(Mis)fortune

A few hours later, the boys burst into the bedroom, and I heard them pause when they saw two lumps under the covers. Either Emmitt had been sleeping deeply or Jim had set us up. I lifted myself up on my elbow, trying to play it cool.

“Good morning, you two. Is Jim awake?” They both nodded. “Good, tell him we’ll be up in just a little bit.” They didn’t move.

“Who is that?” Liam asked pointing to the lump that was Emmitt.

I glanced down at Emmitt. He was watching me, letting me deal with the situation however I saw fit.

“It’s Emmitt. Jim had the couch. You two had the other bed. So, I let him sleep here after he promised not to steal the covers.”

Liam quietly gazed at the floor before he took a deep breath and lifted his head.

“If you married Emmitt, we could live with Nana and Jim forever.”

My eyes widened in surprise as I scrambled for something to say, but Liam saved me from a serious answer.

“If you don’t want to marry Emmitt, we would be okay with Jim, too.”

My face flushed, and the bed started shaking due to Emmitt’s silent laughter.

“We’ll talk about who I’ll marry some other time, but I’ll keep what you said in mind. Now, go get dressed and wait with Jim.”

Both boys scampered out of the room, and I got out of the bed without looking at Emmitt. I’d never given marriage a thought. Had Emmitt? He might have because he’d called me his repeatedly. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a permanent relationship, though, and couldn’t afford to dwell on it. There were bigger issues in my life.

I grabbed some clean clothes and left the room, pretending I didn’t notice Emmitt’s scrutiny. Shutting myself in the bathroom, I started to get ready. I didn’t take too long. The boys were probably hungry and trying to talk Jim into leaving without us. I pulled back my wet hair and opened the door.

Emmitt leaned against the wall, waiting. His sleepy smile and slow appraisal had my stomach doing acrobatics. He winked, and I realized he knew what he did to me. With an embarrassed smile, I indicated the bathroom was all his and fled to the bedroom where I ditched my dirty laundry.

I went to join Liam and Aden in the living room where I could hear Jim entertaining them with stories from Emmitt’s youth.

“Morning,” I said, walking into the room. “Did you two sleep well?”

“Yep, until Aden woke me up,” Liam complained.

“I’m hungry,” Aden said to explain his purpose for waking his older brother.

Jim reached forward and plucked Aden from the floor. “Me, too. Let’s hope Emmitt hurries or we’ll have to leave without him.” He used his big hand to cover Aden’s stomach and flexed his fingers. Aden squealed and giggled, the childish laugh making me smile.

Freshly showered and dressed, Emmitt strode into the room. He spared me a quick wink then focused on Aden.

“I’m starving, too. Let’s go eat. If I get there first, I’m eating all the food.”

Aden flipped off Jim’s lap and made a dash for the door, but Emmitt reached it first. Jim and Liam shared a brief look. Jim smiled mischievously, and Liam took off running after Aden and Emmitt.

Jim laughed. “Come on, little sister, or you’ll be left crumbs.”

As we finished eating, Paul and Henry came and asked to take Liam and Aden on a tour. Jim immediately offered to go with. I watched my brothers leave the common room, both excitedly following the younger pair of werewolves, then helped Emmitt carry our plates to the adjoining kitchen.

He deposited the dishes into a large tub of soapy water and turned toward me.

“Are you ready?”

I looked at him blankly.

“The pack meeting.” His gaze flicked to the doorway behind us.

I looked over my shoulder. In those few moments since leaving the room, a growing number of people had entered it. I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. He smiled, gave me a tender look, and took my hand to lead me back. As I suspected, ready or not, I would be attending the meeting.

People gathered along the outskirts of the room. Those that didn’t have a place to sit stood near the picnic tables or the open patio doors. They looked like normal people, but I knew better. This was the pack.

As we headed toward Charlene, Thomas, Mary, and Gregory at the front of the room, I scanned the faces in the crowd. Thankfully, I didn’t see anyone I recognized. Most just looked curious about me. However, the intense stares of a few made me nervous. I tightened my hold on Emmitt’s hand.

The hush that fell as we delved deeper into the crowd drew Mary’s attention. She smiled reassuringly, and I tentatively smiled back.

Emmitt stopped next to his parents, and we turned to face the pack. My anxiety reached new heights as I stared into the sea of bodies that watched us. Thomas stepped forward, drawing their attention.

“There was a challenge last night, which Elder Winifred declined. Michelle has acknowledged Emmitt in front of Elder Winifred.”

Challenge? I’d acknowledged Emmitt? What were they talking about?

The collective eye of the pack focused on me. Emmitt’s hand lightly squeezed mine as I struggled not to squirm under the sudden attention.

“All challenges will end now,” Thomas said. “Not only is this a command from me—”

“It’s from me as well,” Nana Wini said from the back of the room.

There was a minute shuffling in the crowd then everything stilled.

“Just as we count Charlene as one of our own, we now count Michelle.” Thomas glanced at me and gave me a warm smile. “Michelle has brought two cubs with her.”

Cubs?

“They are under pack protection, but I am looking for a Mated pair to protect them as their own, to put the safety of the cubs above the safety of the pack.” There was a slight murmur at this.

“I’ll keep them as my own,” Mary said from beside me.

“We will,” Gregory agreed.

Thomas nodded to Gregory. As if it were a sign, people started to leave. Many of them looked back to study me before they quit the room, and I wondered what they were thinking. I wasn’t even sure what I was thinking. The six of us stayed where we were.

“I’m sorry about that, Michelle,” Charlene said. “We needed to lay down the law right away so you wouldn’t run into any trouble.”

“And my brothers?”

“That’s what Mary and Gregory are for. While you’re here, they will be an extra layer of protection. Mary and Gregory will always be close by, and if you need to leave your brothers for any reason, they will step in while you are gone, protecting Liam and Aden even more ferociously than you could. They were guardians for Jim and Emmitt while they were growing up.”

It touched me that they already knew Liam and Aden’s names. But I wasn’t sure I could trust complete strangers to watch over my brothers, even knowing they were friends of Emmitt’s for a very long time.

Charlene must have sensed my hesitancy. “Nana Wini also spoke a command to the room. No one will harm them.”

I wasn’t about to mention Nana Wini’s word didn’t seem to work too well if Nana hadn’t already mentioned it.

“Now that that’s settled, we are hoping you will discuss your past with us. We want to help you,” Charlene said.

I gave a slow nod, not knowing what more I could share other than Richard’s address. I didn’t think the address would do much good. I highly doubted Blake would be sitting at the house with all the news coverage I saw online.

Charlene motioned for Thomas to lead the way. Emmitt’s thumb smoothed over the side of my hand as we followed. His touch momentarily distracted me from my thoughts.

Thomas opened the door to a small, windowless room. Its sole furnishing was a battered rectangle dining table, surrounded by mismatched chairs. Nana Wini and another man I’d never met already sat at the table. Everyone moved to join them.

“Michelle, this is Elder Sam,” Emmitt said as he held out a chair for me.

I recognized the name of Nana’s stock market friend and said a quiet hello as I sat. Sam nodded in greeting but remained silent. He looked just as I imagined him; aged, but not stooped, with neat, grey hair and kind brown eyes.

Emmitt took a seat beside me. “This room has been soundproofed, so we won’t be overheard.”

Charlene nodded. “Nana Wini told us the Forlorn ignored her command to leave. That is cause for concern. But I’m more concerned about the things you said on the way here.”

I gave Emmitt a sidelong glance.

“You shouldn’t need to live in fear,” Charlene said. “I’ve seen these people do amazing things. Let’s face this together. But in order to do that, we need to know everything you know about those men. Do you have any idea why they could ignore an Elder?”

I wanted to laugh. “How could I possibly know anything like that? I’ve known about werewolves less than a month.”

“Emmitt mentioned you thought Blake was one of us. You were near him for more than four years. Tell us about him,” she said.

Did I know something I hadn’t yet realized? I thought back to the beginning, scrutinizing everything I could remember. Sure, it had been Blake who was responsible for my prison, but he hadn’t been there most of the time, just at the dinners and infrequent visits to confer with David or Richard. There wasn’t much else.

They remained silent, patiently waiting.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for,” I said finally. “I thought Blake was just like everyone else. Human. But, he was mean. He’d come over and ask me about my premonitions. He sometimes asked if I saw anything other than market tips. I always wished I did see something more. But it wasn’t until…”

It wasn’t until I met Emmitt that they’d changed. With that thought, I realized Blake had known that my premonitions would evolve. It explained why he kept asking; he’d been waiting for my answer to change.

I looked down at the table in shock. Was that why he’d brought his men over?

His men. The thought stuck in my head and pieces fell into place.

“No. You’re wrong,” I said looking up at Nana Wini, yet still lost in my own thoughts.

“About what, dear?”

“Pack leaders control the pack. Elders keep the peace between the packs through the pack leaders,” I said slowly, reasoning it out. “Yet, there are some of your kind you have trouble communicating with.” My thoughts felt right, but the implications scared me. “Before the night he shifted, I thought Blake’s control over the men he brought with him was just a businessman’s hold over his lackeys. But that night, it was more. I think he’s their leader. A pack leader. Those were his men. I think Blake is different. You can’t communicate with him, and because of that, his men. They are their own pack. A large pack.

“Many of his men commented on my smell. No, not smell. Scent. I never understood what they meant.” I looked at Emmitt. “I believe Blake brought those men over because he knew my premonitions would change when I met the right werewolf. They changed after I met you.”

Emmitt’s lips twitched, and the look in his eyes grew warm. Before I blushed, I turned my focus on the other members of our group.

“Now, I’ve seen actual people in my premonitions, not just stock tips. I think Blake meant to unlock that new piece of my gift. He knows more than we think, not only about my gift, but about why Elders can’t communicate with everyone like they should.”

The room remained quiet.

“I think you’re right,” Thomas said finally. “He does sound like he knows more.” He looked at Sam and Nana Wini. “But, is it worth the risk to find out what he knows when we have no way of controlling him?”

Sam and Nana Wini shared a glance.

“These gifted women are rare,” Sam said.

Huh? What gifted women? I glanced at Emmitt, confused, but Sam kept speaking.

“And we have yet to determine why these gifted women are compatible with us. Are they gifted because they are compatible or are they compatible because they are gifted? Are there other human women out there who are compatible but not gifted? There’s so much we don’t know. Charlene, your gift has never been clear to you; and with Gabby less than a month away from leaving for college, I think we need to find out what Blake knows.”

“Gifted?” I said to Charlene then swiveled toward Sam. “Who’s Gabby?”

Sam reached into his pocket and removed his wallet as Charlene answered my first question.

“So far, the humans who are compatible with werewolves are gifted.” When I looked at her speculatively, she said, “Yeah, I can manipulate people’s minds, plant thoughts in there, and make them do what I want.”

The idea of that scared me, but no one else in the room seemed too bothered by it.

“I learned at an early age what I could do wasn’t a good thing and started to fear people would come take me away because of it. So I ran and ended up here.”

Though her gift concerned me, it also gave me comfort because now I knew I wasn’t alone. Maybe she knew why my gift had suddenly changed.

“Did anything happen to your ability when you met Thomas?” I asked, absently accepting the picture Sam had plucked from his wallet.

If my suspicions were right, her ability would have changed when she met her Mate. But, without knowing exactly what these strange abilities were for or where they stemmed from, it was hard to say if my theory was right or not.

“No,” she said, disappointing me. “But when I Claimed him, he changed.” She looked at Thomas, and he nodded as if encouraging her to continue. “A pack leader can only hold together a pack size equal to his mental strength. His command needs to encompass the entire group. When it can’t, the members see weakness and leave. So by nature, the pack size remains equal to the power of the alpha. Once I Claimed Thomas, his capacity to control more members grew. Even now, we could welcome more members if they wanted to join us.”

So Charlene’s gift hadn’t changed, but Thomas had. Why after the Claiming? Could it be that her ability had changed before that, but she hadn’t noticed? Did this mean when…if…I Claimed Emmitt, my gift could change again?

Stumped, I finally looked down at the picture in my hand. I felt the same sense of recognition as I had when I first saw Charlene’s picture, but this time I had an explanation for it.

“This is the girl from my first vision. She was studying. College texts, I think. One of you was lying beside her. A huge dog with a long, shaggy brown coat. I saw her petting him.” I looked up and saw Sam’s surprised expression. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no. It’s just…she tolerates coming here but doesn’t really have a fondness for any of us.”

I wasn’t wrong in what I’d seen. “I guess we just have to see what comes to pass. Maybe it was just a picture of a possibility.” I passed the photo back to him.

Sam stared down at the picture in his hand, a slight smile on his lips. The girl in the picture might not have a fondness for them, but Sam definitely had affection for her.

“Do you know of a way to reach Blake?” Thomas asked.

I started to shake my head no but then paused. “There’s a lawyer who seems to be in contact with him.”

“A lawyer?” Thomas said.

“Before I ran, my stepfather left me an envelope filled with documents and stuff, including a number for a lawyer. I looked the lawyer up online and sent him an email. He replied right away, asking for a meeting to read Richard’s will. But he mentioned Blake too, so I never responded.”

“Perhaps we could work through the lawyer,” Charlene said, hope buoying her words.

“If the Elders can’t communicate with him, the only chance we have to get the answers we want is face to face,” Thomas said. “Not through a lawyer.”

Sam nodded in agreement but looked troubled.

They were right. I doubted Blake would respond willingly to a phone call, email, or third party. If we wanted answers, Blake would need to be confronted face to face like Thomas said. And, I realized, I would have to do it. He had no reason to acknowledge anyone else in the room.

Ice formed in my limbs.

“I need to go back.”

Charlene and Nana Wini shared a worried look.

“No, honey,” Charlene said. “We’ll think of something else. Now that you’re here, and Nana put out a call about your protection, there’s a possibility he’ll come to you.”

Fear swamped me.

“No. I don’t want Blake here.”

I didn’t want Blake anywhere near my brothers. Yet, that’s exactly what would happen now that he’d found us again. He was probably already tracking us or trying to. If I left the boys here, surrounded by werewolves not controlled by Blake, and went back to Wisconsin to lead Blake away, my brothers would be safe. Well, safer. Still, I wasn’t willing to throw myself at Blake for the sake of a few unanswered questions—no matter how much I wanted the answers.

“Michelle, it would be better for you to stay here,” Charlene said.

“For me, but not for Liam and Aden. They are how he controlled me before.” I didn’t want to go back, but I would to keep them safe.

Compassion flooded Nana’s expression. I wished I had her strength. That was it, I thought with realization. Maybe there was a way for all of us to stay safe.

“Emmitt said Elders are stronger, more powerful than any other pack member. Maybe one could come with me, and one could stay here,” I said, hopefully.

The group remained quiet for several moments before Thomas spoke up. “Neither you nor your brothers will be put at risk if we lure Blake here.”

“I understand that you don’t believe so, but you don’t know Blake.” And neither did I, not really. But the memory of his hand tightening around my throat made me desperate to keep my brothers safe. He was coming for me. I didn’t doubt that. If I left without my brothers and he caught me again, at least I wouldn’t have their wellbeing holding me back from trying to escape.

Sam cleared his throat. “Let’s think on this for a while.”

“Not too long,” I said, wondering if Blake already knew of our location.

“We’ll meet again tonight,” Charlene said firmly.

I had little hope they would come up with a plan that didn’t involve me facing Blake. But, my worst fear wasn’t that Blake would recapture me. I feared never seeing my brothers again and never knowing if they were as protected and loved as I wanted them to be. Another thought pierced my heart. Would they grow up without any memories of their parents or me? Because of their ages, it was a possibility. Yet, what other choice did I have but to leave them here? My selfish need to stay with them wouldn’t protect them.

Knowing what I needed to do, I nodded at Charlene. That’s all they were waiting for. The others stood and started filing out completely unaware of the probable future tearing me apart.

Emmitt’s hand settled on my shoulder. A comforting touch. A reminder that it wasn’t the future yet and that I still had today to make unforgettable memories with my brothers.

I rose, took Emmitt’s hand, and headed out the door.

Gregory and Mary found us while we were on our way to dinner. I sent the boys ahead to eat with Jim, Paul, and Henry while Emmitt and I headed to the soundproofed room.

When we entered, Charlene was in a whispered conversation with Thomas. Whatever they discussed, she looked very adamant.

Sam and Nana spoke with two newcomers, imposing men who stood just inside the door. The older of the two closed the door behind us. He was leaner and older than the other, but in no way less impressive. The younger, larger man rivaled Jim’s size. With long, thick legs, he towered over his partner and stood with his massive arms crossed as he silently listened to Sam. I much preferred Emmitt’s leaner build but didn’t mistake their size differences to directly relate to their abilities. I knew better; I’d watched Emmitt and Jim “rough house” at the lake and Nana take on two larger men.

Emmitt led me to an open chair, and as usual, he held it out for me. The papers on the table caught my eye—four airline tickets. Two had names I didn’t recognize. Another had Emmitt’s name. The last ticket had my name on it.

My heart skipped a beat. I’d known I would have to go back, but I couldn’t settle on how I felt about it.

“We spoke at length,” Thomas said, noting the direction of my gaze. “We think an information-gathering trip to your old home, with the protection of an Elder, is a good idea. Those tickets are only if you agree to our plans.”

Charlene moved toward the table, and Thomas considerately pulled out her chair even though she scowled at him. They’d obviously disagreed about something.

“Jim and Nana Wini will stay with the boys at all times as will Mary and Gregory,” Thomas said. “Paul and Henry will be with them, as well, but no other werewolves will be permitted near them as a precaution.”

I sensed Nana Wini’s influence in the decision to limit their contact. Gratitude swamped me. It had to be tough to find out the complete control she’d thought she had was just an illusion.

Thomas continued. “While keeping Liam and Aden safe, we will not let them feel isolated. We’ll keep them busy, just like today. In the event something does happen, Mary and Gregory will be their first line of defense followed by Jim and Nana Wini.”

My hands grew cold at his words.

“At that point, Nana Wini would put a call out. I promise you, the entire pack will answer.”

I could only nod in agreement due to the lump in my throat. It gave me chills hearing Thomas talk like that, but I was glad they’d thought it through. My brothers would be well guarded.

Under the table, Emmitt reached over to give my hand a gentle squeeze.

“Good,” Thomas said. “Next, let me introduce you to the men who will be protecting you. This is Carlos and Grey.”

The two names on the tickets. Carlos, the muscled man with a beautiful tan, black hair, and incredibly dark eyes, nodded at me when Thomas said his name. Grey, less bulky with a head of thick, curly grey hair and merry blue eyes, winked at me.

“Both Nana Wini and Sam have examined their intentions,” Thomas said. “In addition to that, I personally vouch for them. Grey is my older brother. He has been with me through many challenges and has never let me down. Carlos has been with the pack since the day he was born. Even as a youth, he displayed tremendous courage and loyalty at the risk of personal harm.

“We don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Either Grey or Emmitt will be with you at all times, and you will not be going to your old home, yourself. The closest we agree you should go is to the city. From there, Carlos will act on your behalf.”

Everyone’s eyes rested on me. Though in their eyes three werewolves might seem like good protection, I would rather have an Elder. Someone who could trump Blake.

“Will Sam be coming with us?” I asked hesitantly.

Sam smiled slightly. “Grey is an Elder and can communicate with us as needed.”

“Oh. I thought there were just two Elders,” I said, meaning him and Nana.

“No,” Nana said frowning slightly. “Though, our numbers do concern me.”

Sam heaved a sigh but didn’t speak.

“I think we need to give it consideration,” she said looking at Sam then Grey.

“Give what consideration?” I asked, not understanding.

“There is a candidate waiting to become an Elder,” she said with reservation.

“Waiting?” I said.

“We can’t communicate with him like we should and hesitate to allow him to take the oath,” Grey said, speaking for the first time.

“He might be the key,” Sam said. “What Winifred experienced when those two came to challenge has been noticed before.” He sighed. “But, never to the degree she experienced. We don’t give commands very often. We believe in free will, so we’ve never tested the completeness of our communication with each individual. We just send out information when it’s needed.”

He looked at Nana Wini. “What you discovered is a bigger issue. We need to think of the possibilities. The new candidate, with this communication limitation, might be able to communicate with the others like him.”

I didn’t understand their concern. If they had someone who could communicate with the others, why not use him. Nana seemed to read my mind.

“An Elder has vast power and a huge responsibility to that power,” she said. “When a candidate approaches us, we inspect their mind thoroughly. If we allowed a candidate to take the oath without making sure their intentions were honest and true, they could die.” I frowned, confused. “When we take our oath, we are bound to serve the pack’s best interest. Always. Our decisions may not be right all of the time, but they must be made with the right intentions. If we ever did anything knowing it would cause the pack harm, or wasn’t in the pack’s best interest, we would die instantly. It’s the tie to all of our kind that controls us as much as we control them.”

I stared at her, stunned for a moment. The connection she shared with all pack members could backlash and kill her? What a scary risk. Then again, putting so much control into one person was a risk, too. If there weren’t some kind of check and balance, they could grow into a power-hungry Blake.

“So, because you can’t inspect his mind, you don’t know his intentions?”

“He’s been waiting for three years. He has studied with each of us. We’ve tested him in many ways; but we haven’t been able to inspect his mind. We can touch areas of it, just like I was able to with the two that appeared last night, but not all of it. And just like the two that appeared, he can choose to ignore a direct command.”

“So, if he’s an Elder, he might be able to control them?” I wondered.

“He might. Or, he may die taking the oath,” Sam said.

Werewolves were getting more complex. Everything I knew about them whirled in my mind.

The Forlorn were on their own, controlled only by Elders, but in some cases even Elders weren’t able to communicate with them. The pack leaders controlled pack members. Through the pack leaders, the members were then fully open to the Elders. Due to the oath Elders took, pack members indirectly controlled them.

One important question swirled in the center of my mental hurricane. Where did that leave special people like me?

According to Nana, all werewolves wanted us, most protected us, but we answered to none of them. We were part of their lives but not held to their rules. Even the Claiming was different for us. They couldn’t choose us. We had to choose them. There had to be a reason for these differences.

Charlene brought us back on track.

“We can decide this later. Right now, we need to finalize the trip. I still think it’s too dangerous for Michelle, even with an Elder along. No offense intended, Grey.”

Grey winked at Charlene but remained quiet.

Dropping my gaze to the table, I considered their condition that I didn’t go near the house and the impracticality of it. I still thought Blake would only speak to me; but, even with the stipulation, the plan achieved my goal. I would be closer to Blake and further from my well-protected brothers. Going to Wisconsin put me in a better position to learn more about Blake’s real plans and would hopefully keep Blake away from Liam and Aden.

“I think it’s worth the risk,” I said quietly.

“All right,” Thomas said, standing. “The flight leaves at 10 a.m. We’ll see you at breakfast.”

So soon? I felt a little tug in my chest as everyone else stood. While Grey and Carlos left with Nana and Sam, talking about someone named Joshua, I wondered how I’d actually bring myself to leave Liam and Aden.

Charlene must have read something in my expression because she stood when I did and moved to hug me. I accepted the gesture of comfort without thinking.

As soon as she touched me, the room faded. This time when I flew through the darkness toward the growing white glow, I prepared myself to focus. I was determined to look for two things: the outcome of the confrontation with Blake and the safety of my brothers during that confrontation. If anything looked off, I’d back out of the trip immediately.

The white room closed around me, and I quickly looked about. Each image flew out of the way as soon as I decided I didn’t want to view it, and a new one crowded forward. It was like flipping through a book. Most images I barely gave a cursory glance.

I didn’t find any starring Blake but did see the one of Emmitt and me. As I focused on it, it started to play again and distracted me from my purpose. I had complete control of it, rewinding or forwarding through the scene. Before I bit him, however, the room blinked out of existence.

My consciousness returned just in time to see Charlene crumple toward the floor. Thomas’s quick reflexes saved her from a complete fall. He gently laid her down. I attempted to kneel beside her, but Emmitt caught me by my arms.

“No,” Emmitt said, pulling me back from my semi-crouched position.

Thomas already knelt beside Charlene, tapping her cheek and calling her name.

“What happened?” I asked Emmitt.

“One minute she was hugging you, the next she started breathing funny and fainted. Did you have another vision? You had that same look.”

“Yes. No.” I stared worriedly at Charlene’s prone form. “It was different. I think my ability is changing again, but I don’t know how or why. I think I did that to her,” I said to Emmitt in quiet fear.

On the floor, Charlene started coming to.

“No, it’s just part of my gift,” she assured me calmly as Thomas helped her up. “I’ll tell you about it some other time. You need to go spend time with your brothers. I’m fine.”

She didn’t look fine. She looked pale and shaky as she moved to sit on a chair.

Emmitt gave my hand a quiet squeeze of assurance. I squeezed back. Had I almost killed his mom?

“She’s stronger than she looks,” Thomas said to both of us.

“She’s still here and listening,” Charlene said with a roll of her eyes, and I felt a little relieved.

Emmitt moved as if to leave, but Thomas stopped us.

“Michelle, could I have a moment with you? Privately?”

Emmitt scowled at his father but left, closing the door softly behind him. Charlene remained, and I stayed by the door, waiting.

Thomas rested a hand on the back of Charlene’s chair, opened his mouth several times, but didn’t say anything. This was the first time I’d seen him look anything but confident and calm.

Charlene gave a snort at his prolonged silence. It seemed to motivate him. He gave her a look and ran his hand through his hair—a gesture I’d seen his son do numerous times.

“I wasn’t sure what to do about sleeping accommodations. Jim mentioned Emmitt stayed with you last night, and I was wondering if you wanted one room or connecting rooms.”

Heat flooded my face, and I wished I could disappear.

“I wouldn’t mind if we shared a room,” I said truthfully, hoping they wouldn’t think poorly of me. “I’d feel safer.”

Thomas nodded and moved to leave, but Charlene stopped him with a slight clearing of her throat.

“Two beds, then?” she asked politely.

I nodded, relieved she didn’t assume the worst. Sleeping next to Emmitt after I had the bad dream, and again at the Compound, had been nerve-racking, yet completely wonderful, experiences; but I didn’t want to get into the habit of sharing a bed. I had Liam and Aden to think of.

She winked at me. “I know how male minds work. If you don’t clarify, they’ll weasel their way under the covers and have you believing it was your idea.” Thomas snorted but didn’t deny the accusation. “We raised Emmitt to be a good boy. Set your boundaries, and he’ll respect them. But like any werewolf, he’ll look for loopholes,” she said with a laugh.

“Are you done?” Thomas said to his wife with an arched brow. She smiled at him sweetly and stood to plant a light kiss on his lips. He huffed a sigh and shook his head at her.

She turned back toward me. “You’ll learn,” she added with another wink and led Thomas to the door.

I let them step out first. I needed that extra moment to cool my blush.

Emmitt waited for me in the hall. After a small wave goodbye to Charlene and Thomas, he and I walked slowly back to our apartment. We didn’t talk about anything since we were out of the secured meeting room. Instead, he just reached over to hold my hand. I willingly surrendered it.

That night, to Emmitt’s disappointment, I slept snuggled between my brothers. In Aden’s sleep, he tangled his fingers through my hair. Somehow, he knew something bad was coming.