9. Doyle
CHAPTER NINE
DOYLE
As I stretched and prepared for my morning jog, I called Michael, eager to hear his voice.
Ever since his party, we had been talking more frequently, and these moments had quickly become the highlight of my day.
"And what are you up to today?" I asked, pressing the phone against my ear as I continued my stretches.
"It's my first day at work," Michael said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
I could easily picture him lying on his bed, smiling up at me, barely awake and greeting me good morning.
I dismissed the image to focus on our conversation.
"Oh yeah? I'm sure you'll do fine. What will you be doing?" I asked, switching the phone to loudspeaker as I dressed for my jog.
“Just some admin stuff for my dad. They've got me doing some filing and organising, just easing me back into the routine," Michael replied.
He sounded both excited and apprehensive.
"You'll be great, Michael. Just take it one step at a time," I encouraged him.
"Thanks, Doyle. It means a lot hearing you say that," he said softly. "I'll um, tell you all about it later. If that's okay?"
"Looking forward to it," I replied, ending the call just as Zane walked up to me.
"Was that Michael?" Zane asked, his tone casual but his eyes scrutinizing.
"It was," I said, a little guarded.
"It's been, what, a week since his rescue?" Zane asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, about there," I answered, trying to keep my tone neutral.
"You've been in contact with him a lot," Zane observed, his gaze sharp and questioning.
"We've become friends," I said, knowing how unconvincing I sounded.
"Friends?" Zane asked, one eyebrow raised skeptically.
I said nothing more.
"Well, the bears haven't come up with any new leads. Maybe it's about time you pay Michael a visit, see if he's up to answering some questions about Liliana," Zane suggested.
The idea of visiting Michael made my heart skip a beat, but I kept my expression neutral.
"You think he'll be ready?" I asked, more to gauge Zane's thoughts than to voice my own doubts.
Zane shrugged. "Only one way to find out. Besides, it sounds like he could use a friend right now,” Zane said.
I nodded, my mind already racing ahead to seeing Michael again.
"Alright, then I’ll drive up there tomorrow,” I said.
"Good," Zane said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Just remember, don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. You’re there to find answers.”
"I won't," I promised, though I knew it would be a challenge.
My feelings for Michael were growing stronger every day, and I couldn’t deny I was excited to see him again.
The next day, I woke up early, intending to drive to Oak Meadow, Michael’s hometown.
It was a six-hour drive, so I'd get there around lunchtime. I hadn’t told Michael, but I planned to surprise him at his new workplace.
Maybe I could take him out for lunch at the same time.
After getting dressed and showered, I headed downstairs for a quick breakfast.
My mood soured a little when I found Ivan in the kitchen.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, moving around him to brew some coffee.
Ivan had made himself a peanut butter sandwich and was quickly devouring it.
"This is also my brother's house, and I'm welcome here too," Ivan said between bites. "Zane mentioned you're heading out to see your little fox."
I couldn’t help but let out a growl at that.
"I should tag along with you. Your head's not in the right place when it comes to him, and you might not ask the right questions. I've been working closely with the bears since the operation," Ivan pointed out.
Those were good points, I knew that inwardly, but all I could think about was being stuck with Ivan in my truck for six hours.
It would be unbearable, and we would undoubtedly bicker the entire time.
Flying wasn’t usually an option, especially during the day, and besides, we still needed to keep a low profile.
Apart from that, if Ivan tagged along, Michael would surely be uncomfortable around him.
It would also ruin the private time I had planned to have with Michael.
"I appreciate the offer, Ivan, but I can handle it. Besides, Michael might not be comfortable with too many people showing up unexpectedly," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.
Ivan raised an eyebrow.
"You sure about that? We need to get information about Liliana, and you might be too distracted,” he said.
"I'll be fine. I know what I’m doing," I insisted, pouring myself a cup of coffee.
Ivan sighed and shrugged.
"Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you mess this up, it’s on you,” he said.
"I won't mess it up," I replied, a little more forcefully than intended.
Ivan finished his sandwich and gave me a long, hard look before finally nodding.
"Okay. Then good luck,” Ivan said.
I nodded back, relieved that he wasn’t going to push it further.
After a quick breakfast, I grabbed my keys and headed out to my truck.
The drive to Oak Meadow was long, but the thought of seeing Michael kept me energized.
I replayed our recent conversations in my mind, each one making me smile.
As the miles rolled by, I thought about how I would surprise him, imagining the look on his face when he saw me.
By the time I reached Oak Meadow, it was just past noon. I parked near Michael's workplace and took a moment to steady my nerves.
This visit wasn’t just about gathering information; it was about seeing Michael and reconnecting with him.
I walked into the car repair shop owned by Michael's dad, immediately coming face-to-face with a burly mechanic in his fifties who gave me an appraising look.
A bear shifter, I guessed. I didn't take offense at his careful reaction.
Most shifters were wary of outsiders visiting their town unannounced and even though I concealed my aura, I couldn’t hide it entirely.
His name tag read "Stan."
"Can I help you?" Stan asked, his tone guarded.
"Yes, I'm here to see Michael," I replied, trying to make myself appear friendly and non-threatening.
However, my effort seemed to have the opposite effect. Stan narrowed his eyes.
"And who are you?" Stan demanded.
I was debating how to handle this when Michael appeared from the office, probably drawn by the noise.
When he saw me, his eyes widened in surprise and then softened into a smile.
"Doyle? What are you doing here?" he asked, walking up to me.
"Michael, you know this guy?" Stan asked, still wary.
"This is Doyle, he rescued me," Michael said.
Stan's tense posture relaxed at that.
"Oh, you're the one. Michael's talked about you. Didn't expect to see you here, though,” Stan said.
"I wanted to surprise Michael and take him out for lunch," I explained, my gaze shifting to Michael, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Well, I guess that's alright then," Stan said, giving me a scrutinizing look before stepping aside. "Just don’t cause any trouble."
I chuckled. "No trouble, just lunch,” I said.
Michael's eyes were bright with excitement as he led me out of the shop.
"This is such a surprise! I didn't expect you to come all this way,” Michael said.
"I couldn't resist," I admitted. "I missed you."
Michael's smile widened, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. We walked to a small café nearby, our steps in sync.
As we settled into a booth, I could see the tension in Michael's shoulders start to ease.
"You've been working with your dad?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Yeah, it's been... okay,” Michael said, playing with a sugar packet. "A lot has changed, but some things haven't. It's comforting and strange at the same time."
I nodded, understanding the complexity of Michael's emotions.
"And how's the second day going?" I asked.
"Better now that you're here," Michael said, his voice soft but sincere.
Our food arrived, and as we ate, our conversation flowed naturally.
I found myself laughing more than I had in a long time. Being with Michael felt right, like a missing piece had finally fallen into place.
As we finished our meal, I reached across the table, taking Michael's hand in mine.
"I'm glad I came," I said, my thumb brushing over his knuckles.
"Me too," Michael replied, his eyes shining with gratitude and something deeper. "I missed you, Doyle."
“Same here.” I cleared my throat. “Actually, I came here for another reason. I wanted to ask you more questions about Liliana, but only if you’re comfortable with it.”
“So you really didn’t come here to see me, but to grill me?” Michael asked.
For a moment, I panicked, thinking I’d already blown this. But then I saw the small smile playing on his lips.
It was nice to see he’d gotten a sense of humor.
“Kidding,” Michael said, his smile widening. “That’s fine. I’ll tell you everything I know, but it’s not like she kept me in the loop or anything.”
I let out a relieved breath.
“You had me worried there for a second,” I said.
Michael chuckled softly.
“You should’ve seen your face. But seriously, I understand why you need to know. Anything I can do to help bring her down, I’m all for it,” Michael said.
I nodded, appreciating his willingness.
“I know it’s not easy talking about it. If there’s anything you don’t want to share, just say the word,” I said.
Michael’s expression grew serious.
“There are some things that are still hard to talk about, but I’ll do my best. Liliana was... meticulous. She had this way of making you feel completely powerless. Most of the time, I was kept in the dark. But there were moments when I overheard things, snippets of conversations,” Michael said.
I leaned in, listening intently. “Anything you remember could be helpful. Even the smallest detail,” I said.
Michael took a deep breath, his gaze distant as he spoke. “She had a network. Other black witches, warlocks, even a few shifters who weren’t familiars under her control. They all worked for her, but out of fear, not loyalty. I think that’s why she’s so hard to track. Everyone is too scared to talk.”
“Did you ever hear anything about her plans? Where she might go if things went south?” I asked gently.
I recalled asking him the same question when we first met but at that point of time, Michael probably still in shock from everything that had happened.
“She mentioned a safe house a few times,” Michael said, frowning as he tried to remember. “Somewhere remote. I never got the exact location, but she always referred to it as ‘the sanctuary.’ It sounded like a place she could disappear to if things got too dangerous.”
“That’s a start,” I said, feeling a surge of hope. “Anything else?”
Michael hesitated, then shook his head.
“Not much. I was mostly kept in my cage or used for her spells and other purposes. But there were times I saw her with a map. She had these red circles marked on different locations. I couldn’t see where, but it seemed important,” he said.
I made a mental note to relay this information to Zane. If Liliana Payne was one thing, it was persistent.
There was a possibility she was still planning on kidnapping more shifters to turn them into familiars, and there was also a chance she could be rebuilding her coven.
“Thank you, Michael. This could really help,” I said.
Michael nodded, his eyes meeting mine.
“I want her gone, Doyle,” he whispered. “Sometimes I can’t sleep at night, knowing she’s out there.”
“We’ll get her,” I promised, reaching out to squeeze his hand.
Michael’s hand was warm in mine, and for a moment, the weight of our mission felt lighter.
“So, now that we’ve got the serious stuff out of the way, let’s talk about something else for a change,” I said, hoping to bring back some of the lightness from earlier.
Michael smiled, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes.
“Sounds perfect,” he replied.