I stood up and took a few deep breaths. I wasn’t as shaky as usual, thanks to my wolf taking over and allowing me to rest. During the panic attacks when I hadn’t shifted, I didn’t feel right for the rest of the day. Weak, jittery hands, exhausted—as if I’d run a marathon. It wasn’t the first time I’d lost control of my wolf in a public place, but it had always happened in the Breed district.
That was the second time Tak had seen one of my episodes, and it mortified me. I hadn’t gotten a chance to explain that these weren’t a common occurrence, but now he must have thought me unstable. A lump formed in my throat as I walked naked through the empty apartment, and his absence made the situation unbearable.
I went back to my bedroom and thought about the sacks of food. Had I gone too far buying him things? It never crossed my mind that it might insult him—me flaunting my money and rubbing his nose in it. I didn’t mean it that way and would never intentionally do anything to make him feel inadequate.
I just wanted to do something nice. It was just a paltry sum to spend, but sometimes old-fashioned men could be funny about receiving gifts.
Unable to salvage anything useful by worrying, I decided to work on some jewelry designs. After putting on my dark blue harem pants and a crop top, I sat down at my desk, lining up turquoise stones for a new bracelet design.
What else could I do? Tak had no phone that I was aware of, and he’d already checked out of his motel. By this time, he would be back in Oklahoma, wishing he’d never met me.
Designing jewelry allowed me to forget my troubles and feel centered. The assembly required concentration and a creative eye. Some people meditated or did yoga to find inner peace; I made art.
After a spell,I had two new prototypes. The events of the day had vanished from my thoughts.
Well, except for Tak lying naked on the motel room floor, covered in suds.
I stood up and swiftly left the room, suddenly reminded of my purse, keys, bags, and…
My flower.
When I hurried into the living room, seeing that flower on my kitchen island made everything okay. I wished I’d never told him it was silly—I loved that he bought me a flower. I just didn’t like seeing him waste his money on me when he didn’t have any to spend on himself.
The yellow petals had curled a little, but sunflowers were resilient. I filled a narrow vase with water and set it on the kitchen island. After I cut the stem and pulled off a few leaves, I unloaded the groceries. Keeping busy occupied my mind, which had a tendency to overanalyze every little thing, like Tak bailing on me without a word. Perhaps it was unreasonable to expect any man to take on all my emotional baggage.
Nothing cured self-doubt like food, so I fired up a skillet and grabbed the sausage from the fridge. After prepping the green bell peppers, I chopped up the onions and threw them into the skillet. While the onions sautéed, I diced the fresh tomatoes on a chopping board and then pulled out the oregano and other seasonings. Since we had leftover brown rice, I got a little creative with the filling.
Before long, a heavenly aroma filled the apartment. Yet all it did was make me miss my brother sneaking bites of food and Mel singing off-key while setting the table. Food brought wolves together, and lately all these solitary meals were getting to me.
A glint of light caught on the suncatcher, sprinkling colors across the cabinets and floor. Taking the skillet off the burner, I spun around when a peculiar noise snagged my attention. It could have been a neighbor walking by, but it sounded like someone tapping on the door.
Curious, I tiptoed into the living room and peered through the peephole at an empty hallway.
I must be going crazy.
The moment I turned away, the scratching started again.
“Hello?” I called out.
Maybe someone was hurt.
When I reached for the door, I noticed both locks were vertical, meaning Tak had left me alone with the doors unlocked. Anyone could have wandered in! What kind of man would do such a thing? Why didn’t he use my keys and leave them with the leasing office? Once again, I’d placed my trust in the wrong man.
Incensed, I opened the door with a hard yank.
I gasped when a massive wolf tackled me, knocking me flat on my back. Tak cleaned my face and neck with his tongue.
“Stop,” I said, a giggle rising in my throat. “Stop it, boy. That tickles!”
Was Tak awake in there, or was I alone with his wolf? I looked deep in his eyes, searching for a flicker of the man, but saw none. Bonding with another Shifter’s wolf was an honor, because you didn’t automatically win over the loyalty of both.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his furry face. “I missed you,” I whispered. “I’m so glad you stayed.”
He plopped down next to me, the grey side of his face up. I stroked his beautiful coat, his muscles rippling beneath the surface whenever he moved. Why did he make me feel so at ease—so trusting? I’d rarely felt this safe around another wolf, especially an impressive creature such as this. Tak’s animal could kill me with one bite to the neck, yet I drew courage from him as I traced my finger along one of his canines.
And he actually smiled at me.
I laughed and scratched his ear. “You are every bit like Tak. Did you know that? Have you been out there this whole time guarding me? Poor guy.”
