Carrying my juice, I walked apprehensively and sat across from Salem.
“I asked for a private breakfast this morning,” Tak began. “Everyone else will eat outside. Or in Virgil’s case, on the roof.”
I suppressed a smile. The last time we had eaten on the deck, Virgil had climbed onto the roof. He and Tak got into a heated argument that the pack must eat together, with Virgil arguing he could hear everyone just fine.
Bear set the rest of the food on the table.
“Thanks, chef.” Tak nodded at Bear.
“You bet.” After setting down the last plate, Bear made himself scarce.
I scooped an omelet onto my plate while it was still hot. Salem sat motionless, which didn’t go unnoticed by the Packmaster.
“You’re more honorable than I am,” Tak said to him before stuffing a sausage link into his mouth. “My appetite is like aboulder rolling down a mountain; there’s no stopping it.” He gave a boisterous laugh and then gestured at Salem’s plate. “There’s plenty of food at this table. Eat.”
Salem sipped his coffee. “I prefer to wait, if you don’t mind.”
“Suit yourself, but eggs taste better warm.”
After swallowing a bite, I felt the need to explain Salem’s behavior. “Before we arrived here, there were days when there wasn’t enough food.”
“I had to be careful about moving my money,” Salem tacked on. “So for a time, we were living out of pocket.”
“Salem always made sure I had enough to eat even if that meant him skipping meals or eating less.”
Assessing Tak’s demeanor, I found him impossible to read. He could switch between jovial and serious in a snap.
He licked his thumb and then washed down his sausage. “I’ve learned in these past months that taking in strangers comes with more trouble than I anticipated. I’ve always believed that everyone deserves a clean slate, but some of you are testing me.” Tak ate a strawberry and slanted his eyes toward me, then Salem. “Do both of you wish to live here?”
I nodded, speaking for myself.
Salem appeared to be mulling it over. “Yes,” he finally replied. “I’ll admit this wasn’t where I imagined myself, but high aspirations never led to anything good.”
Tak’s sonorous laugh startled me. He slammed his hand on the table and sat back, the laughter slowly dying in his chest. “If you think living here is lowering the bar, I’d love to hear more about your previous life, Salem Lockwood.”
Salem stroked his lower lip. “I didn’t mean that as an insult. Let’s just say that my life was once… demanding. Nothing was ever enough for me.”
“You worked in human medicine, did you not?”
Salem nodded. “One of many careers I had.”
Tak slurped his orange juice. After he set the glass aside, he brushed his fingers against the striking turquoise necklace adorning his neck, a piece reserved for impressing others, and it was certainly working now. “Can you two live under the same roof without trouble?”
I shared a quiet look with Salem, ambivalent about his existence in my life. His deciding to stay here permanently had never crossed my mind. I’d always imagined that one day I’d wake up and he wouldn’t be there anymore.
Salem stroked his short beard. “I’m all right with it.”
Tak waited for my answer. “In case you were wondering, I would never cast you out for doing what’s best for your child.”
I threaded a loose hair away from my eyelashes. “How can I be sure you’ll protect this child if I keep it? I have no mate, and… what if the baby isn’t…?”
Tak put his hand on mine. “Your little one doesn’t have to be a wolf to be part of the pack.”
Catcher groaned from beneath the table.
Tak let go of my hand and then dropped a sausage to the floor for Catcher. “Have you seen a Relic?”
“I’ve been monitoring her pregnancy since the first trimester,” Salem informed him. “She’s progressing as expected. I reduced her sodium intake, so make sure she doesn’t have the saltshaker near her plate.”
