Chapter Three
Blade
“My tooth really hurts. What am I supposed to do, just sit here in agony for two weeks?” Wyatt scowled and held his palm to his jaw.
“No.” I sighed.
“Is this how you’re so successful? You don’t let your clients leave their house?” He winced. “Ouch.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t talk.” I gave him a pointed look.
“I need to go to the dentist. Sorry if that’s a problem for you.”
“You can’t just use some of that numbing stuff?” I grimaced. “I think I have some in the medicine cabinet.”
“I already made an appointment.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s in an hour.”
“Fine. Where’s your dentist?”
“Talada.”
I frowned. “What? That’s a shitty neighborhood. Surely you can afford to go to a dentist in a better part of the city?”
He rubbed his jaw. “I’ve been going to him since I was a kid.”
I slipped on my jacket. “Admit it, you’re a cheapskate.”
He started to smile, and then he cringed. “Ouch. Shit. Stop talking to me.”
“My pleasure.” It wasn’t like conversing with him was my favorite part of the day. I opened the door and scoped out the front and sides of the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I led Wyatt to my car.
As I started the engine, he leaned closer, trying to clip his seat belt, and I got a whiff of his clean scent. It made me feel a little weird, and my pulse sped up slightly. I didn’t usually notice things like a man’s cologne or whether or not his hair looked soft to the touch. I pulled my eyes from his glossy locks and pulled out onto the main road.
We rode in silence for the first part of the drive. He gave me directions, and as we got nearer to Talada, I became curious about his childhood. “Did you grow up here?”
“Yeah.” He stared out the window at the dilapidated buildings. “It was different then.”
“Of course. That was a long time ago.”
He shot me an impatient glance. “Is that your way of calling me old again?”
I frowned. “No. But you’re what… in your forties? That means it was a long time ago by default.”
“I’m forty exactly. Not in my forties.”
“Excuse me.” I grimaced. Who knew he’d be so sensitive about his age?
“And my age just means I’m more experienced than you,” he grumbled.
I bit my lip and said as calmly as I could, “Relax. It wasn’t meant as an insult.”
“Pfft. Everything you young wolves say is meant as an insult.”
“That’s bullshit.”
He shrugged.
I took a deep breath and counted to ten. “What was life like here?”
He didn’t respond immediately, but then some of the tension left his shoulders. “It was great. I rode my bike everywhere with my buddies. My dad was a policeman, and my mother was a stay-at-home mom until I was in high school.”
“Sounds nice.” My own childhood hadn’t been anything like that. It made me a little envious hearing about his.
“It was.”
“Are your parents still alive?” I eyed a black car with dark tinted windows that seemed to be following beside us longer than I liked. When it turned right at the next light, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“My mom is.” He sighed. “She still lives here in the same house I grew up in.”
I grimaced. “Hopefully in a better part of town?”
“Nope.” He snorted. “She’s a stubborn old thing.”
Apparently stubbornness runs in the family.
“She probably feels closer to your dad living there.” I put on my signal and changed lanes.
He glanced at me. “Maybe.” He shifted as if he was in pain.
“Tooth still hurting?”
“That is why I’m going to the dentist,” he grumbled.
Touchy bastard.
“I don’t love going into your old neighborhood. The bad guys might assume you’d return here to see your mom.”
He snorted. “The bad guys?”
My face warmed at his mocking tone. “Well, they aren’t good guys.”
He lifted one shoulder. “The bad guys would have to know I have a toothache in order to make this work for them.”
“True.” I didn’t care for his superior tone, but I held my tongue for the sake of peace.
“What about your family?”
I squinted. “What about them?”
“Did they shower you with love and that’s why you’re the golden boy you are today?” He sounded snide.
I didn’t really like talking about my family. Even to people I liked. Besides, I hadn’t had an idyllic childhood like he had, and it was embarrassing to admit that.
I cleared my throat and chose my words carefully. “I didn’t see them much once I hit my teens. I went out on my own.”
“Aww. Did Mommy and Daddy not love you?”
My face was hot, and I shot him an angry look. “Actually, no. They didn’t, Wyatt. Thanks for asking. I’m sure you really give a shit.”
His smirk faded, and he looked forward through the windshield. “Sorry. I just assumed you had the perfect life.”
I gave a hard laugh. “Not exactly.”
We rode in silence, and he mostly just stared out the window until we pulled up to his dentist office. I parked with our nose facing toward the road in case we needed to make a quick escape. I got out first and checked the area.
There were two homeless men asleep against a low wall near the office buildings, but they looked like legit bums. They were surrounded by their sleeping bags and carts filled with trash. I didn’t think anyone hunting Wyatt would have had time to pull that together, considering how spontaneous his dentist appointment was.
We entered the dentist office, and I sat near the door while Wyatt checked himself in. I was annoyed with how he’d mocked me earlier, but I tried my best to push it away. It was my job to keep him safe, not obsess about hurt feelings.
His appointment took about two hours. I read the boring magazines and surfed the net on my phone to keep myself occupied. I was used to sitting and waiting on my clients, but today I felt unusually restless. I’d had trouble sleeping last night, and so I felt grumpier than usual. When Wyatt finally came out to the front, his jaw was slightly swollen and he looked like he had something stuffed inside his cheek.
I stood while he paid the lady at the desk, and then I led him outside, keeping my body on the street side. “What was the prognosis?”
“Root canal,” he mumbled.
We got in the car, and I turned to him. “Do we need to get you some antibiotics or pain pills?”
He shook his head and then winced. “No. They gave me some there.” He pulled two pill containers from his pocket.
I frowned. “They did?” That wasn’t something my dentist had ever done. I doubted he stocked that stuff at his clinic.
“Yes.”
“What is he, a drug dealer and a dentist?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I started the car. “I’m not worried. I just hope what he gave you is actually the right stuff.”
He rested his head against the back of the seat. “I want to go see my mom.”
I turned to him in surprise. “Seriously?”
He shrugged. “We’re right here and I haven’t seen her in a while.”
I had a little trouble understanding him with the cotton in his mouth. “I’m not sure that’s a great idea.”
“It is…” He scowled and pulled the cotton from his mouth. Then he held it as if he didn’t know what to do with it.
I gave an impatient growl and pulled a plastic bag from the back seat. “Put it in here.”
He obliged, and then he said, “I can’t be this close to my mom’s house and not visit. That’s rude.”
“You just had a root canal. Now is not a great time to have a chat with someone.” I started to back out, and he grabbed my wrist. His firm fingers dug into my skin, sending an odd shiver through me.
“Blade, I need to see her.” His pupils were dilated, and he looked glassy-eyed. “She’s not well.”
The feel of his hand on my arm did strange things to my body. My skin tingled and my pulse sped up. I was startled by why his touch had me feeling breathless and excited. Usually the only thing he made me feel was impatient and pissed off.
“Are you just saying that so I’ll let you see her?”
His mouth curved suddenly in a smile that showed deep dimples in his cheeks. My gut clenched with surprise at how attractive he was when he wasn’t scowling at me like usual. “Maybe I’m stretching the truth a little.”
I pulled my arm away and rubbed my skin, hoping to erase the feel of his fingers on my flesh. “If I say yes, it has to be a short visit.”
“Sure. I just want to check in on her.”
I shook my head. “Can you even talk to her? You’re slurring a lot.”
“I’ll manage.” He closed his eyes. “Just drive.”
I sighed impatiently and nudged his elbow. “Hey. I don’t know where she lives.”
He opened his eyes. “Oh, yeah.” He gave me directions, and then he closed his eyes again.
I followed his instructions, and soon we pulled up in front of a small, one-story home. The white paint was peeling from the front of the house, and the lawn was brown. We got out of the car and walked the short path to the front door. Wyatt banged his knuckles on the worn wood, and I kept my eyes peeled as we waited for someone to answer the door.
Eventually there were sounds from inside and the door cracked open slightly. A pair of bright gray eyes peeked around the door, and they widened with surprise. “Wyatt? Is that you?”
“Hey, Mom.” He grinned.
She stepped back and pushed open the screen. “What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood.” He cupped his jaw. “I had to see Dr. Zahn.”
“Uh, oh.” She frowned.
“It’s great to see you, Mom.” Wyatt engulfed her in a big hug, and I stood stiffly behind him.
“I’m so happy to see you, son.” Eventually they broke apart, and her sharp gaze dropped on me. “Is this your boyfriend?”
“What?” Wyatt screeched, his face turning bright red. “No. He’s my bodyguard.” I had little doubt my face looked equally horrified.
“Bodyguard?” Now it was her turn to sound high-pitched. “Why do you need a bodyguard?”
He ignored her question. “Why would you think he’s my boyfriend?”
She laughed and shrugged. “Lots of alphas swing both ways, kid. Calm down.”
“I’m definitely not his boyfriend.” I probably sounded way more emphatic than was flattering, but I couldn’t help it.
She snorted a laugh. “Fine. Fine. Didn’t mean to upset you two macho studs.”
I was beginning to see where Wyatt got his lack of tact. “I can wait out in the car if that would be more convenient?” I moved to open the screen so I could retreat to my vehicle.
She latched on to my arm. “No. That would be weird, not convenient.”
I didn’t necessarily agree with her, but her grip was tight and I would have had to struggle to pry her fingers off. She scanned my face with an intensity that made me uneasy. A little smile touched her lips, and she let go of me.
“I just baked a cherry pie. Would you boys like a piece?” She led the way into the bowels of her little dark house, and I followed behind Wyatt.
Her kitchen was cramped but clean, and she had us sit at a little round table while she grabbed the pie. She touched Wyatt a lot, which was kind of sweet. It was as if she was afraid she was hallucinating that he was in her kitchen. She served us generous slices of the pastry, and then she sat with us, crossing her hands on the table.
I tasted the pie and it was a delicious blend of tart and sweet. It had been a long time since I’d had anything homemade, and I tucked into my dessert with gusto. When she offered me a second piece, I happily accepted.
Mrs. Smith talked softly about the neighborhood goings-on, and Wyatt laughed and joined in. It was like he was a different person when he was with his mom. He seemed softer and less cantankerous. I’d never seen this side of him. In fact, if you’d told me this version of him existed, I’d have said you were smoking something.
Once the pie was eaten and the plates were cleared, Mrs. Smith turned the conversation to more serious topics. “You never answered me about why you need a bodyguard, Wyatt.”
“It’s just a precaution.” He shot me a warning look, as if he was afraid I was going to contradict him.
I returned his glance with an impatient one of my own. I didn’t care what he told his mom. It was none of my business. I drummed my fingers softly on the red-and-white-checkered tablecloth and kept quiet.
“Did someone threaten you?” Her voice was tinged with worry.
“It’s no big deal.”
“Is that a yes?”
He chuffed. “I can take care of myself, Mom. You don’t need to be concerned.”
“More to the point, I’m here to guard your ass.” My surly comment just kind of slipped out. I was so used to us trading insults, I sort of forgot maybe now wasn’t the time.
She surprised me when she laughed. “Do I sense a little tension between you two?”
Wyatt grimaced. “We can’t stand each other.”
She cackled. “Really?”
“Really,” I said quietly.
“My boss thought Blade’s house was the last place anyone would look for me.”
“Hmmm.” She studied us both with a funny look on her face.
“So just a couple of weeks and we should have this matter solved. Then I can go home, and Blade can have his house back to himself.” Wyatt sounded confident.
“I live for that day.”
She was still studying me with a curious expression. I shifted uneasily because her gaze was so intense. “You’re an omega?” Her voice was soft.
I nodded.
“But I don’t think you’re a regular omega.” Her tone was bemused.
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“When is your birthday?”
My face warmed and I flicked a guarded glance toward Wyatt. “I don’t know.”
He screwed his face into a frown. “You don’t know?”
I shook my head. “I never knew my parents.”
“I thought you said you didn’t see much of your parents after you hit your teens.” His gaze was muddled.
“Those were my foster parents.” I swallowed hard. I had no desire to share my life story with these people. Why were we talking about me at all?
His mom bobbed her head. “I see. Well, I suspect you’re a solar eclipse omega.” She touched my arm. “You’re special.”
My face felt like it was on fire. Wyatt was looking at his mom like she was nuts. “Mom, have you been drinking?”
She scowled at him. “No.”
“How would you know what kind of omega he is?”
“I’ve been around a long time, honey. I know my wolves.” She leaned toward me. “Do you have a birthmark on your right hip?”
I did have a birthmark on my hip, and I was floored that she would know that. But I’d had enough of them staring at me, and I just wanted to get them to stop. “No,” I lied.
His mom looked unconvinced. “Are you sure?”
I avoided her gaze.
“I think he’d know his own body, Mom.” Wyatt’s expression was odd.
“It’s just… the color of your eyes is usually only found in a solar eclipse omega.” I could tell she didn’t believe me about the birthmark. “The light icy blue surrounded by the black ring. That has solar eclipse omega written all over it.”
I stood awkwardly and addressed Wyatt. “We need to go. I’ve got some reports I need to finish by this evening.”
“Sure.” Wyatt rose slowly.
“Thank you for the pie.” I held his mom’s enigmatic gaze. “It was delicious.”
“Thank you for protecting my son.”
I lowered my head. “Of course.”
“Especially since you dislike each other,” she said softly.
I left them alone to say their good-byes, and I headed for my car. I felt rattled by her intense scrutiny. What would it matter if I was a solar eclipse omega or not? I was still an omega, and when I was born and where I came from shouldn’t matter.
I realized Wyatt’s mom couldn’t realize that it hurt to think my real parents hadn’t wanted me. My mom had abandoned me at a hospital, and I’d never known a thing about her. Then Doretha and Timeny had fostered me and my life had been hell. Would I have had a better life if my mom had kept me?
I jumped when Wyatt opened the door and climbed in. “Did you miss me?” He smirked.
“Not even a little.” I made sure my expression was blank, and I started the car and headed home.