Page 32 of Haunted By the Shadow of Death

She seemed sincere. Too bad I couldn’t sniff out emotions like a shifter.

“I wouldn’t want you to be put out in any way,” I said, trying to add extra weight to my words so she fully understood. “It’s just that children pick up on that sort of thing, and if you felt like it was too much on you, it might be better if he didn’t come. I don’t want there being any misunderstandings.” The only way to make that clearer would’ve been to pull out a blade and tell her not to screw with my kid.

Her chin inched up. “I understand you don’t know this pack, or me, but I never feel put out by teaching children. If Charlie does come here, there won’t be any kind of misunderstanding.”

She had the direct stare of someone willing to back up their words. I might be uneasy with the pack, but I liked her. I just hoped I was right. Too bad Widow Herbert wasn’t around to bounce it off, but it seemed she had other things to do lately than haunt me.

“Okay, then he’ll be here tomorrow if that’s good?”

“Sounds good.”

Chapter Thirteen

I finished making the bed I’d been sleeping in alone for more than a week now. I wasn’t sure where Kicks was sleeping, but it wasn’t with me. Not that I blamed him. I wouldn’t have wanted to sleep next to me either. I just wished I knew where he was spending his nights. I’d ask Jaysa or Widow Herbert if they could find out, but they were both avoiding me, too.

“Piper? Are you walking me to school?” Charlie asked, standing in the bedroom door, his backpack sitting on the floor beside him.

“Of course I am. I didn’t realize what time it was,” I said, glancing at the clock.

I slipped on my boots and paused by the front door, spotting Kicks cleaning up the plates from breakfast. Every morning he’d slip back in after spending the night somewhere else. We’d nod or say a few words, pretending there was nothing odd about it.

“Let’s go, Charlie,” I said, leading him outside. The chill of the morning air matched my current mood.

We started our short walk, with the pack keeping their distance from me. They weren’t throwing stones, so things were going better than they might’ve. It hadn’t been that long since Zetti’s death. I couldn’t expect a miracle, but at the same time, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to improve. At least their feelings didn’t seem to be bleeding over onto Charlie.

If they caught his eyes, they’d smile in greeting. Then that smile would quickly fade as their eyes rose to mine.

If it wasn’t for walking Charlie to school every day, I’d avoid the pack altogether, whether it was the right thing to do or not. But he liked my walking him to school, so I did. I was beginning to wonder if he was just trying to get me out of the house.

We got to the little schoolhouse, and Charlie ran ahead, already mixing in with the kids like he’d known them for years. He belonged here now. He was one of them. Even though I was a guide, I’d never fit in this place with the deaths that clung to every mention of my name. At some point, I’d have to leave, and probably alone. The harsh truth was that I wasn’t helping Charlie have a good life. I was preventing him from fully integrating into this pack. I was like a black mark on his otherwise stellar resumé. A ding in his brand-new car.

I turned to head back to my self-enforced isolation, away from the curious and judgmental eyes. My last place of peace in a place full of suspicion.

I could see Rastin watching me, heading over to the cabin with a determined step. He got there first and waited.

“Let’s have a chat,” he said.

“Sure,” I replied with absolutely no enthusiasm in my voice. That wouldn’t be anything to deter Rastin. He was too thick-skinned to be averted by subtleties. Even a stern Go to hell didn’t usually work.

I’d barely walked inside when he launched into his diatribe.

“There’s two kinds of people in this world. You’ve got your ride-or-die and then your joy ride. Your joy ride is in it for the good times, but as soon as the bike breaks down, they’re hopping on with someone else while you’re bent over a flat at the side of the road. It’s fine to have a little fun with the joy rides, but you know what you’re getting. Then you’ve got your ride-or-die. Those—”

“I’m aware of what a ride-or-die is. What I don’t get is the point of this conversation. Are you bored? Will no one talk to you here? You know, if you just tried to be a little less abrasive, you’d make friends a little easier.” Unlike myself. There was no redeeming my social status in this pack.

He cleared his throat, making a point of ignoring my comments. “The point of this conversation is you don’t seem to understand the value of ride-or-die people. I might not always see eye to eye with Kicks, but that man is ride-or-die. You don’t walk away from someone like him. If he’s willing to ride or die with you, you stick it out.”

Rastin might be smarter than people gave him credit for, but no way could he read my mind. This was not a conversation I was willing to have with anyone. If and when I left, I was doing it alone this time.

“I’m sorry, but I’m still not seeing your point.” I walked over to the table, but Kicks had already cleared it. The sink was also empty. Damn. He’d left me no distractions from this horrible conversation?

“You think I can’t see the urge to flee in your eyes? You hung on with a death grip at a pack that was a dead end. Now you’re looking to run for the hills when you’ve got people who are willing to back you?”

I walked into the living room, determined to find something else to do. “First off, I’m not looking to run for the hills—”

“Save it. You’re barely hanging on, and it’s very clear. We couldn’t drag you out of Groza’s—”

I spun on him so fast he nearly jumped back. “And look how that turned out. Look how I ended up leaving. I’m not doing that again. It was a mistake.”

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