She cursed herself. Why had she admitted that? Why did she want to admit a dozen deeper things right now?
Trevor seemed to choke. For a long minute they sat side by side, their bodies angled away from one another. At last he swiveled half-toward her. “Figured you took a hammer to it or something.”
“It was too beautiful for that. And it was your work, and…”And I loved you once. And I might, still.
Trevor got to his feet and nearly staggered. “Sorry. I just…I’ll be back in a minute.”
Her whole being ached to follow him, but it wouldn’t be right. That wasn’t her role anymore. She curled up in the chair and kept her eyes on him as he headed for the house, his strides lengthening as he went. She wished someone would follow him, someone who was still part of his life.
Someone did. Old Arlo, inches shorter than the younger generation, posture still straight and strong. He followed Trevor inside, and Kelsey’s breath came easier. Whatever he’d gone inside to cope with, if she couldn’t be the one to help him bear it, at least she could know he wasn’t bearing it alone.
His chest was on fire. He couldn’t conceal it right now. He had to get away until hiding in plain sight was again possible.
The second Trevor shut the door, he collapsed to his knees. He gritted his teeth, recited his mantras, and as the pain rolled back a little, an awful weakness washed over him instead. He fell forward but caught himself.
Behind him the door opened and shut. Don’t be Ezra. Don’t be Ezra.
“Aw, you stubborn dumb pup.”
Arlo? Trevor pushed up to his knees. “What?”
“Come on, we’re going for a drive.”
“A…what?”
“I’ve got things to say to you, and you’ll want privacy. We’ll sort that later—how much the pack needs to know.”
“What?” He couldn’t think straight. He couldn’t form sentences.
“Come on, Trevor. On your feet now.”
Heat surged up his neck into his face as the elder drew him to his feet. The weakness wasn’t lifting the way the chest pain had. He wasn’t absorbing the way he needed to, not this time. The unpredictability of his body pushed Trevor’s pulse up and up. He had to control this. He’d always been able to control it before.
Arlo kept Trevor’s arm over his shoulders, supported him around the front of the house and down the driveway. They might not be noticed. Trevor pleaded with the universe itself that they wouldn’t be.
Arlo said not a word until they’d driven two full miles from Aaron’s place. Then he pulled over and parked on the gravel shoulder of Lunar Lane. He turned toward Trevor and looked at him, just looked, for a long time. At last a low grunt came from the old wolf, and he shook his head.
“You don’t know, do you? Or have you figured it out?”
“Figured out what?” Trevor said.
“Kelsey is your life mate.”
Trevor sighed and pressed his palms to his eyes. “Yeah, Arlo, I figured it out.”
“Before she left?”
“After. I knew I loved her before, but I didn’t know fate was involved.” Not until it was too late.
“All right, listen, pup. This is important. You’ve got to tell me the truth. The complete truth. Will you do that?”
Trevor leaned against the door of the truck and let his eyes close. So weak. Not coming out of it the way he should. A lump of tears rose in his throat.
“Will you?”
“Yeah,” Trevor whispered. “I’ll tell you.”
“Have you noticed any changes in yourself? I mean as a wolf.”
