Still, Nester had taken yet another life.
“Why don’t you sit down?” Copache touched Nester’s shoulder. “You not only look tired but like you’re going to fall over at any second.”
“I-I haven’t had much sleep lately.” When was the last time Nester had slept? When was the last time he’d eaten? He couldn’t honestly remember. But Nester wouldn’t be able to rest until he knew Pyke was back on his feet, one hundred percent whole again.
Nester sat, then the sheriff brought him a glass of water. With a shaky hand, Nester accepted it and took a tiny sip.
The sheriff hunkered down in front of him. “Have you been able to get ahold of your mom?”
“No, but I left her a voice mail.” Nester pulled his cell phone from his pocket and checked it, though he knew she hadn’t called him back. He took another sip of water and then set the glass aside before calling her.
Still no answer.
“We’ll figure this out.” Copache answered the door when a knock sounded on it.
To Nester’s surprise, the waiter at the diner walked in.
“What’re you doing here?” Did the guy do police work in his spare time? Why would he show up at Pyke’s?
“Nester, this is my mate, John Zitelli, but everyone calls him Moose. He’s a bear shifter, like your mate.”
“I dabble in detective work.” Moose grinned. “But my real talent is putting away food.” He patted his rigid abdomen. “I can eat you out of house and home and still be hungry.”
Nester knew Moose was trying to lighten the mood, and he could just imagine the guy eating a ton of carbs. He was that big. “How tall are you?”
Moose chuckled. “Six foot nine, but I’m still a growing boy.”
Nester wasn’t sure what to make of that statement. “I’m not sure what kind of detecting you can do. They guys broke in, tried to kill us, and I took one of them down first. The guy with the eye patch got away. You should be out looking for him instead of trying to figure out what happened here.”
“Son, we’re doing our jobs,” Copache said. “The only thing I want you to think about is Pyke.”
Nester got up and curled his hand around his phone. “That’s easy for you to say. My mate is a bear healing from gunshot wounds that should have been fatal, and I have an Irish criminal after me because of my asshole ex-boyfriend.”
He vibrated with rage as he stood there toe to toe with the sheriff—a guy who towered over him and was thick with muscles. Nester didn’t give a damn. He wanted Dublin caught and for Pyke to wake up. The sheriff telling him that he didn’t have to worry about the trouble on his heels pissed him off.
“Hey now,” Moose said. “Yell at me, not my mate.”
Copache held up a hand. “I can handle it. He’s just worried.”
Soon Dr. Bjord was there, along with his assistant, bagging the body and taking it away, but not before a deputy got the dead guy’s fingerprints.
“I’ll run these through the system,” Deputy Roy Benton said. He gave Nester a smile and a nod and then squeezed his arm. “It’ll be okay. You’ve got the best working on this.”
As angry as Nester was, he couldn’t be mean to Roy. The guy was just too dang nice. “Thanks.”
The house emptied of the newcomers, and it was just Copache and Moose again. Nester sat and drank half the glass of water, feeling the exhaustion finally kick in.
He lay down on the couch, tucked his legs close, and fought to keep his eyes open. It was a battle, but he wanted to be awake when Pyke woke up.
Nester lost that battle and soon fell asleep.
* * * *
Pyke woke to the smell of bacon, the scent making his stomach rumble. He was sore but no worse for wear. Then he thought about Nester and jackknifed in bed.
Bed? How had he gotten there? There was no way Nester had carried his bear. His mate just didn’t have the strength. Pyke tossed the covers back and dressed before he made his way down the hallway, hearing voices as he approached the kitchen.
“How much longer will he be out?” Nester asked as Pyke heard dishes clacking.
Now he could smell pancakes and eggs. His stomach rumbled even louder as he stood just outside the kitchen entryway, just out of sight.
“Every shifter is different.”
Wait, was that Moose? Pyke recognized his voice and wondered what Moose was doing there.
“He took two bullets, and that takes time to repair,” Moose continued. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate how much you worried about him, even to the point you yelled at the sheriff.”
Moose had to know Pyke was in the hallway. He probably smelled Pyke as soon as he stepped from his bedroom.
“I’m not looking for brownie points,” Nester said. “I genuinely care about Pyke, and why am I telling you this?”
“You got anyone to talk to?” Moose asked.
“Not really.”
“Then that’s why,” Moose said. “Humans, and nonhumans, are social creatures. We need to interact with each other. We’re looking for validation and someone to connect with. Show me anyone going it alone and I’ll show you someone who’s miserable, though they might not admit it.”
Moose was right. Pyke had been living his life, but he’d been lonely as fuck, even when he’d been dating Payton.
“I have Pyke,” Nester argued.
“We also need friends,” Moose argued right back. “I don’t tell Grayson everything, and you won’t tell Pyke everything, either. That’s what friends are for, and if you’ll allow me, I’ll be your friend. I could always use more.”
Nester chuckled, the sound going straight to Pyke’s heart. Nester had risked his own life to save him, and Pyke would forever be in the guy’s debt. He was still shocked that Nester had come out firing, uncaring that Eyepatch had a weapon of his own.
Nester just kept giving Pyke reasons to be proud of his mate.
“Just as long as you don’t eat everything in the house,” Nester teased.
“I can’t promise that,” Moose replied. “But now it’s official. We’re friends, so we’ll exchange phone numbers and call each other late at night when our men are getting on our last nerve. I’m one hell of a gossip, too.”
“I like you, Moose,” Nester said. “And why are you setting a third plate? Is your mate coming over for breakfast?”
“No, he’s setting it because I’m joining you.” Pyke entered the kitchen and barely had time to brace himself before Nester launched himself into his arms.
He held Nester close, inhaling his scent, glad his mate was okay. Pyke looked over at Moose who was grabbing glasses from the cupboard. “Thanks for looking out for my mate while I was unconscious.”
“We’re best buddies.” Moose winked. “Anytime Nester needs me, all he has to do is call me.”
“How do you feel?” Nester asked when he pulled back. “Are you healed?”
Pyke released his mate and lifted his shirt. “No scars. I’m all good.”
Nester ran the tips of his fingers over Pyke’s chest, sending goose bumps all over Pyke’s body. He was instantly hard as he took a seat at the table.