“I’m a grown man.”
Tak snapped his fingers. “That’s right! The same grown man who climbed on top of this roof last month during the lunch hour and gave everyone passing by a strip show.”
“Fine. I’ll just indulge in a little debauchery instead.” Virgil sauntered off in hisIntrovertT-shirt. Atticus appreciated his wry humor, and it crossed his mind that if Joy accepted him, there was a slim chance he might wind up living with a pack of wolves.
Thesewolves.
Which made him pay closer attention to their social dynamic. Atticus had never experienced the true brotherhood that Shifters share. He had lost a few close friends and travel companions, but he’d never lived among a group as a family. And still mightnever. No matter how much Tak’s people loved Joy, he doubted a pack of wolves would ever accept a Vampire into their home.
That weighed on him heavily. Was it fair to ask Joy to leave the people she loved? While he could offer her luxury and safety, could he give her the same happiness and fulfillment as a pack? Joy was a wolf, and she had different needs.
While sitting to Tak’s left, he stole a glance at the alpha’s tattoo, the detailed tribal designs marking the left side of his face. He wondered about the meaning. Tribes often told stories in their tattoos and also used them to mark special events.
He cleared his throat. “Did Salem really have a job to attend to?”
Tak set down his glass and shrugged.
“Mr. Lockwood appears to be avoiding confrontation.”
“You think?” Tak rested his thick arms on the table, his black tank top stretched to the max. “He’ll get over it. You can’t run from anything in a pack. We eat together, and closeness forces you to settle differences. Salem feels responsible for what he did, and maybe he’s unsure about his place in my pack now that he doesn’t have Joy to look after.”
Atticus studied the room, his thoughts drifting.
Who will care for Joy if she rejects me? Who will help with the baby when she’s tired?
“Does everyone in the pack work?” he asked. “Will they have time to help raise a baby?”
Tak gripped his glass, and a rivulet of condensation dripped over his hand. “If Joy needs sleep, I’ll strap the baby to my back while I work.” He sighed thoughtfully and stared into his glass. “It’s her choice, but I hope she keeps it. A pack isn’t a home without the sound of children. The spirits brought us a special child to teach us something.”
“And if she chooses adoption?”
“Adoption is a beautiful thing, but it’s not an easy decision. If that’s what she wants, I’ll make sure the child has good parents. That’s my vow to her.” Tak brought the tea glass up to his lips. “Did you think this courtship through? You might be raising a child if she accepts you.”
Atticus detected judgment in Tak’s words.
Vampires couldn’t have children, nor did they raise them. Elders would cast a suspicious eye since it might be for depraved reasons. Children were easy to manipulate and brainwash, and some Vampires in the past had kept them as bloodslaves. Naturally everyone would wonder if he had nefarious motives.
He considered his reply carefully. “When I was human, someone murdered my pregnant partner. I chose to become a Vampire for the wrong reason—revenge. I never got that justice, and it haunted me for centuries. When you lose everything, you begin wondering about the purpose of your life. Pain like that changes your perspective.”
Tak laced his fingers but said nothing.
“Joy makes me believe in destiny, and I’ll never again let anyone harm the people I love.” He met Tak’s eyes. “Ever. That’s why I need to locate the laboratory and destroy everything associated with it.”
“You read my mind.”
Archer swaggered up to the table to collect a drink. “Important conversation?”
Tak pulled his braid over his shoulder and tightened the leather band at the end. “Call everyone here.”
Atticus had been listening to the pack grumble about his presence all night, and dragging them into a dangerous mission might cause a heated confrontation. “I don’t wish to stir up controversy among your pack.”
Tak leaned back. “That’s up for debate.”
The men filed up to the booth and scooted in. Bear claimed the booth next to theirs and twisted around to face them.
Archer craned his neck. “Virgil! Get your ass over here!”
Virgil glanced over his shoulder from the far end of the bar, but his interest was devoted to a deer Shifter he had been hitting on since leaving their table. Atticus sharpened his hearing to listen in.
