“I’m so sorry for all this.”
Hope took a small orange from the bowl. “Don’t be silly. Even if youhadtold us about the lab from the beginning, we would still be here.”
I sat on the bench at the foot of the bed. “I shouldn’t have been so insistent, shouldn’t have forced Salem into this, but I wanted a pack’s protection.”
She sat beside me. “And you have it. I’ve lived in a pack my whole life. Believe me, we’re prepared for danger. Did Mel or Lakota ever mention the pack war years ago when rogues attempted a land grab? I’ve seen more drama in my old pack than on television. Tak knows what’s best for us. Besides, this will give me a chance to have a long visit with my family. Every pregnant woman needs her mother sometimes.”
I stared blankly at the table ahead.
“I’m sorry, Joy. It breaks my heart what your parents did. That must have been devastating, but I hope you can take some comfort in knowing that we’re your family now.” Hope soothed me with a touch of her hand. “Here, let’s share.” After peeling the mandarin orange and tossing the skin, she divided the smallfruit in two. While eating her wedges, she toed off her shoes. “Do you hold any resentment toward Salem?”
Swallowing my last bite, I replied, “I’ve had a lot of time to think about our relationship. I’m not a spiteful woman. Salem made deplorable choices in his past life, and he knows it. In the end, he saved me and all those other women. Even though I get a little angry sometimes, I’ve forgiven him. I’m just glad that I have no memory of that dreadful place, but those poor girls did. Can you imagine living with that? My wolves never shifted back—not once.”
“They protected you.” Hope opened her overnight bag. “Do you miss performing?”
I leaned against the bed. “Not at all. Do I miss the lifestyle that came with it? Guilty.” I stared at the sticky residue on my fingertips. “Maybe it’s selfish, but it’s hard not to appreciate the travel, food, music, and soirees. I felt like a princess.”
She ducked behind a bed curtain and changed. “I could never be a performer. To be vulnerable in front of others takes courage.”
“You can have all the courage in the world, but an entertainer needs thick skin to survive. With compliments comes criticism. When you put yourself out there for the world to judge, the world’s not always nice.”
She reappeared in sleep shorts and a baggy shirt. When she held the collar to her nose and pulled in a deep breath, I knew it had to be Tak’s. His scent must have brought her comfort.
“This was generous of Atticus.” I focused my attention on the room and all the small touches. “People don’t go out of their way to help others unless they want something in return.”
Hope slipped her feet into a pair of blue slippers. “Melody knows him better, but he’s always been generous. It’s also wise to be allies with influential people in the community.” She regarded me for a stretch while pulling her long hair out frombeneath her collar. “Does your skepticism have to do with the Vampires chasing you? Is that why you’re uncertain about him?”
“The power they wield frightens me.”
“Yes, but remember they can do good with those same gifts—just like we can with ours. A Shifter gave me these marks on my face when his wolf attacked me. Our gifts aren’t innately good or evil; it’s what we choose to do with them.” She retrieved a hairbrush from her bag. “He saved Virgil’s life and asked for nothing in return. Vampires are protective of their blood and don’t give it up freely, so that speaks volumes about his character. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust him. If Atticus says he’s going to protect us, that’s what he’s going to do. He might have a private agreement with Tak about a favor trade, and that’s fine. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
A voice boomed in the hallway. Hope dropped her hairbrush, eyes wide as she stared at the door while clutching her chest. When the door crashed open and hit the wall, I jumped to my feet.
A Native man with long hair and a skull-and-crossbones tattoo on his left arm stalked in. He dropped to one knee in front of Hope and clutched her hips, his forehead against her belly. After muttering something in his native language, he rose and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “My daughter.”
Hope’s expression brimmed with both love and absolute astonishment. “How did you get here so fast?”
He drew back. “I heard you were in danger.”
“Father, I’m hardly in peril. These are just precautionary measures.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Tell me why it is you think sleeping in a bar basement is a safe option.”
She crossed her arms, and a line formed between her eyes similar to the one her father had. “Because my mate will do anything to protect me and our baby, and if he thinks that I’msafer here than in our home, I trust his instincts. Tak loves me enough to send me away. You would do no less.”
Atticus leaned against the doorjamb. “No one can break in here. The doors are Vampire proof, and you need an access code.”
“Come on.” Hope’s father jerked his head toward the door. “I have twenty packmates waiting outside.”
“You’re such a worrywart.” She rubbed her cheek while glancing down at her outfit. “I barely got to enjoy the slippers.”
“Bring them with you.” Then he turned a sharp eye at Atticus. “Unless you need them back.”
Atticus shook his head.
Lorenzo Church was a formidable man with long hair, a stern gaze, and enough alpha energy to make any wolf submit on command. “You’re welcome to join,” he said to me.
Boy, was that tempting. “I appreciate the offer, but I should follow my Packmaster’s orders. He wants me with Atticus.”
