Me: Can’t meet up tonight. Sister needs me.
Isaac: Everything okay?
Me: Mostly. I’ll tell you the story later. I’ll call you tonight or in the morning.
Isaac: Sounds good. I’m here if you or your family need my help though.
Me: I know. Thanks.
I put my phone away and focused on the ride. Then I threw myself into filling out paperwork, cleaning up the station with Trevor, Chance, and Devin. Yuri and Oliver made sure that everything was ready for the transition to the next crew starting their shift. By the time my shift was over, I was exhausted, but I pushed it down so that I could help Rebecca.
When I arrived at her house, the boys were surprisingly in bed already and my sister was sitting on her couch in her fluffy hooded blanket and drinking wine out of her World’s Best Mom tumbler. I understood that mood and joined her on the sofa with my own glass.
“Truth, now. How are you doing?” I didn’t look at her directly. I learned long ago that not staring at her would let her feel more comfortable opening up.
“Not great.” Rebecca chugged her wine. A sign that she really was drowning right now. “I can’t keep doing this by myself. I know I have you here, but you have a life of your own.”
“Have you spoken with Holden yet?” I sipped my drink. I was going to enjoy the taste of this sweet red. “What did he say?”
“I tried but he’s been so busy.” Rebecca put her empty glass down. “He is supposed to take some time off next month though. I am hoping to convince him to find a new job then. Something local.”
“Do you think he will?” I wasn’t sure if he would.
“He has to. I can’t continue like this.” Rebecca’s voice caught on the last word, and she laid her head on my shoulder.
I didn’t offer more words. I knew my sister, and she wouldn’t want them. Instead, I offered her my calm. Through our clan bond, I pushed some comfort to her. I let her just feel her feelings for the rest of the night.
Chapter Ten
Isaac
“We’re not going to the infamous rest area where Charlie was abducted, right?” Thomas rose a brow as we drove down a rural road through the woods. “I could probably fight them off, but I’m really not in the mood to.”
“Ha. No, I’m taking you to another spot I know.” I maneuvered through the rough terrain to get to our destination. “There’s a specific spot where shifters with flight skills can soar and not be bothered by anyone or worry about being seen by passersby. The witches placed a ward around the area so that what happens inside the protective space is not public. And they heavily screen shifters who wish to use the space. I hope you don’t mind that I gave them your name so they could verify your identity before we came here.”
“Okay. Cool.” Thomas stared out the window, trees and deer passing by as we made our way down the road. “I can’t believe what happened to Charlie and those other omegas though. Luckily they were able to get away and the culprits were apprehended.”
“Yeah, I helped the younger ones afterward and they were a bit shaken up.” I turned down another road. We were close to the shifting boundary, and I could feel the magical energy of the place probing my essence to ensure I was not a threat. “I’m happy that they seem to be back to their mostly carefree college selves. Alpha-chasing, test-hating, young adults.”
“You talk to them often.” Thomas switched his attention back from the road onto me, a slight uptilt of his lips and his eyes bright. “Should I be jealous? Some cute young omegas trying to steal my alpha?”
“No worries there, babe.” I pulled into the parking area of the Black Claw Shifters Club and found a spot to leave our car. “They are my adopted little brothers now. And they love to just call me for life advice. Mostly ask my opinion on the newest alphas sniffing around them. They just found my protection that night to be very soothing and family-like. I think they needed an older alpha to guide them safely through the experience. But honestly, I think they all might gag if you ever ask them if they had a crush on me or anything. Charlie once hinted at it, and Andrew made the most disgusted face I’d ever seen. I may have felt offended if I hadn’t also cringed at the idea of them feeling anything more than a brotherly bond with me.”
“I was just messing around anyway.” Thomas reached over and squeezed my hand. “I trust that I’m the only omega for you. I know you have a certain aura about you that makes omegas feel safe. I’m actually glad you were there for those poor boys during that experience. Maybe one day I can meet them and make sure all that advice you are giving them is solid or not.”
“Definitely, we can go for a road trip one day and meet them.” I shut off the car and unbuckled my seat belt. “Ready to let your dragon fly free?”
“More than.” Thomas undid his own belt and opened his door.
Exiting the car, I led my mate to the large enclosure that was at the center of the parking area. I approached the door and typed in my personal entry code to allow us access. “This is where we can store our items. The clan that owns this territory puts every shifter who asks for access through a security check and asks for yearly dues to pay for the upkeep of the area, the magical boundary, and the salary of the security staff. I decided it was worth it, to not have to worry about traffickers or other drama after what happened with Charlie and the guys.”
“I never knew this place existed. Are you sure they are okay with me joining you?” Thomas followed me into the building, looking around at the surroundings.
“Yeah, I did have to give the names of anyone I may bring with me. They actually knew you from the fire station, and said that as a fellow dragon and community rescue worker, you were already approved to use the space.” I walked to the locker I had been pre-assigned and entered the combination on the lock opening it so we could store our things. “They seem to already know most of the shifters in our town and surrounding area. I think they are more worried about outsiders who may have ill intentions.”
“Makes sense.” Thomas took off his shirt and left me breathless. His muscular frame was on full display. My mouth went dry. “Thanks for bringing me here.”
“You’re welcome. I wanted to make sure we could just enjoy shifting together and not worry about anything else.” I undressed and put my clothes in the locker, taking Thomas’s belongings as well.
