Chapter 6
While everyone else went to bed, I sat on the couch and planned. Liam and Aden needed a home and a safe space to be cubs. Right now, they almost had both. However, from Michelle’s point of view, this wasn’t a home; it was just a place to stay. Some old-timer humans might say that home is where a person hung his hat. My kind had gone too long without hats or permanent roofs to believe that. We knew what home really meant. Home wasn’t a place but a desire to be with people who called to your soul.
In order to call to Michelle’s soul, I needed to show her I could protect and provide for her. To do that, I needed to make this the best and safest place for her brothers to grow up. Jim and I had run in the woods with Dad and Grey from as early as I could remember. Wrestling and hunting had been play for us. It would be different for Liam and Aden. They weren’t like us.
During my time away from this place, I’d learned my fair share about humans and their young. And the boys had given their answer to happiness on the first day they’d arrived. They needed a swing set.
If I built a swing set, the boys would be happy. Michelle would see them having fun in their own space in the safety of our yard. The swing set would be a good first step, but I needed to do something more. They needed their own family space, not just a borrowed apartment. With them coming down for food all the time, Michelle wouldn’t feel settled. She needed to be able to cook for the boys herself. If they were happy, and she could give them what they needed, here, then there would be no reason for her to want to leave.
And maybe, when she saw everything I was willing to do for her, the lengths I would go to keep her here, maybe she would be willing to accept me for what I was—an insanely love-struck werewolf seeking a shred of affection.
I flopped back on the couch and rubbed my face.
She was going to leave.
* * * *
The sound of Jim’s steps in the hall woke me. I kept my breathing and heartbeat even and waited. As soon as he stood next to me, I twisted and blocked the hand that was about to deliver a slap to my back.
“Did you sleep?” he asked with a grin as he moved away.
“Barely. I was thinking about muffling the sounds you make with a pillow.”
Jim laughed and started pouring himself an extra-large bowl of cereal.
“How can you eat that stuff?”
“What? It’s good.”
“No, it’s not. It smells and tastes like the chemicals and dyes it’s made with.”
Jim sniffed his bowl, and it was my turn to grin.
“Hey, I need you to take the bike to work today.”
Jim stopped eating to stare at me in surprise.
“No wheelies. No brake stands. No scratches or dents of any kind. Drive it like Mom would.”
“You just said you didn’t want scratches or dents.”
“I meant be slow and be careful.”
“Fine. You going to tell me why you’re entrusting me with your baby?”
“I’m going to ask Michelle to use the truck so I can get what we need to build a swing set.”
“No way,” Jim said with growing excitement. “Get a sturdy one.”
I could already picture Jim trying to swing with Aden.
“I doubt they come that sturdy.”
Jim quickly finished his cereal then made a big show of taking the bike keys. I shook my head and went to take a shower.
* * * *
I waited until seven then went upstairs to knock on the door. Anticipation filled me when I heard her steps within the apartment. Each night seemed to take longer and seeing her first thing in the morning only got better.
Michelle opened the door cautiously, her hair tousled from sleep. My chest tightened at the sight of her in her shorts and a tank top.
“Morning,” I said. “Could I borrow your truck?”
“Sure.” She’d kept her voice low. The husky sound of it made the ache in my chest worse. As she left the door to get the keys, I tried to rub the feeling away. When she returned, I had my hands in my pockets.
“You can drive the truck any time you want,” she said, handing the keys over. “But why the change from the motorcycle?”
“Jim took it to work.” And he better not wreck it, I thought.
She gave me a slight smile.
“Maybe tell Jim to take the truck tomorrow.”
“Yeah. I will. Thanks for the keys.”
She smiled and softly closed the door. I was half-tempted to come up with some lame reason to knock on the door one more time just to look at her again. Instead, I jogged down the steps and went out to the truck. The bed was big. I hoped it would fit a big swing set.
Several hours later, I eased down the driveway with my haul. I’d picked a neat swing set that would hopefully entertain the boys and Jim. I’d also stopped at a store and stocked up on food Michelle might need to make her apartment feel like her own home.
When I rounded the corner of the house, I caught sight of Liam and Aden tossing a ball back and forth and Michelle sitting on the steps, leaning back on her elbows with her long legs stretched out before her. I swallowed hard and eased the truck to a stop.
As I opened the door, she stood, her gaze drifting over the things in the back of the truck and the bags in the seat beside me.
“Can we help carry in your groceries?” she asked.
“Actually, they’re your groceries.”
She glanced at all the bags again and made her way to the passenger door. As she handed a plastic bag to each of the boys, I inhaled her scent.
“Why the worry?” I asked, studying her.
“The swing set is great, but I don’t know how long we can stay here.”
I hated hearing her say what I’d been fearing.
“I told you, you can stay as long as you want.”
Her worry didn’t ease up even though she nodded. In fact, a thread of sadness started to weave in with the worry.
“I’m not sure my freezer will be able to hold all of the meat,” she said, grabbing several loaded bags.
She was trying to hide what she was really feeling with her words. Why? She didn’t trust me. The lack of trust disappointed me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll put the extra in Jim’s freezer.”
I watched her walk into the house and caught Winifred studying me.
I know, give it time, I thought to her.
Good boy.
I shook my head and started to unload the materials from the back of the truck. When the boys returned, they stood off to one side, watching me curiously until I asked them to help carry the little things.
Winifred joined Michelle in her efforts to take the groceries inside.
“What is all this for?” Liam asked after inspecting one of the chains on the ground.
“A swing set,” I said with a smile. I picked up two chains and attached the seat to the ends. “See?”
Aden’s eyes lit with anticipation. Liam looked a little hesitant to believe me. Like his sister.
The boys stayed close as I worked. They helped when I asked them to, but otherwise stayed quiet and out of the way. If it would have been Jim and me at that age, we would have been all over Uncle Grey or Dad.
“How long is this going to take?” Aden asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. I laughed.
“It’ll go faster when Jim gets home in a few minutes. He’ll be able to hold the support beam in place.”