“It is.” Isaac bit his lip, wanted to say, “I’ll show you next time,” but the full moon was in just over three weeks. Who knew what they’d be doing by then?
Fuck it.
“I’ll show you just how incredible it can be.”
Michael’s gaze snapped to his, eyes full of the uncertainty Isaac felt. After a loaded couple of seconds, he nodded. “I’d like that.”
Isaac’s heart clenched, fingers curling into fists to stop himself from reaching for him. Taking things slowly was harder than he thought it would be. Maybe—
Michael’s phone buzzed in his pocket, startling them both.
He’d tossed his pack phone as soon as they’d left London. Only CEG members had this number, and they stared at one another before Michael reached into his pocket.
Isaac swallowed thickly, heart rate picking up.
“Sorry.” Michael winced as he walked away before pulling out his phone.
Isaac waved away his apologies. They might all be in this together now, but the less they all knew about Michael’s contacts the better. He was well aware of the HRU’s interrogation tactics should any of them get caught.
Turning away to prevent temptation, Isaac walked to the edge of the garden and looked out to sea. The late August sun broke through the clouds as he watched, dancing across the water and turning it a vibrant blue-green that called to him.
Swimming in the cool waves where the Channel met the Atlantic Ocean was part of Isaac’s routine, but Michael’s arrival had meant he’d not done it for the past couple of days. He missed it.
Maybe we could do it together?
Isaac rolled the idea around in his head, but before he decided whether or not it was a good one, Michael was next to him again. “All right?”
Michael blew out a breath before shrugging, his shoulder brushing Isaac’s. “I don’t think anything’s going to be all right for a while yet.”
“Can you tell me what they said?”
“Aren’t you curious who it was from?”
“Yes, but unless I need to know, then I won’t ask.” Isaac faced him. “Do I need to know?”
“Maybe...” His heavy sigh seemed like a weight settling around him. Isaac felt it on his own shoulders. “I don’t fucking know anymore.” He ran a hand through his hair, the longer-than-usual strands curling around his fingers. “Simon has had the HRU going to all the places Nick and Logan are associated with.”
Isaac hummed. “Not much of a surprise there. They’re the only two outsiders.”
“He wants to send people here too.”
This time Isaac grimaced. “Fuck.” He kicked some of the small stones littering the ground. “I knew he’d send people here eventually, but I thought we’d have a while yet.”
“He’s not stupid.”
“No. Just a nasty cunt,” Isaac spat, and Michael barked out a laugh.
“That he is.” He instantly sobered, laughter dying as quickly as it appeared. “Do we need to leave?”
“No.” Isaac shook his head so fast and so vehemently Michael’s eyebrows rose. But fuck, he’d only just got here. Slow or not, Isaac wasn’t about to let him go so soon. “I said we have places to hide you if it comes to that, and we do.” He fixed Michael with a withering stare. “This isn’t the first time we’ve done this, you know.”
Isaac and his pack had been hiding humans and shifters alike since the CEG was formed.
“I do. Sorry.”
“Besides,” Isaac said, “where would you go?” Mothecombe was a safe haven becauseallof Isaac’s pack were part of the operation to move escaped candidates to the Channel Islands. They were a part of the CEG, and Isaac trusted each and every one of them with his life.
And so could Michael.
