Chapter 8

Eight

Adrian worked until the kitchen door flew open, and Isaac the wonder kitty came in, his scowl so deep his eyes almost disappeared.

“Adrian! Adrian, are you all right? They burned down your apartment!”

A tall man followed Isaac, grinning at him in a fond manner.

“I know. I don’t know why, man. We didn’t fire him!” He hugged Isaac hard. “Are you okay?”

“Fine. Seriously. Just fine.” Isaac glanced at the wolf that followed him in, and whispered, “He keeps smiling at me.”

“I think he likes you.”

“I’m a kitty. He’s a wolf.”

“I didn’t say he wanted to hit you up. Just that he likes you. You look like a grumpy kitty.”

“Hmm. Is there any tuna?”

“There is.” Stan beamed at Isaac. “I’m Stan. Would you like tea?”

“Oh, what kind? I love cardamom tea.”

“I happen to have cardamom cinnamon.”

“Yes, please.”

“And a tuna sandwich.”

“Would you like to make tuna salad? I have boiled eggs and celery.”

Isaac nodded. “I’ll totally do that for you.”

“Very well.” Stan moved around, and Isaac went to wash his hands, looking pretty relaxed for a cat in a wolf’s den.

Then again, who could tell with Isaac? His expression never changed.

Adrian went back to work, repairing damage and settling everything back to right. He needed to make sure the damn code was stable, and then he’d start building in little bombs for anyone, who wasn’t him or his two trusted guys at the troubleshooting department, that tried to get in and make changes. He would text them.

God, he hoped they were safe.

He sent them both encrypted messages, warning them about what was going on.

He got back panicky messages about the building being evacuated.

Yeah. Sucks. Stay safe.

Adrian hated that people were so…disrupted.

Over what?

Being fired?

You too

Dean told him. Poor guy. He was a nervy coyote shifter who had to be freaking out by now.

Will do.

He sighed softly and closed his laptop. His head was killing him.

“Hey.” Symon pulled him close. “You get it figured out for now?”

“For now. I’m really tired.”

“Do you want to go take a nap?”

“No. But can we all go sit in the family room and do something silly until your brothers show?”

“Absolutely.”

“Wanna play a video game?” He wasn’t going to be a bitch about all this. He wasn’t.

“I do.” Isaac munched tuna, the salad smelling strong but not bad. Clearly Isaac loved it.

It was just a little early for him to have tuna.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go sit.” Symon grabbed a plate of muffins in one arm, then his hand, taking him to the huge family room.

Isaac followed, glancing around curiously. “Dude. This is righteous.”

“Thank you. Please, make yourself at home.”

“Thanks.” Isaac offered Symon what passed as a smile. “For everything.”

“Of course.” Symon sat close to him while Isaac munched and Stan passed out video game controllers. That was his and Isaac’s jam, battling each other at some crazy game, and he noticed more than Mario Kart was now on tap. Someone had sent Stan shopping online in the days he’d been here.

The new wolf joined them, and they all started playing, and no one seemed to notice that he was tucked into Symon’s side. Or maybe they didn’t care.

Stan kept coming and going, bringing drinks and snacks, and they could smell wonderful scents coming from the kitchen as Stan cooked what he told them was lasagna when they asked.

“Do you need help?”

Stan wasn’t a servant, was he? That would suck of Symon.

“No. No, this good, and there is help coming—Ben and Jamie are making a grocery run.”

“Ben and Jamie?”

Symon rolled his eyes. “My cousin and his husband. They help out around here quite a bit.”

“Oh.” How had he not known that? But then, why would he? He knew very little about Symon, really.

“So do you have a whole pack?” Isaac asked curiously.

“I do. Most of them are up in Long’s Peak, but we’re wide-ranging.”

“Who’s the alpha?”

“My dad. Dad is still strong enough to hold the line, but I help whenever I need to, and so do Rian and Quin.”

Oh, that made sense. A little. “I don’t have a pack. I’m not pack-y.” Adrian chuckled.

“Pack-y?” Isaac teased.

“Packish?” Adrian shot back.

“Packly?”

“Packadoodle?”

This was just hilarious.

“I’m lone.” He shrugged.

“Not anymore,” Symon murmured.

He wasn’t sure what that meant, but pleasure suffused him.

It seemed amazing to feel as if he belonged, even if it was a lie. He appreciated it, though, and he leaned on Symon, taking in his scent. So comforting.

Symon rumbled at him, nice and deep, and it echoed all the way down to the pit of his stomach. He let it buzz at the base of his skull, and he sighed, making Isaac grin over at him.

He’d been dozing for a long time when he woke to a flurry of activity, and Stan’s voice sounded, clearly greeting newcomers.

He didn’t know whether he needed to disappear or hide or what.

Symon held him right where he was, hand grasping his. “They’ll come to us.”

“Okay…”

“Brother!” A man who looked so much like Symon that it made him blink walked in first, coming to grab Symon up off the couch and hug him.

“Rian.” Symon clapped him on the back. “This is Adrian. That’s Isaac. And you know Cy.”

“You’re the lawyer, right?” Adrian asked.

“I am. You’re the tech geek?”

“You know it.”

“Welcome to the pack.” Rian beamed at him, an evil little glint in his eye. He was way less serious than Symon. Adrian thought.

“I—thank you?” Not pack.

Are too.

Hush you. He poked Symon.

Nope. He’s right.

Slower to follow, because he was chatting with Stan, was a long-haired man who was covered in tattoos and leather, his gaze taking in every detail of everything in the room.

“Ah, Quin. Out of jail?”

Quin bared his teeth. “Charges were dropped.”

“Good. This is Adrian. Hands off, clear?”

Quin fastened him with a stare. “You want me to keep my hands off, puppy?”

Adrian glared over. “I’ve had a really shitty day, man. Don’t. I’m not ready to joke around.”

Quin’s expression changed, going neutral. “I apologize. Tell us what’s going on.”

“They burned Adrian’s apartment complex down. It’s attached to the Shiftr building.”

“Was it a personal attack?”

“We think so, yes.” Symon kept talking, and he just let them all explain and rehash and revisit. He didn’t want to listen to how he’d been a nice wolf and lost everything again.

Nope, he would just keep playing games with Isaac.

“I’m so sorry, Adrian,” Rian said. “I’m on your insurance.”

“Okay.” He hunched up. “I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but could we change the subject for a bit?”

“Of course, baby. We can talk later once you turn in.” Symon nudged his leg.

“Thank you. I just… I know it was nothing special, but it was mine.” It had been his.

“Hey.” Isaac glared at him. “It was special. It was your den. Don’t ever apologize for being upset about that. My place is a one-room efficiency and I would lose it if someone torched it.” His frown deepened. “Why am I here? Why am I not defending my lair?”

“Because you’re not up to fighting that alone,” Cy pointed out. “I have guys watching your place.”

“I am more fierce than I appear…”

“I feel like you’re pretty fierce, kitty.” Cy gave Isaac a smile.

“I am. I have claws for days.”

He had to grin at the byplay.

“What are we playing?” Rian, the suit, tossed his suit coat on the coffee table.

“Mario Kart. Grab a controller. Quin?”

“I want to go check out the fire damage. I’m going to head into the city. I’ll be back.”

“I could go,” Adrian said. He needed to do something. He needed answers.

“You really couldn’t.” Quin gave him a sympathetic glance. “I’m better alone.”

“But you don’t know what you’re looking for…”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” Quin winked at him. “I’m sort of morally flexible.”

“Hmmm.”

“That’s an understatement,” Symon murmured.

Quin winked at his brother. “Good thing you need me.”

“I adore you, brat. Just don’t get caught doing anything illegal.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Quin headed out the door, the man disappearing like smoke.

Symon looked at Rian. “Is he okay?”

“He’ll be fine. He’s still mad.” Rian took the game controller. “I, on the other hand, am ready to kick some ass.”

“You’d better be better than your brother for that…” Isaac muttered.

“I am.” Rian beamed.

Adrian chuckled, but he didn’t care. He wanted Symon to hold him, that was all. And he got his wish, Symon cradling him against that broad chest while Isaac and Rian battled with go-karts onscreen. Oddly enough, he believed Quin would find out what had happened at his place.

Symon believed it, so it made it easy.

That and the smell of lasagna was super comforting.

With all of that in place, he could tell himself it would all be all right, even if only for a little while.

Now he just had to try to believe it.