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“I’m just not ready to make that choice.” Not for me, and definitely not for Charlie. I wanted to be beyond positive it was the right move before I uprooted him again. Leaving NYC had been an easy choice. Leaving a pack he’d gotten settled in that had resources? That wasn’t a slam dunk, even if the alpha wanted me dead. After all, there still might be a way to work things out, and every option had to be exhausted.
I was doing a last visual sweep around the suite, making sure I wasn’t leaving anything behind, when Kicks said, “While you’re thinking it over, keep in mind that Duncan didn’t fight for you. If he’s playing into your decision, you need to know that.”
I didn’t ask him what he meant, because I knew, or at least suspected. It was unclear how much information Kicks got from his sources in our pack, but I was afraid it was more than I wanted to know.
Luckily, he picked up our bags and headed into the hall, not looking to drag out a conversation I didn’t want to really have with anyone.
We headed down to the lobby, where Charlie was saying goodbye to his game buddies.
“You ready?” I asked, watching a little too intently.
“Yeah. We can come back, right?”
“Yes, we’ll come back to visit.”
He grinned up at me, as if he were perfectly content to go home. He reached for my hand. I grabbed his shoulder instead, feeling better about having the buffer of clothes in between us.
Kicks looked at my hand and then met my gaze.
“What?” I asked, with no lack of attitude in my tone.
Kicks shook his head but let it go. He should see how crazy he’d get if he accidentally killed some people just by touch. How many people’s hands would he be grabbing after that? He was lucky he was still alive, considering he’d forced me to sleep practically on top of him.
He tossed my bags in the back of an ATV, and before long we were pulling up in front of the gates.
I hopped out, grabbing mine and Charlie’s bags before Kicks could.
“Should I be taking a hint?” he asked.
“If you don’t mind, it might make my entrance a little less…dramatic?”
He nodded, as if he wasn’t sure he was on board. Still, he didn’t make a move as we walked toward the gates.
“I’ll be around soon,” he said, leaning on the ATV, hanging back.
“Thanks,” I said.
As Charlie and I walked through the town, I noted how the members of the pack would look at us, then scan the surroundings in search of Kicks, before returning their gazes to us and smiling.
There was no wood on the porch. That was the first thing I spotted. Second? Lingering across the street were my new goons. Ludo and Kipp. They used to be the second string, but it appeared they’d been promoted. I glared their way, and they smiled.
I hustled Charlie into the cottage. The cupboards were open, the shelves all bare. They’d wiped out all our supplies while we were gone.
“Where’s all our stuff?” Charlie asked, his voice smaller as he peeked inside the cabinets.
“I threw it out before we left because it was going bad. We’re going to the roast tonight anyway, and then getting fresh food tomorrow.” I rubbed his head and then jerked my hand away, sick to my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, watching me.
He was just a little kid, and yet he seemed to feel every fluctuation of my mood and take it on as his own.
“Just a bellyache for a second. Must’ve been all that French toast I wouldn’t stop eating this morning. I’m good, though.” I was better because he looked fine. I had to be more careful. I couldn’t take risks like that.
I spotted Buddie through the window heading to the cottage. “Why don’t you go run next door and tell the guys we were back?”
“Okay.” He ran to the door.
“Come right back if they’re busy!”
