“Is there a beach?” He was pretty sure Paul knew the answers to all of these questions, but he humoured him anyway.
“There is.”
“I’d like to see it.”
Michael’s part of the beach was cut off from the rest of Isaac’s beach by a huge wall of rock, but that didn’t mean that faint traces of sound or scent might not carry on the breeze if the wind was right. He hoped that they’d all stuck to the plan and remained inside the cave.
“Follow me.” Isaac ignored the unease settling under his skin and headed towards the beach path.
This was a journey that normally calmed him. He’d lost count of the times he’d made his way down this very path, all the stress and worry easing the closer he got to the sea.
Not today though.
The opposite in fact.
Isaac’s wolf slithered under his skin, Paul’s presence making him itch to shift. To protect his territory and his pack. Too many foreign scents wafted on the air, and it set his teeth on edge.
I want them all gone.
Affecting a bored tone, Isaac said, “Have you been to the coast before?”
A lot of shifters hadn’t ever seen the sea. Preferring the forests or open moorland inland.
“Not for a long time,” Paul replied and, if Isaac wasn’t mistaken, a little wistfully.
They reached the bottom where the rock-strewn path opened out into the sand that Isaac loved to feel between his toes.
He kicked off his shoes and socks and bent to pick them up, not giving a shit what Paul thought of him. Surprisingly, Paul stopped and did the same.
Shoes in hand, Isaac led the way down to the sea. Stopping at the edge of the wet sand, he let the sound of the waves soothe him as best he could.
“I envy you,” Paul whispered, eyes trained far out to sea. He sounded so unlike himself, Isaac wondered if he’d imagined him speaking. “Having all this on your doorstep.”
Isaac snorted. “Ten minutes ago you were asking me why I chose to come out here.”
“I forgot what it was like.”
They stood in silence, watching the waves roll in, then fade back out. Isaac checked the time on his phone. The tide was on its way out. In a couple of hours, the beach would be a lot bigger and a lot nearer to where Michael and the others were.
Ever so subtly, Isaac closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, as though inhaling the sea air. He’d recognise Michael’s scent anywhere, but thank fuck, he couldn’t smell it now. He couldn’t hear anything either. Seemed like the wind was on their side today, blowing in the right direction to keep Michael and the others safe.
“Which way is Jersey?” Paul asked, and Isaac forced himself not to react.
Why the fuck did he want to know that?
Isaac pointed. “Out there.”
Paul hummed under his breath. “My mum had a sister who lived there. She and my dad always talked about going over there,before. But they could never get permission to leave the country.” He bit his lip, and Isaac caught the slight tremble he tried to hide.
Fuck.
I don’t like you, Paul, or anything you stand for. Don’t go making me feel sympathy for you.
It went against his nature to ignore Paul’s obvious pain, though. No matter that he was a sadistic prick.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” Isaac said, voice quiet.
“Thank you.”
