“It’s nice out now that it stopped raining,” Darryl said. “Why don’t we sit outside for a while? I’ll light the tiki torches.”
Roscoe stepped inside the house before peeking back out. “I’ll get the beer.”
“I really don’t want anything else to drink,” I said, laying a hand over my stomach.
Darryl and I sat on the mismatched patio furniture around the makeshift table, staring silently at one another.
“I’m glad you guys are here,” he said, leaning back in the groaning chair.
“Me too. You really saved our asses. I definitely would not be having a good time out on the streets.”
Roscoe stepped back outside, holding an armful of chilled bottles.
“I didn’t expect the past to show back up at my front door,” Darryl continued, and Roscoe tensed before setting the beer on the table. “Did you really think I forgot?”
The older werewolf shook his head and sat next to me. “Nah. I just kinda hoped all this time had fixed what I screwed up.”
Darryl flicked the bottle cap off with his thumb claw and drank half of the beer in one gulp. “I always wondered how someone could hurt a best friend in such a terrible way, but Ialso knew you weren’t the same while you were high on that shit.”
“I tried for years to get that guitar back.”
“You’d never be able to afford it.”
“I’d find a way.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Darryl snapped. “I’ve got everything I want in life, and a missing guitar isn’t going to erase memories of my dad.”
“I couldn’t apologize, even when I wanted to. They’re just words, and you wouldn’t have forgiven me even if I said ‘em. You were the reason I got clean. I loved you like a brother, and when I hurt you, that was the last straw.” Roscoe turned to me. “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not gonna be someone who hurts people no more.”
“You better not be,” Darryl said. “Because if Cody ever shows up on my doorstep as hurt as I was, I will break every last bone in your body.” He held up his beer before finishing the rest of it. “The pack doesn’t hurt its own.”
“Losin’ you as my family nearly killed me. I know it won’t ever be the same between us, but I still wish we could be friends again.”
Darryl grabbed another beer off the table and wiped away some of the condensation. “Well, I can tolerate being around you. That’s a start.”
“I’ll take it.”
“You sure will.” Darryl set his beer down and looked at me, his eyes glowing that weird silver again. “You may wanna stay outside for a little while longer, unless you want to watch what I’m about to do to him.”
Roscoe’s ears hung off to the side, his eyes glowing an uncanny baby blue, his pupils seeming to disappear.
“Uh, what’s going on here?”
Roscoe stumbled to his feet and slowly made his way inside, Darryl following before stopping at the door to answer.
“Remember a couple days ago when I told him he was going to put that lazy ass to good use? Tonight’s the night he’s gonna apologize to his alpha. The werewolf way.” He stomped through the door and snarled Roscoe’s name as the door gently rested against the frame.
Chapter 8
Uninvited Guests
“What do you mean, eight months?” I let out an involuntary growl, my hand shaking as I held the cellphone to my ear. “I was told it would be a few weeks, and that was a few weeks ago!”
“I don’t make the zoning laws, Mr. Schultz. I just relay the information I’ve been given. The shortage is only in the tri-county area.”
“So, you’re saying there’s a housing shortage in places people actually live. Got it,” I said sarcastically, trying to keep my voice calm. “Is there anything in White Dunes?”
“I’m sorry, no.”
