Page 44 of Same One
It was Bridger he saw first. He was standing right on the edge of the trees. For a moment, Tabian resigned himself to fighting him again. They had unfinished business from earlier, but as he stalked forward, Bridger’s eyes softened. He turned and gave Tabian his back, then trotted into the woods in the direction of the others.
Confused, Tabian watched him disappear into the shadows, then trotted after him.
This body didn’t have all the emotions and feelings he did as a man. He still felt unsettled about Tru and Bayen, but he couldn’t think straight right now.
Now, he hunted.
It was what his Alpha wanted him to do.
****
Someone was sitting on his porch.
Tabian frowned at Bridger and caught the pair of discarded jeans Bridger tossed him.
“What do you want?” Tabian asked in a hoarse voice. Multiple quick Changes back-to-back always left him sore and frustrated.
“I’m sorry.”
Tabian waited for the punchline, but Bridger left that apology hanging in the air.
“It’s fine.”
“I didn’t know it was a kid. I just felt the wolf.” He stood and strode for the corner of Tabian’s house. “Nice den.”
Tabian nodded. “Thanks.”
Bridger ran a hand down his beard. He hadn’t shaved in a while. “Look, I’m having trouble…” He cleared his throat and shook his head hard against a growl that rattled up his throat. “I’m…” Bridger chewed the corner of his lip and ghosted a glance up at Tabian. “Are you gonna keep him?”
“Keep…him?” Tabian asked, confused.
“The kid.”
Tabian shook his head slightly. “I don’t think he’s mine to keep.”
“You want the girl? You make it right with her kid.” Bridger shrugged and walked into the night, toward his house. “Those are the rules.”
Baffled, Tabian watched him leave. “How do I do that?” he called after him.
Bridger didn’t answer.
“Hey, how do I make it right with the kid?”
Bridger still didn’t answer. Fuckin’ Riddler over there pretending he knew anything about anything.
Tabian made a click sound behind his teeth and grabbed his phone off the porch, then made his way inside.
The clock on the microwave said it was 11:11. His mom used to make wishes on that number. She used to make him make wishes on it too. He didn’t really believe in that stuff anymore, because his wishes had never come true. It was always the same thing though. He wished his dad would come back. His dad’s stubbornness had been more powerful than any magic a number could hold.
Tabian squatted down and stared at the damn number until it turned to 11:12. A dozen memories washed through him. He didn’t have to try and imagine Bayen’s anger or what caused him to act out like he did. Tabian had lived it.
He read Tru’s last text again.Thank you for all the kindness you have shown me.
He’d known she was going through something huge, but he’d had no idea how big. Now? His respect for her had grown. She was tough. Like…really tough. She was a human woman raising a teenage werewolf, and she wasn’t complaining. She was doing the best she could and not giving up on him in a difficult situation.
Tabian had already been head over heels for her, but now? Now Tru consumed him.
She’d been with a werewolf. She understood at least some Pack dynamics. She understood the males to an extent, because she lived with one and then was now raising one.
