Could they say that about any of the other packs? Isaac knew there were many more members than those he was aware of, but whole packs? He very much doubted it.
“I don’t know,” Michael said, gazing out to sea.
Isaac wondered if it had the same calming effect on Michael as it did on him. For everyone’s sake, he hoped so.
“But neither do I want to put you and your pack in danger.”
Isaac moved to stand in front of him, forcing Michael to look at him. “We knew what we were signing up for when we formed this pack. All of us.”
“I know, but—”
“We put ourselves at risk by being members of the CEG.” He held his arms out wide. “We all do.”
Michael seemed uncertain still, and Isaac knew exactly what the issue was.
Until this point in time, only a handful of people had known of Michael’s involvement with the CEG.
If that.
Isaac had had his whole pack to lean on, to trust to have his back if anything went wrong.
Michael’s pack was at least four times bigger than Isaac’s, but out of all of them, only Baker had known the truth.
How lonely and isolating must that have been?
For both of them.
Andfuck, Baker was on his own now.
Maybe Isaac wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. “You’re worried about Baker.” It came out as more of a statement than a question.
Michael’s eyes flashed. “Of course I fucking am.” His voice was rough and ragged, as though the words were torn from him. “I’m worried about Jacob, Logan’s parents, all the ones we left behind to deal with my fucking mess.” His anguished expression unsettling Isaac’s wolf. “But I left Baker broken and bleeding and the new alpha of a pack that he can’t fucking trust. He’ll need every ounce of strength to keep Simon in line, and I made him weak so that I could escape.” The self-deprecating laugh that followed was hollow and awful.
Isaac flinched.
“I won’t put anyone else’s life in danger for the sake of mine.” Michael’s whole body vibrated with barely restrained power.
Dangerous.
But Isaac remained where he was.
He let the silence settle between them. Whatever he said next had to be carefully thought out because Michael seemed on the verge of shifting, and Isaac didn’t want him in wolf form with his emotions all over the place like this.
He might run and never come back.
Or worse.
He shivered at the thought of Michael returning to London to finish what he’d started without anyone else for backup.
“You didn’t do it for you,” he said eventually, voice little more than a whisper. “All five of those men in there”—he wavered a hand in the direction of his kitchen—“would either be dead right now or facing shifter jail for the rest of their lives if you hadn’t got them out of London.”
Michael’s heavy sigh sounded like resignation. “I know. But you didn’t see him.”
“Baker?”
When Michael’s gaze met his, the pain there was hard to look at. “What I did...” He shook his head and grimaced as if the memory physically hurt.
“He knew you had no other choice,” Isaac said softly, reaching out for Michael’s hand. He half expected to be rebuffed, but Michael’s fingers wrapped around his, painfully tight.
