Nash could have easily lifted Tak’s wolf, but I sensed his trepidation. A person took risks when handling a wounded Shifter in animal form, and surely Nash had sensed Tak’s alpha power. Nash had never disclosed what his animal was, nor had we ever asked. We ordered pizza or lasagna at least twice a week since the shop was on the same street as ours. Nash was our regular delivery guy, and by the muscles on his arms, he must have delivered a lot of large orders.
I set down my purse and frowned at the blood streaks on the wood floor leading out to the hall.
Nash returned to the doorway. “I’m guessing by the big willy that this isn’t your purple-haired friend.”
“No, it’s not Mel. It’s someone my brother knows.”
“That’s a relief. Hold on.” Nash turned down the hall, and I hurried to the kitchen to wash my hands and get a drink of water. “I’ll just leave this here,” he said.
Grabbing a dish towel, I turned around to see what he was doing. Nash stepped over the wolf and presented me with a box of pizza.
“No, really,” I insisted. “I can’t take someone else’s dinner.”
“It’s not a real order, so you’re in luck.” He set the box on the island and patted it. “We don’t have online ordering or deal with credit cards, so we get a lot of pranksters ordering pizza for strangers. Kids think it’s funny. Sometimes the person being pranked feels guilty and pays me anyhow, but the asshole down the hall slammed the door in my face. It’s all yours if you don’t mind olives. I know how you guys like pizza, and this one is super tasty. It’s the thick crust with garlic sauce.”
I opened a drawer to pay him.
“Don’t even try,” he said, strutting into the living room. Nash flipped his red baseball cap backward, which hid his curly blond hair.
“Thanks, Nash. I owe you.”
I ran an empty glass underneath the tap. While I quenched my thirst, I wondered what I should do about Tak.
Nash looked around the apartment. “I only ever see this place from the doorway. Is this a corner unit?”
I rounded the island with a damp dish towel in my hand. “Yes. We got lucky. The best part is all the light we get since we have windows on two different walls.” I knelt to wipe up the blood. “Corner units aren’t easy to come by, and the layout feels more spacious than the other apartments.”
“So you have windows in the rooms?” he asked, pointing at the hall.
“Yes. It’s just a two bedroom, but you’d be shocked how high the rent is.”
“Sweet. I practically live in a dungeon with only two windows.” He hopped left to right and averted his eyes. “Mind if I use your bathroom real quick? Usually I pull over at a gas station or McDonald’s. I wouldn’t normally ask, but I don’t think I can hold it any—”
“Go right ahead,” I said, saving him the embarrassment. “It’s the last door at the end of the hall.”
Nash hurried around the corner and slammed the door.
After cleaning up all the blood in the outside hall, I crawled into the living room and soaked up the rest. What in the world had Tak’s wolf been doing beneath my car in his condition? Had he lost control and shifted on the street? Maybe his wolf had escaped the motel and somehow remembered my store. Or maybe Tak opened his big mouth and pissed off a local. He must have crawled beneath the car to protect himself since injured animals in the open are vulnerable. I could have accidentally backed over him. I shuddered at the thought of it.
I sat there for a moment and wondered if I should call Melody. It would either ruin their trip or make them worry needlessly, and this gathering was important to both families. I could only imagine the bountiful meals and conversations uniting both sides. It was tough missing out on all that fun, but I’d promised Melody that I’d go up with them next time.
When I stood up, Nash emerged with a more relaxed look on his face.
He brushed his wet hands over his T-shirt, his eyes soaking in the spacious apartment windows. “Would you mind putting in a good word for me with the landlord? I’ve been waiting for something to come up in this building. It’s close to my job, and I like that it has garage parking. The place where I’m staying now doesn’t even have covered parking. My car got pummeled in the last hailstorm. Man, I’dlovea corner unit.”
“I’ll put in a word, but I can’t promise anything. The manager’s a tough guy to deal with.”
Nash stepped around the wolf and into the hall. “If I were you, I’d lock him in the bathroom. He’s not lucid, and if he wakes up and gets confused, he’ll attack you. Maybe you should let Lakota decide what to do with him.”
I stared down at the wolf, realizing the danger. “Lakota’s not here, so I’ll probably shut him up like you suggested. His family can come get him if he doesn’t shift back.”
“You do that.” Nash glanced at his watch. “I better run before my orders get cold. Take a load off and eat that pizza while it’s still hot. You look beat. I don’t usually give away my food, so don’t tell anyone. If word gets back to my boss, he’ll fire me.”
“Thanks again for the help,” I said. “I really appreciate it. See you next time.” I locked the door and then backed up against it.
Tak’s wolf was a handsome blend. His ebony coat had grey patches, but I’d never seen anything more striking than his face. It reminded me of his human one, with the left side grey and the other half black. Had he tattooed his face to match the division in his wolf’s features?
I knelt down and wiped the dried blood from his temple, but his fur was too dense for me to examine his injuries. Nash was right. Leaving Tak’s wolf in an open room in this condition created a potentially deadly situation, so I carefully dragged him down the hall and into my bedroom. Mel’s room was out of the question. I’d never forgive myself if Tak’s wolf tore up any of her designs.
