“Of what?” Nick said. Then he realized. “Oh. Vic, that’s you, right?”
Victor let out a confused snort. I could understand him in his bear form, but I knew Nick couldn’t so I had to translate.
“He’s asking how you know it’s him,” I said.
Nick shrugged. “You know a guy long enough and you just kind of aren’t surprised if he turns out to be a werebear, you know?”
Victor and I exchanged glances. He nodded at me briefly before he changed back to human form. He stood awkwardly in front of Nick, scratching the back of his head. “So… you knew?”
“The whole time? Nah,” Nick said. “But I figured something was up with you. Guy-who-turns-into-a-bear just happened to be the most plausible thing I thought of.”
Victor exhaled deeply, as if he’d been holding a long breath. He smiled and punched him affectionately in the shoulder. “Thanks, Nick.”
“No worries.” Nick looked at us more seriously now. “So, what the hell happened?” He glanced over his shoulder at the police placing handcuffs on all three men. “I was worried when you ran off and didn’t show up again, so I called for backup like you said. The trucks were just in time, too, by the looks of it.”
Victor nodded. “They were.”
“How did you know to bring the police?” I asked.
Nick shook his head. “Vic and I already thought something was fishy, with those black cars lined up, and the arsonist’s bail paid and all that.”
“And?” Victor narrowed his eyes.
“We were right,” Nick said. “Turns out, the guys who bailed out the arsonist were the culprits from last year’s big forest fire.”
My heart sank at the words as the memories washed over me again. I could still smell the phantom scent of acrid smoke and fire eating up the trees.
“Nick,” Victor murmured, gesturing for him to stop.
“What?” Nick paused, then the realization seemed to hit him like a truck. His eyes widened and he looked horrified, gaping at me. “Oh my god, Liam, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know!”
“No, it’s okay,” I said, shaking my head. I lifted my chin. “I can’t change the past, and I don’t want to live in it.” I looked at Victor. “I want to live the life I have now.”
Victor turned red. He opened his mouth and stammered, but was cut off – to relief, I assumed – by one of the police officers. She looked Victor up and down, but didn’t comment on the fact that he’d been a bear just moments earlier.
“Thanks for the tip,” she said, nodding to Nick. “We’ve been looking for these guys since last year. Turns out they were hiding in the city, right under our noses.”
I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. The people who’d destroyed my home were finally getting the justice they deserved. Despite myself, I glanced at the back of the police car where they were filed in together. I caught the scarred man’s eye. Something flickered in it before he broke first, and looked away.
Victor’s arm slipped around my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” I murmured, leaning against his chest.
Nick wrapped things up with the officer and she left, along with the rest of the patrol. Behind us, smoke billowed into the night sky. The firefighters had put out the blazing building for the third – and final time.
18
Victor
After saying goodbye to Nick, I took Liam home. He was exhausted and dirty. We both were. At one point he stumbled and almost fell against the sidewalk, so I carried him the rest of the way. He protested at first, but after realizing how weary his legs were, he gave up.
“We’re home,” I murmured, kicking the door closed behind me. “You awake?”
He mumbled and rubbed his eyes. “Awake enough.”
“You need a bath,” I said.
“You do, too,” he muttered.
