a while. When it looked like she would stay sleeping peacefully, I went to the couch.
The whole place smelled like her. I sat down and breathed deeply, letting myself relax.
* * * *
The typical slow brightening of the room was missing when I woke. I went to the window and eyed the dark skies.
Knowing it would be a full day of keeping the kids busy, I went to my place and quickly showered. It didn’t take more than a few minutes before I was back in her place, folding my blanket. The apartment stayed quiet for another hour. Then the sky rumbled. Liam and Aden were the first to stir. I went into their room and said a hushed good morning, then helped them quietly dress.
“Brush your teeth then go to Nana’s. She’ll make you breakfast,” I said as I opened the bedroom door for them. They ducked into the bathroom and brushed their teeth quietly.
Two hungry cubs coming your way, I warned Winifred on my way to the kitchen to see what I could make Michelle for breakfast.
The sky rumbled loudly just as the boys opened the bathroom door. I heard Michelle stir. The two boys must have, too, because they ran down the hall and out of the apartment. Michelle was out of bed and running, too.
I stepped into the hallway, ready to assure her the boys were fine. Instead, I caught her in my arms as she barreled into me. Spinning, I tried redirecting the force of her momentum. It didn’t quite work. Her face collided with my chest.
“Ow!” She pulled her head back and squinted at me with watering eyes.
The pale, shadowy Michelle of yesterday was gone. The woman in my arms was adorably disgruntled.
“I’m sorry.” I leaned forward to kiss her abused nose. Her breath caught, and her scent sweetened as I slowly closed the distance. Slowly, her eyes fluttered shut. The tempting sight of her lips almost redirected my aim. Patience, I reminded myself, gently brushing her nose.
Her eyes flew open.
“I wouldn’t have stepped in front of you if I’d known you’d get hurt.” I carefully moved a strand of hair that had fallen over her face during our collision.
“Uh. It’s okay.”
I inhaled slowly, noting it was anything but okay. She was anxious and confused.
“Just a minute.” She turned and closed herself in the bathroom.
I went back to what I’d been doing in the kitchen. Taking out the eggs, I started collecting what I needed to make her a small breakfast. When she reemerged, I had four eggs in the pan and bread in the toaster.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, looking her over. The brief whiff of anxiety and confusion before she left had me wondering if she was still feeling unsafe here.