He stopped talking.
“Okay then.No sex.Got it.”She nodded her head slowly.“Sooo, I’ll bring the van back on my way in, and I’ll see you at the station.Oh, and you spewed all over your clothes last night.You probably want to throw those in the wash before they get up and run away to avoid their own smell.”
She slung her purse over her shoulder.Silas followed her into the hall where she headed for the door, Maggie trailing behind her.Abruptly, she paused at the entrance to the kitchen and scooped a cup of kibble into Maggie’s bowl, rubbing the dog’s brown head.“There you go, princess.”
Then she fished out her keys before opening the front door.
“Hey, thanks for driving me home.”
“You’re welcome.”She flashed him a wry grin.“Oh, and don’t worry, I didn’t see anything.Except for your genitals.”
The door closed behind her.
ChapterEleven
Mickey Mouse stared up at Silas from the bottom of his favorite cereal bowl.Technically it was a small mixing bowl.The thing held half a box of Cocoa Krispies, which was necessary when you had a werewolf’s metabolism.It was empty now aside from a smear of milk residue.He had no memory of eating the cereal.His mind was too busy replaying Meredith’s naked body striding toward his house on an endless loop.
“I am so fucked,” he said to Maggie.She panted up at him and wagged her tail.
It wasn’t only that Meredith was beautiful.She was also smart, funny, brave as fuck, and compassionate.She was possibly the perfect woman.And he had made her watch his ex-girlfriend fuck a demon and then thrown up on himself.And to top it all off, he’d told her he never wanted to have sex with her.
He leaned back in his kitchen chair and stared at the ceiling.He should call in sick today.He’d never taken a mental health day before.Maybe it was time.
The piercing ringtone of his phone made him grab his throbbing head.Jason.He tapped the screen.“Are you back in town, bro?”
“Back and already at the hospital with Laina.You better get down here.Grateful is preparing to wake her up.”
Meredith filledherFor Fox Sakecoffee mug with the thin, coffee-flavored water the humans drank at the station.Damn.When was Silas getting in?After the night they’d had, he seriously needed to rectify the caffeine situation.
“Yo, Meredith,” the captain called from his office.“Can you come in here for a minute?”
“What’s up?”She joined him, closing the door behind her for privacy.
He handed her a folder.“I need you to check out a potential shifter disturbance at the city zoo.Seems an extra bear has appeared in the exhibit, and the zookeepers are flipping out.Go make sure the guy finds his way home and tell him to get his jollies with his own kind.”
“Sure.Uh, should I take Silas with me?”
“Didn’t he tell you?He called in.”
She frowned.“Sick?”
“No.Something with his sister.The family is meeting at the hospital today.”The captain’s face contorted with sympathy.“Between you and me, I think they’re preparing themselves for the worst.”
“I’ve gotta go.”She waved the folder.“I’ll take care of this.”
“Go get ’em, tiger.”
She walked out the door, breaking into a run once she was safely out of his sight.
After the welcome-homehugs and small talk, Silas stood at the end of Laina’s hospital bed with Jason, Selene, and Kyle by his side.Jason had his arm protectively around Selene, Kyle cradled Laina’s hand in both of his, and Silas… he crossed his arms and prayed to the goddess this would be over quickly.Sometimes it was hard being single in a family of doubles.
Grateful waddled into the room a moment later, carrying a large grocery bag from the store in Red Grove where she lived.She locked the door behind her.
“Are you saving my sister with weekly groceries?”Silas looked pointedly at the bag.
She shrugged.“No groceries.It was the right size for what I needed.”
“Whatever works,” Kyle said.“Thanks for doing this.”
