He worked his way through the crowd, ignoring the curious sniffs and the way wolves leaned closer like they were inspecting their next meal.
The only reason Isaac had come here was to make sure Danny hadn’t chickened out on going to see Ash. He’d told Isaac what happened last night, the kiss then the freak out, and Isaac just wanted to check on him, not become someone’s next meal.
“Hey.” Isaac tapped his bestie’s shoulder.
Danny yelped, spun around, then slapped his hand on his chest. “Why’re you trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Why’re you so jumpy?” Isaac countered with an arched brow. Examining Danny closely, he noticed the sheen of sweat on his face, the blown pupils, and the way his hand shook. “What the fuck is going on?”
Isaac’s gaze slid to the behemoth who was sharply eyeing him, as if trying to decide if Isaac was a threat or simply annoying. He’d seen Ash in the grocery store yesterday morning but hadn’t caught the guy’s scent.
He had now, and there was no mistaking it.
Grizzly bear.
“Will you stop be so loud?” Danny hissed, glancing around like the noise-level police in a tavern with music loud enough to pierce eardrums would arrest them.
“If you don’t start talking, I’ll do more than get loud.” Isaac slapped a hand onto his hip. “I know that look, Danny. Who fucked with you? Was it that mountain standing behind you?”
Ash snarled.
“Stow your pissy attitude, bear. He’s my best friend. Danny is safe with me.”
Isaac wasn’t as strong as most of the men in the room, and he wasn’t a fighter. But when it came to Danny, he would throw hands with anyone who tried to hurt the human.
“Bear?” Danny frowned, but Isaac noticed he’d taken a step closer to Ash, unconsciously protecting his mate, even though Danny probably hadn’t realized he’d even done it. Or what a mate even was.
Ash eyed Isaac, silently warning him to keep his mouth shut. As if that was remotely possible. Bigger and better men than Ash had tried. But Isaac played it off for Danny’s sake.
“Look at his size.” Isaac gestured toward Ash with an exaggerated flourish of his hand. “Tell me he’s not built like one.”
Isaac was broken on several different levels, but he wasn’t suicidal. No way he was tussling with a bear shifter. Ash would snap his skinny ass in half. Or suffocate him by sitting on him. Besides, if Ash had been the threat, Danny wouldn’t have moved closer. He would’ve run out the door. But it was obvious someone had upset him.
“You still haven’t told me why you’re so jumpy,” Isaac reminded him, ignoring the eyes of so many predators watching him. “Who do I have to kill, hmm?”
Danny stared incredulously at him. “Dude, you’re like the smallest person in here.” Then he leaned in, whispering, “It was just some creep who couldn’t take a hint. Ash handled it. I’m okay, so you can calm down.”
Isaac really wasn’t trying to be an asshole, but ever since he’d nearly lost his best friend, he didn’t know how to stop being so overprotective. Isaac hadn’t witnessed the violence. Not the actual abuse, or he would’ve whacked Brad upside the head with his shovel. But the aftermath, when he’d come home and found Danny on the floor, bleeding out and clinging to life.
His back had been shredded, and not until later had Isaac found the wounds were caused by a knife, as if Brad had tried to carve Danny out of existence.
If Isaac hadn’t volunteered to work extra hours, he would’ve been there to stop Brad from attacking Danny. But he hadn’t been there when it mattered most. That night he’d vowed he would never fail Danny again. Any threat, big or small, Isaac would end it, permanently if necessary.
One person popped into his head, causing his chest to ache. Let it go. You ran for a good reason, so stop thinking about him. Isaac forced the thought away, focusing on Danny instead.
“Is the creep still here?” he whispered, only because Danny had asked him to keep his voice down. Five minutes ago, but better late than never.
“Ash told him to leave.”
Oh lord. Danny sounded both breathless and enamored. The pull was working double time on this dork if those googly eyes and soft blush were any indication. Isaac was not looking forward to that stage where all Danny would talk about was Ash. Maybe he’d stop at the drugstore and stock up on shifter-grade earplugs. Too bad there was no such thing.
“Figures I missed the opportunity to release all this pent-up energy,” Isaac replied. He’d already scrubbed the apartment and still felt like he’d downed a four-pack of Red Bull. Restless energy was the worst.
“Kitchen could use a good scrubdown,” Ash chucked a thumb over his shoulder while actively fighting a smirk. “If you’re still looking to release.”
“Don’t push me, bear,” Isaac snarled, having no clue why he was being so aggressive. Jesus. What was wrong with him?
You know damn well what’s wrong. You want to sneak a glimpse of him.
