Page 4 of Scarred Resolve

“So, what do you want?” I finally asked him. “Could you make a tiny territory at a house? It would be safer for you to havesomething. Mischa is a good rogue because she keeps moving, building a network of safe places to go while she roams. Her village is where her territory should be, but it’s just another stop on the road for her. If you stay in one spot too long, you’re vulnerable without a proper territory, Niko. EvenIknow that.”

“You’re right,” he agreed, rubbing his face. “This is my first time doing this, so I’m just trying to find the best solution for me.”

“Well… fuck. Stay in my territory, at least, you idiot.” I couldn’t believe he would live in some rental just out of the safety of my territory instead of admitting he wanted to stay close by. If he had gotten hurt in the last month and a half, I would have been beside myself. I knew half the family would chew him out if they heard this.

My exasperation and astonishment at his living arrangements was undeniable. There was no way I could hide it. I saw him grow sheepish in a new way, like a chastised sibling who knew he’d messed up.

“Was it your pride?” I asked him when he said nothing for too long.

That made him wince.

“Somewhat. When it comes to the other werewolves…” He ducked his head, putting it into his hands. “Here I am, the Traitor, infamous among werewolves, hiding in my youngest sister’s territory with a pack of werewolves who went against their leaders to follow an Alpha who Callahan is angry with.”

“And?”

“It made me feel like I was a refugee, just like all of them,” he murmured. “That hit my pride.”

“Ah.” I didn’t have any way to reply to that. His choice to live in an unprotected house without his own territory was stupid, but I could see where he was coming from. Reputation was important in the supernatural world. Important to the point that lives were on the line if someone lost their own. “It’s more than your pride,” I said kindly, finally having something to try to make him feel better. “If you suddenly look weak, you’re a bigger target than you already were. Callahan hid your brother for centuries, a time bomb waiting to go off and take you out. A lot of werewolves would love to count you as one of their kills.”

“Thank you for not making me feel like an idiot,” he said, chuckling dryly. “You’re not wrong, but it was still stupid of me. I didn’t think of making the property my territory. It wouldn’t be as good a warning system as a full territory, but something is better than nothing.”

“Exactly.”

We sat quietly for a moment, and I pondered how this had gone on for so long. Leave it to immortals to let things drag out when they don’t need to.

“Come on.” I stood up and waved for him to follow me as I walked off my porch. “Let me see this little rental you got.”

“Fine.” He followed obediently.

“You drive. We’ll go out to dinner afterward, then you can drop me off here,” I said simply, opening the passenger side door.

“Of course.” He was smiling a little as he got in as well. “You sure have the bossy thing down when you want to.”

“Oh?” I played innocent.

“Yeah, and I bet it’s fooled a lot of people recently,” he said softly as he backed the car away from my house.

“Excuse me?” I was more serious now.

“You’re avoiding something,” he said softly.

This time, I was the one caught on the back foot of the conversation. He had walked me into this verbal trap.

“I’m just… trying to figure out how to get myself back to normal,” I said, swallowing as Fenris’s face flashed in my mind. “My old normal, a new normal, it doesn’t matter. Just normal.”

“How many people have you convinced not to worry about you?”

“Not enough, it seems,” I muttered, knowing it sounded petulant. His chuckle told me he caught it, too.

“You’re not alone in that, Jacky. Remember that. I’m doing the same thing. Trying to figure out my normal, as you put it. I’m in a new place trying to rebuild a relationship with my werewolf son, who has a mate now. I’m in a country I never really visited or gave a chance before. Oh, and I’m spending time with a family member who doesn’t struggle with crippling depression. So, if you don’t mind me asking… What’s got you out of sorts?”

“Aside from the obvious?” I asked shortly.

“Oh, I know the obvious, but it feels like you need to say more.”

“Not really. He’s dead. I’ll get over it, eventually.”

He said nothing to that. We sat in that silence, neither of us reaching to turn on the radio or daring to speak again.

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