Isaac scoffed, and Michael imagined the eye-roll he knew accompanied it. “I should get up. You need to rest.”
“But—” He started to sit up, but Isaac moved first, pinning him to the bed with a hand on his chest.
“No.” The hint of alpha power in his voice sent a shiver down Michael’s spine and his cock stirred with renewed interest.
He ignored it all and narrowed his eyes. “Don’t even think of trying that with me.”
Isaac smirked. “Force of habit.” He let his hand fall to Michael’s stomach as he sat up and crossed his legs. This time it was Isaac who traced the drying come on Michael’s skin as he spoke. “I know you’re not used to being told what to do, but this time you need to listen to me.”
“Go on.” Michael’s hands curled into fists when Isaac’s fingers ventured lower, skirting the edge of his happy trail.
“We’re in the calm before the storm. We have no idea if Simon will accept Baker’s explanation for what happened. Or if they’ll fall for the false trails your people left.” He closed his eyes for a moment and Michael took the opportunity to study him.
The grey hair at his temples was a new addition.
If anything, it made him sexier than he had been before.
His face was much the same as Michael remembered: warm and inviting if you were someone he cared about. Michael knew he was still that, at least.
Isaac never lied, not to his friends or his pack. And never to Michael.
“You need to be ready.” When he met Michael’s gaze again, his eyes were full of steely resolve. “And that means taking this opportunity to rest, recharge, and do whatever the fuck you need to do in order tobeready.”
With a sigh, he reached for one of Michael’s hands and linked their fingers together. “I know this is difficult for you. Being here, stripped of your pack.” He squeezed his hand for emphasis. “I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now, but please don’t fight me on this. I’m on your side.”
Michael rubbed his free hand over his face and blew out a frustrated breath. Isaac was right. About everything. “It feels like I’ve run away.” His laughter sounded harsh in the quiet of the room. “Left Baker to fix the fucking mess I’ve made, and Simon’s not going to make things easy for him.”
Isaac tugged on his hand to get Michael to look at him. “He’s not. He’s been waiting to get rid of you since the start. This is his golden opportunity to strike while the pack is unsettled, and Baker’s going to have his hands full keeping him in his fucking place.”
Michael cursed under his breath. “I should’ve brought him with me.”
“And then Simon would’ve taken over as alpha and we’d be totally fucked.”
“Like we aren’t already?”
Isaac shook his head. “This isn’t you. This isn’t the Michael McKillan I remember. The man who took over one of the fiercest packs in London so he could prevent some of the worst atrocities from happening.” Isaac stroked his thumb over the back of Michael’s hand, lowering his voice. “Even though I know it was the last thing you wanted to do.”
“I’ve changed.” Michael couldn’t honestly say whether it was for the better or not.
“We both have.” Isaac sighed and glanced up at the ceiling before fixing Michael with a serious expression. He looked every bit the alpha in that moment, and Michael ached at the thought of how much he’d missed by staying in London. “You need to trust that Baker can handle Simon for now.”
“I do.”
Isaac’s response was a raised eyebrow.
Michael rolled his eyes. “I know he can handle it all. I just feel like I’ve thrown him to the wolves. Literally.”
“You have.” Isaac shushed him when he went to protest. “But he knew what he was signing up for. You planned for this eventuality. Together. It wasn’t as if it happened on the spur of the moment and you fucked off and left him to it. Contingency plans for something like this have been in place for years. It’s why you got out of London so easily and why we haven’t had the Human Reconnaissance Unit banging on my door already.”
“Fuck, you’re right. I’m just—”
“Exhausted.”
Michael couldn’t deny it. He was running on empty, and the way Isaac watched him, he knew it too. “Yeah. I am.” He yawned widely, earning a smug look from Isaac.
“We’ll have a lot of planning to do over the next few days, assuming we get that much time. You can’t afford to be anything less than one hundred per cent.” He smiled, expression softening, and Michael was instantly reminded of years past when Isaac used to look at him like that all the time.
Would they ever get that back?
