“Not yours,” he confirms. While still gripping the sneaker, he slides his phone out and shoots off a quick text. “Someone from the packs will be by to grab it.”
On a past catch-up with Carl, he told me about another wolf pack moving into Folk Haven, meaning there are now two, who have had to learn to coexist.
“They’ll pass it around so everyone on guard knows the scent.” When Griffith meets my eyes, he sports a tight yet still somehow-genuine smile. “This’ll help.”
Relief washes through my veins, clearing out some of the toxic guilt from bringing danger to this town. At least I’m helping prepare everyone as best I can.
Still, I can’t help wishing there were more I could do.
We settle on opposite ends of a massive sectional, my shoe resting on the coffee table. Shrimp sprawls on the rug, and Griffith picks up the remote, navigating to streaming services, apparently taking me at my word about wanting to watch something together.
As he flicks through the endless options, I pick at the corner of the couch cushion and try not to think about how Luke could be driving to Folk Haven. That he could be passing the town’sWelcomesign right now.
And that his arrival would be my fault.
Even when I’m not trying, I’m a chaos agent. Griffith is right to resent my presence.
“I think I should leave.”
Griffith pauses his search for something to watch and levels me with a look that says he thinks I’m talking nonsense.
I bristle and grab a throw pillow to clutch against my chest, as if it’d lend my argument more weight. “It makes sense. What if I’m being magically tracked in some way? I’ll lead them right here.”
“Good,” Griffith growls. “The town is better equipped to handle hunters than you are on your own.”
I gape at him, bowled over by him immediately shooting down my plan to leave. Would have thought he’d start packing my bags for me.
“But there are vulnerable mythics here,” I point out. “Children. I’m putting them all at risk.”
“Mythics living in this world is a risk. You didn’t invent hunters.” He shakes his head. “And you’re still injured.”
He’s making sense, and it annoys me, even if staying is what I want to do deep in my heart.
“And how am I supposed to wait out the danger here? Ride along with Carl every day? He has a job that’s not all about me. I’m a distraction.”
I know my brother would never make me feel that way, but I also know he’ll go out of his way to keep me safe. To keep me healthy and happy.
But that’s not his job anymore. It never should have been his responsibility.
“You can come to the bar.”
“What?”
Griffith sighs. “The bar. That I own. You can hang out there. Carl said you work remotely?”
I blink, then nod, trying to process that they talked about me and Griffith bothered to retain any of the details of my life.
“Well, we’ve got Wi-Fi. Good beer and good food. Open every day, except for Monday because I’m not trying to compete with Margarita Monday at the Marina.” He leans back and props his feet up on the ottoman as if the matter is settled.
“You think the best way to ensure my safety is to have me hang out at a bar?”
“My bar. Where I’ll be.” He pops up an eyebrow. “You think there’s anyone Carl will trust more than me to keep you safe?”
I grunt. “Think it’s more likely you’ll be the one to kill me if we’re forced to spend so much time together.”
Griffith snorts. “It’s a big bar. You can sit in the far corner.”
I’m saved from having to respond by a knock on the front door. Shrimp jerks upright and lets out a warning bark.
