“Fair enough.” He grabbed one and headed to a table near the window, dumping his duffle bag on the floor. Usually, he’d sit in a corner with his back against the wall. But then he wouldn’t be able to see Haven. He did manage to get a small table that allowed him a good view of the club.
He opened the paper and went straight to the rental listings. He was perusing likely places when the waitress brought down his meal. She smiled at him as she set two bowls of soup and a small mound of sandwiches in front of him. Coffee and the sweet treats followed. “If you need anything else, just ask.”
On impulse, he showed her the paper. “Know anywhere I can rent a room around here cheap?”
She chewed on her bottom lip and studied him. “I saw a sign in the window of one of the boutiques just down the road. I can’t remember which one, but I think they were renting out an apartment or room above them.”
“Thanks. I’ll check it out after lunch.”
“No problem.” The girl stuck out her hand. “I’m Amy.”
He shook it briefly. “Isaiah.”
“So, you’re planning to stay around here.”
“That’s the plan.”
She smiled at him. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Chapter Thirteen
Meredith bent over Benjamin, checking him for about the hundredth time this morning. She stroked his fur gently, careful not to wake him. Sleep was the best thing for him right now.
“He hasn’t stirred in hours.” Neema sat in the corner, an open magazine on her lap. “Not since I took over from Michael.”
It was just past lunch and Meredith was exhausted. She hadn’t slept at all. Instead, she’d sent the rest of them to bed and gone downstairs to get everything ready for the club to open.
Michael had turned in when Neema had relieved him. The rest of them had gotten a few hours sleep and were now downstairs taking care of business.
“You should take a nap. You don’t look so hot.”
Meredith shook her head. She didn’t want to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, images of Benjamin being shot, of Isaiah walking away beat at her. She couldn’t take it.
“She’s right, Mom.”
Meredith turned to see Michael walking across the room toward her. He put his arm around her and hugged her. She felt the weight of his arm, but no warmth. She was so cold. So numb.
“I’m fine.”
Her son stared down at her, his eyes older and wiser than they’d been a day ago. She wanted to howl and cry at the knowledge that now lingered in them. But what was done was done. And it had truly only been a matter of time. Their lives were precarious at best. It was a miracle they’d gone as long as they had without detection.
“No, you’re not.” Michael caught her chin in his hand and lifted her face. Sadness filled his gaze as he stared at her. She didn’t know what he was searching for, but he didn’t seem to find it.
“Come on. I’m taking you to your apartment. If you can’t sleep, you can at least rest.” He turned to Neema. “Call me if there’s any change.”
“Will do.”
Meredith allowed Michael to lead her from the room, mostly because she was too damn tired to care. They walked across the hall in silence. He shoved open the door to her apartment and waited for her to enter.
Her gaze went straight to her window. She hadn’t changed the locks yet. She had Isaiah’s note tucked away in a drawer. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to toss it in the garbage.
Where was he now? What was he doing? Had he already left Chicago?
“Mom?” Michael stood next to her. Waiting.
“What?” She didn’t know what he wanted and was too tired to figure it out.
“I’m sorry.”
She frowned and studied her son. There were dark shadows under his eyes, but there was resolve in them. “For what?”
He gave a short bark of laughter. “For what? For questioning your leadership. For getting us into that mess last night. It was my fault. We wouldn’t have been at the park if it weren’t for me and my stupid resentment.”
“Resentment?” Meredith was lost. Reaching out, she touched Michael’s arm. “What did you resent?”
He shook his head and heaved out a sigh. “Not what. Who.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Isaiah.” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Anyone could see the way he looked at you.” He paused. “And the way you watched him. The way he was working his way in to our lives.”
“But you’re my son.” She was bewildered. “Nothing can change how I feel about you. Or Benjamin or any of you.”
“I know that.” He raked his free hand through his short hair, making the ends stand up straight. “It’s just that you’ve never looked at a male like that before. He wasn’t just some guy. He was a powerful male werewolf. An alpha. I struck out in anger, challenging you. Thinking I could do a better job at running the pack.”
“You were afraid he’d take your place in the pack?” While she was alpha, Michael had always acted as her beta, her right hand, her second in command.
“Stupid, huh? And look where it got us. Benjamin is shot and everyone else is scared.”
Meredith grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He was larger than her, but she was still his mother. “It wasn’t your fault. You’re at the age where you want to assert yourself. That’s natural. No,” she stopped him before he could speak. “I’m not done yet.”
He subsided and she continued.
“You haven’t lived around adult males before, so you don’t know. That’s on me too.” She’d deprived her sons of so much by taking them and running from her pack.
“No.” Michael shook his head adamantly. “I haven’t missed anything. I don’t want to be a part of a pack that would force you to mate whether you wanted to or not.”
Meredith closed her eyes and gave thanks that she had such wonderful, understanding sons. She’d told them what had happened when they’d come of age and made their first change. She’d given them the option of returning to the pack, knowing their grandfather would welcome them with open arms, even as he sent assassins to kill her. Not that she’d told her sons that little detail.
But they’d both refused. Even more so when she’d told them about her former pack’s stand on half-breeds, which was that the only good half-breed was a dead one. No way were they putting their brothers and sister in danger.
“You’re a good son, Michael. A good man.” She pulled him into her arms, hugging him. His arms banded around her. “This wasn’t your fault. If it hadn’t happened this time, it would have been some other time. Bounty hunters are everywhere. We risk detection every time we go to a park and change.”
He buried his face in her neck, holding her close. “I’m sorry I was jealous of Isaiah. Sorry you felt you had to send him away.”
She pulled back. “That was my decision. Right or wrong, I made it.”
“Can you call him?”
“Why? What’s changed since last night?”
Michael rubbed his hand over his stubbled jaw. “I had a lot of time to think while I watched over Benjamin. He was willing to protect you from me. He came back to the park last night and he didn’t have to. He removed the bullet from Benjamin. But beyond that, he looked at you the same way Teague watches Neema.”
Meredith’s breath caught in her chest. She couldn’t think about that. Couldn’t think about what she’d destroyed in a moment’s anger and pain. She swayed and the edges of the room began to close around her.
“Mom?” Michael caught her in his arms and picked her up, carrying her into her room. His gaze flicked over the tangled sheets, but said nothing. He could easily smell Isaiah’s scent on them and knew she hadn’t changed them.