38. Noah #2
Heather hugged her. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I will.”
As they pulled apart, Heather glanced at me. “Oh. How’s Ky doing these days?”
I frowned a little. “Uh, he’s good. Busy with training and stuff.”
“Right, of course.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Well, tell him I said hi.”
“Will do.” I watched her go, a thought niggling at the back of my mind. There was something about the way she’d asked about Ky, a certain spark in her eye...
Was Heather interested in him?
I’d never really thought about playing matchmaker before, but the more I considered it, the more I liked the idea. Ky was a great guy—funny, loyal, kind. And Heather deserved someone who would treat her right.
Maybe I could talk to Zoey about it later, see what she thought. She’d know what Heather liked in a man.
But for now, I had more pressing matters to attend to. Namely, making sure Zoey and Ro were settled in and comfortable.
I turned to find them both looking at me expectantly. Ro’s face was a bit red, as though he were hot. Zoey picked him up again, and he rested his head on her shoulder.
“Why does Aunt Heather want you to say hi to Ky?” Ro asked.
Zoey chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo.” She met my gaze over his head, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Noah’s just playing Cupid, apparently.”
I grinned back at her. This was nice—the easy banter, the sense of family.
I could get used to it.
Zoey made to put Ro down, but he clung to her. “Mommy, I don’t feel well. I’m tired.”
“He’s been out of sorts all day,” Zoey told me. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you to bed for a nap, okay?”
I followed Zoey upstairs to Ro’s room and watched as she got him settled in bed. The curtains were drawn, casting shadows across the space even in the dim light.
The lingering odor in the room hit me like a freight train.
I hadn’t caught it in the living room because Zoey’s scent overpowered it.
But in here, that distinct aroma of an impending first shift—musky, wild, tinged with the sharpness of change—overwhelmed me.
It set my nerves on edge, and my wolf rose to the surface in response.
I put a hand on Ro’s forehead. His skin was hot to the touch, slick with sweat. Definitely not a normal fever.
Zoey hovered next to me, her face pinched with anxiety. “Is something wrong?”
“No, not wrong.” I knew exactly what was happening here. “His body is just getting ready for his first shift.”
Her brows knitted together. “What? How do you know?”
Gently, I lifted Ro’s upper lip with my thumb, revealing the elongated canines underneath. Fangs. The undeniable proof of his shifting heritage.
“See? It’s normal for wolf-shifter kids. Their bodies go through changes as the shift approaches.” I tapped my nose. “Plus, there’s a certain scent. Any shifter parent would recognize it.”
Zoey stared at Ro’s face. I could practically see the gears turning in her head, the worry warring with relief.
She swallowed hard. “He’s going to be okay? This is all just part of the process?”
I pulled her into my arms. She melted against me, her breath shuddering out in a sigh.
“He’s going to be fine, Zoey,” I said into her hair. “I promise. We’ll get him through this.”
And I meant it with every fiber of my being. Ro was a part of my pack, my family. I’d be there for him, and for Zoey, every step of the way.
“He’ll probably shift within the next forty-eight hours.
” I pulled back to look at Zoey. Her hazel eyes were wide, a mix of emotions swirling in their depths.
“He’ll need an alpha to guide him through it.
” I rubbed her back. “Why don’t you and Ro come stay at my place?
That way, I’ll be there whenever it happens. ”
Zoey bit her lip, uncertainty flickering across her face. I could sense her inner struggle, the desire to keep Ro safe warring with her instinctive need for independence.
“I don’t know, Noah,” she said softly. “I don’t want to impose...”
“You wouldn’t be. I want to help, Zo. Please, let me be there for you both.”
She searched my face, looking for any hint of deception or ulterior motives. But all she found was sincerity and a genuine desire to support her.
Finally, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll stay with you until Ro’s gotten through this.”
Grinning, I watched her pack a bag for Ro before she went to her bedroom to get her things. A few days. It was a start. But if I had my way, those days would turn into weeks.
Months.
A lifetime.
Because deep down, I knew that’s where this was heading. It’s where I wanted it to go.
Zoey and Ro belonged with me. And I’d do whatever it took to make that happen.
The drive to my place was quick and quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the engine and Ro’s gentle snores from the backseat. He’d conked out the moment we hit the road, his body exhausted from the impending change.
Zoey sat beside me, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. But I could tell her mind was miles away, lost in worried thoughts.
“He’s going to be okay, Zo,” I said, putting my hand on her knee. “I promise. He’ll probably sleep a lot until it happens.”
“I hate seeing him like this. So tired and feverish. It scares me.”
“I understand.” And I did. The first shift was always the hardest, for both the child and the parents. “But he’s strong, just like his mom. He’ll get through this.”
A small smile touched her lips at that, but it quickly faded when her phone started to buzz in her lap. Her face paled.
“What is it?” I asked, unease prickling along my spine. “Who’s calling?”
Zoey swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she gripped the phone. “It’s an unknown number. It has to be George.”
A low growl rumbled in my chest. That bastard. “Put it on speaker. If it is him, I’ll speak to him.”
Zoey hesitated and glanced in the rearview mirror at Ro’s sleeping form. “I don’t know. What if he wakes up?”
“He’s out cold, Zo. And I need to hear what this asshole has to say.” My grip tightened on the steering wheel, the plastic creaking under my fingers.
With a shaky breath, Zoey answered the phone and put it on the console between us, keeping the volume low. “Hello?”
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my best girl.
” George’s cold, mocking voice came over the speaker.
“I heard Noah pulled through. More’s the pity.
Quite the hero, isn’t he? Shifting after being shot to come after the sniveling brat.
I never thought of you as a fuck worth risking my life for, but maybe you’ll work a bit harder to change my mind when we’re reunited. ”
I saw red, my vision narrowing to a pinpoint of fury. But before I could speak, George continued.
“Because make no mistake, sweetheart—we will be together. You belong to me. Next time I see you, it’ll be to reclaim my property. You and the boy. If Noah gets in the way, I’ll make damn sure he doesn’t pull through again.”
Zoey let out a choked sob, her hands flying to her mouth. I snatched the phone from the console.
“Listen up, you pathetic excuse for a man. Zoey is my mate. Mine. And if you come anywhere near her or Roland again, I will personally make sure that the next time anyone sees you, it’ll be on a coroner’s table.”
George laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “Big words, tough guy. You think you can take me on?”
“Anytime, anywhere.” I bared my teeth, even though he couldn’t see me. “I tracked you to your hideout, too, but like the rat you are, you’d scurried off. So, let’s do this properly, James. Alpha to alpha, following shifter laws, I officially challenge you.”
The seconds ticked by silently. Then, “You’re on. I’ll be in touch.”
The line went dead. I tossed the phone back onto the console, my heart pounding in my ears.
Zoey was staring at me, her eyes wide and frightened. “Noah… what have you done?”
“What I had to. What I’ve been trying to do since I became alpha.” I took her hand and brought it to my lips. “I meant what I said. I’m going to be the man in your life, in Ro’s life. And George? He won’t be missed.”
Reluctantly, I let go of her hand and grabbed my phone, calling Chief Warman. He answered on the second ring.
“Pete, it’s Noah. George just made contact with Zoey. Can you meet us at my place and take her statement to update her complaint? I’m going to call her lawyer as well. This ends now.” I glanced at Zoey, my gaze fierce and determined. “I won’t let him hurt my family again.”