The Morgan Lore - 23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty – Three

Get me a wheelbarrow and a shovel for all the answers

Kiyo sat in the armchair closest to Milan, his gaze on Rowen who held Milan’s gloved hand. It was strange to imagine Milan forging what seemed like deep bonds with people who were now of scientific interest, if he was to be honest. Werewolves, he couldn’t stop the scoff that escaped his lips. Was this a look into M. Night Shyamalan’s muse? It left him feeling a lot out of his depth.

His gaze shifted to Rory who paced the back of the couch. Rory’s arms crossed against his chest, the black sweater he wore defined his muscles. Muscles Kiyo now knew could change and turn him into a huge beast that could crush Milan to nothing.

Kiyo took in a deep breath to calm his blood pressure.

“First, why is my family in danger?”

“Your friend, Lloyd,” Rory nodded to the unconscious technician trussed up on the coffee table. “He showed up at school. He was stalking Milan, and talking about taking him away to meet his boss.”

“Cade?” Kiyo frowned. “His boss is mine too. Cade is my best friend. There is no way he would hurt Milan.”

“Who is Cade?” Rory asked.

“Cade Ogawa, Head of Biosense.” Kiyo gripped the arms of his chair. “He offered me the position here. I only agreed because he promised that my research, coupled with his resources would help find a cure for Milan.”

“But Milan’s condition has no cure,” Rory stated.

“I know more about that than you,” Kiyo snapped, not about to be schooled by a teenager on what he knew about his son’s health.

Milan was his son. He was the one that discovered Milan’s condition when his son would not stop getting ill. He knew every aspect of Milan’s condition like the back of his hand. All experiments he ran for the past decade were to give Milan a way to live a comfortable happy life.

“I’m sorry,” Rory said, his tone gentle, drawing Kiyo’s gaze.

“There is nothing to be sorry about,” Kiyo said, letting out a short sigh. “Besides, Cade would not harm Milan when I’ve promised to let them meet later this week. He’s counting on seeing Milan’s progress for the sake of his son.”

“Milan’s progress,” Rory scoffed, turning away from Kiyo. “You have no idea what you’ve been doing to him in the name of research.”

Kiyo’s gaze moved back to Milan.

He’s been healthy this month. For the first time in years, he has not worried about infections. His stats are improved. This is the best formula I’ve made. After his birthday, we’re going to get him another dose—”

“Over my dead body,” Rory growled, turning to look at Kiyo, his eyes very other. They made Kiyo nervous.

“Rory,” Rowen murmured.

Rory glared at Kiyo, then turned away from him. He paced the length of the couch, once, twice, then stopped and walked around to where Lloyd lay on the coffee table.

“What do you collect samples with?” Rory asked Kiyo.

“I have vials in the—”

Rory hurried to the inner lab, not letting Kiyo finish. He returned minutes later with two clean test tubes from a set Kiyo had arranged on his worktable. Far from the vials Kiyo had referred to, but they worked too.

Rory walked around the couch and gripped Lloyd’s bound hands. Kiyo watched in a mixture of awe and disgust when Rory dug his nails into Lloyd’s pale skin drawing blood. He used one of the test tubes to collect the drops of blood that disappeared when Lloyd’s skin closed up on itself.

Rory handed the tube of blood to Kiyo who got up, confused. He froze when Rory knelt by the couch and took Milan’s right hand. Rory pulled off Milan’s glove with gentle care, then pressed a kiss on Milan’s knuckles. He used a pin, also from Kiyo’s desk, to prick Milan’s thumb. He collected the drops of blood in the second tube, and brought Milan’s thumb to his mouth. Kiyo frowned when Rory sucked on Milan’s thumb. Something he had only seen Ilaria do when their sons hurt their fingers.

“Place Lloyd’s blood under a microscope, first,” Rory said, placing Milan’s hand on his stomach as he got up. “It stinks of rot. I don’t know much about the science of it, but you should be able to see what’s wrong.”

Kiyo held Rory’s gaze for a moment, then nodded and went to the inner lab. In minutes, he was set up at his microscope, wearing gloves, a smear of Lloyd’s blood on a slide. He ignored Rory’s hovering, and got to work, eager to see the composition of a werewolf’s blood.

***

Rory paced Kiyo’s work space, caught between annoyance and worry as Kiyo worked without looking at him. Rory held Milan’s blood in his hand, not ready to give it to Kiyo until he figured out what was wrong with Lloyd. Rory could hear Nisin’s breathing in a room at the end of a short hallway. There was the scent of sick in the air, which made him wonder if Nisin was having a hard time.

Thinking of Lloyd’s warning earlier about his boss, Rory decided it was time to pull in his father.

‘Dad.’ Rory called to his father on their very private family link.

‘Rory.’

‘I have access to Nisin and Kiyo Takeda’s inner lab.’

‘Great job. What do you need?’

‘First, I’m reporting an attack on a human by a lone wolf at the school parking lot. I took him down, but he had some interesting comments to make. I’ve been on an interesting path today and its clear we have a traitor among us.’

‘Any clue who it is?’

‘No.’ Rory kept his gaze on Kiyo wondering when the man would finish. ‘I only have the lone wolf, and now Kiyo Takeda who seems innocent. I ask you and your most trusted to meet with Kiyo Takeda. I will lay out his case as I believe he is in special circumstances.’

‘You understand if we determine he needs to move out of Portento, the decision can’t be changed, even with Milan being your mate.’

Rory paused, looking at Kiyo’s back. He had yet to disclose the presence of the settlement in the swamp lands. Rory decided he would talk about that when he could look his father in the eye.

‘I’m confident they can retain their status within our town.’

‘I trust your judgment. If that is what you want, then bring Milan’s family to the pack house tonight. I’ll make sure Lechter keeps his head. It’s time we heal the rift forming in this community.’

‘Thank you, Alpha.’

“There is a heavy presence of the blood Cade gives me in Lloyd’s system,” Kiyo said, after what felt like an hour but was only ten minutes. “His body is treating it like an infection. White blood cells are high, but the blood is eating them up faster than they can fight.”

“Lloyd’s an idiot is what he is.” Rory cursed under his breath. “What else?”

Kiyo swiveled his chair to face Rory.

“The formula filled with antibodies I created for Milan. It’s an earlier version made in December before Milan got his first infusion of this kind. I had not refined it then but its effects are similar. I sent it into Cade for analysis when he asked for a progress report. I can’t believe Lloyd used it.”

“I doubt he had a choice,” Rory said, his gaze narrowed. “What’s it doing to Lloyd?”

“It’s stopping Lloyd’s system from fighting off the foreign blood,” Kiyo murmured. “His organs are damaged from fighting so hard. It’s a lot like having sepsis. The infusion is enabling the foreign blood, makes him feel stronger when he’s not.”

“Can it be fixed?” Rory asked.

“Not now,” Kiyo shook his head. “The small sample here shows a hundred percent corruption. There is nothing to be done for him. His immune system is eaten away.”

Rory nodded and held out Milan’s blood to Kiyo.

“Now, check Milan’s blood,” Rory said, his hands shaking when Kiyo took the glass tube. “See what they have in common.”

Kiyo narrowed his gaze, before he turned to get to work.

***

Milan opened his eyes to find Rowen peering at him. She grinned and poked his right cheek with her index finger.

“I can’t believe you fainted,” she teased. “I’m so never letting you live that one down.”

Milan chuckled, taking in a deep breath as he sat up, disoriented. They weren’t in school. He gripped Rowen’s arm when he saw the pale man lying on the coffee table. He had thought it a dream, the memory of the black wolf’s muzzle on his back. The white wolf pulling it off.

Rory was the white wolf.

He met Rowen’s gaze and she gave him a faint knowing smile.

“You’re not surprised.”

“How can I be?” Rowen shrugged. “I’ve known they exist all my life.”

Milan’s gaze widened in realization.

“Anyone else?” Milan asked.

“Well, since the wolf’s out of the bag, there is no harm in you knowing the rest,” Rowen said, taking his hand as she sat on the couch with him. “Truth is everyone living in this town is a wolf, with a few exceptions.”

“Exceptions?” Milan asked. “What kind of exceptions?”

“My family is made up of warlocks,” Rowen wrinkled her nose. “Your kind would call us witches, but that’s such a baroque word. Others like Grandma Asta—I know you must have met her through Rory—have a connection to nature that I have yet to fully understand. She’s not exactly one to tell her secrets. Rory trusts her like no one else.”

“Jet?” Milan asked, wondering about the one friend he had made out of school.

“Wolf,” Rowen confirmed. “Werewolves to be exact. They walk in both a human’s body and a wolf’s form.”

“Not to be…baroque,” Milan said, shaking his head at the barriers his imagination was breaking today. “It’s all kind of…overwhelming. I feel like I’ve walked into the Underworld set. I hope there is no Seline barging in soon with silver bullets. I kinda like my boyfriend. Wouldn’t want to lose him before I figure out his beastly white wolf side.”

Rowen laughed.

“Glad to see you’re amused.”

“I’m—”

Rowen chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m just glad you’re not running out of here screaming in fright. I thought it would happen that way when you passed out. In a way I think Rory did too.”

“Give me a break. A huge black wolf tackled me to the ground wanting to eat me. Which would have totally sucked by the way. I don’t do scary-wolf’s-delicious-treat very well.” Milan pushed hair out of his face with his right hand. “The only one allowed to eat me is Rory.”

“Oh, the mush.” Rowen rolled her eyes getting up. “Come on, I don’t want to stay next to stinky doofus here.”

“Why did he attack me?” Milan asked, letting Rowen pull him up. “What did I ever do to him?”

“I’ll leave that to Rory and your dad to answer,” Rowen said.

Milan stopped, staring at the debris on the floor and the huge metal door his father installed to guard his research.

“I guess I missed a lot,” Milan said, climbing over debris into the private workspace he had not seen before. He stopped when he saw Rory pacing by his father’s workstation.

Kiyo was bent over a microscope.

Rory looked up when they entered and stopped pacing, his gaze on Milan, blue eyes both pleased and wary.

Rowen let go of Milan’s hand and moved away to explore Kiyo’s private workspace.

“Hey,” said Rory to Milan.

Milan moved closer to him. Rory was in a black sweater now. He remembered a t-shirt earlier this morning. Placing his hand on Rory’s chest, he smiled when he felt the warmth that often rolled off Rory in waves. Rory always burned a little hotter than him. Now he knew why they were so different.

“So,” Milan looked up to meet Rory’s gaze. “Is this the secret you were going to tell me when I’m ready?”

Rory nodded, his expression solemn.

Milan could see anxiety in Rory’s eyes. Rory worried about what Milan would say, what Milan thought. The wolf incident that left his heart in his throat clear in both their minds.

“We’ll have to talk more about it,” Milan insisted. “You have to promise to tell me everything. I don’t ever want to be surprised like that again, Rory.”

“I promise.”

The speed at which Rory’s promise came made Milan smile.

“Okay,” Milan said.

Milan watched the tension in Rory’s shoulders drain. He smiled when Rory kept staring at him in wonder, and Milan decided he was tired of hiding his truth too.

“I love you.” Milan confessed, not caring that his father sat a few feet away. “I have since the day you showed up at my house with that stupid pie for Marie. It’s just taken me a while to tell you.”

Rory’s smiled wide, then hissed, his gaze going to his left wrist which was glowing red hot. No, the wooden bracelet there seemed to be on fire. It burned red hot and Milan started to reach for it to help, but then the color faded and the bracelet was back to normal.

“Why did it do that?” Milan asked.

“First time it’s done that so hard,” Rory said, touching the one leaf on the surface.

Milan thought he had seen more before, but his thoughts scattered when Rory caressed his jaw and gave him the words back.

“I love you too, Milan.”

Milan watched Rory study the bracelet, as though waiting for something to happen again. Then he gave a soft sigh and leaned down to kiss Milan hard, pulling him into his arms. Milan melted against Rory’s warmth, enjoying the kiss until a loud cough broke into his scrambled thoughts. Rory ended the kiss, brushing his thumb over Milan’s hot cheeks.

Milan couldn’t help the smile on his lips, then looked around Rory’s left side to see his father watching them with a deep disapproving nod.

“Papa.”

“Milan.”

Kiyo gave Rory a narrowed gaze when Rory shifted to face him, and then spoke in Italian.

“You’re too young to know love, Cucciolo.”

“Maybe, you’re too jaded to see what we have as love,” Milan replied, matching his father’s language. He held Rory’s left arm, leaning into Rory’s warmth. “Mamma has given us her blessing. Rory loves me, Papa. Please don’t refuse him.”

“He can break you.”

“My illness breaks me worse.”

“Lo vuoi così tanto?”

You want it that much? Kiyo asked Milan, his gaze full of worry for him.

Milan wished he could express the depth of his feelings for Rory to his father, but alas, no words came to mind. Man, or wolf, hell Rory could be a flower and he would love him still. How could he make words that could express that kind of emotion?

It was impossible.

“Si, non posso vivere senza di lui,” Milan answered his father, drawing his gaze away from Kiyo to look into brilliant blue eyes.

“I can’t live without him.” Milan repeated for Rory’s benefit, and was rewarded with a kiss on his forehead.

Rory held him closer, wrapping Milan in his warmth.

“What are we doing here?” Milan asked, stepping away from Rory, to look around his father’s lab. “Why is your door down, Papa?”

“Your boyfriend wrenched it out of the wall,” Kiyo said, sending an accusing gaze to Rory. “You’re getting that fixed by the way.”

“No problem,” Rory said with a grin.

“Why are we here?” Milan asked, looking to Rory.

“Your Dad’s research is causing problems,” Rory said, looking to Kiyo. “What did you find in Milan’s blood?”

“The same problem as Lloyd,” Kiyo said, his tone solemn, heavy with disappointment. “The antibodies in the formula are making Milan strong enough to fight off infections, which is good. But, it’s left your organs overtaxed. Your immune system will crash too hard when they are used up. It will be much worse than when you need regular infusions. You’ll need to be isolated soon.”

“I don’t want to live in a clean room,” Milan complained. “I almost went out of my mind the last time you made me do that, Papa.”

“I’m sorry, Milan,” Kiyo said, his eyes filled with tears. “I was so excited to find something to make you healthier, happier. I didn’t stop to look more into it. I can’t believe Cade would lie to me when I’m supposed to use it on his son.”

“Those blood packages Lloyd brings you from your friend’s lab are filled with corrupted werewolf blood. It’s poison to humans. Cade probably doesn’t understand it. The werewolf providing the blood has introduced something bad into his system.”

“I didn’t know.” Kiyo shook his head. “I didn’t know.”

“Papa!” Milan ran to his father, pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m fine. Look at me walking around, causing trouble, and kissing Rory, even though you don’t like it. I have not gotten sick once this year. You gave me a month long bliss.”

“Oh, Milan,” Kiyo held his son tight, meeting Rory’s gaze, doubt in his eyes.

“What is Cade’s purpose?” Rory asked, when Kiyo kept holding on to Milan, as though to protect him from the worst.

“Cade has a son with the same condition as Milan,” Kiyo said, his voice heavy with grief. “Though, Nisin’s condition is more severe. His system is not able to handle any form of infection.”

“Is that why he is here?” Rory pointed down the hall where Rowen wandered to. Rory watched her open a door at the end enter the room where Nisin was staying.

“How do you know that?” Kiyo asked, wonder in his eyes.

“I smell him,” Rory answered with a shrug, moving to sit on one of the stools Kiyo used for his worktable. “He smells of sick right now.”

“The Biosense kitchen is not as clean as Marie’s kitchen. They sent food that made Nisin react. I was about to call Cade to discuss it.”

“So, Cade wants a cure for his son,” Rory stated, resuming his pacing. “The presence of Lloyd means that Cade knows we exist. Lloyd was human before he turned wolf, not good for him as only a mate can turn a human. The blood you receive is from a third person, who Lloyd calls boss. This boss has Dolon. I have solved so many mysteries in one afternoon. We should have talked sooner, Dr. Takeda. It would have saved me so much trouble. I just need to turn my father on to Cade Ogawa.”

“What does that mean?” Kiyo asked.

Rory paused when Milan shifted against his dad to look at him. This life, his life, was going to be Milan’s too. There was no use hiding the ugly parts. It was best to have them out in the open.

“My kind guard our secrets with ruthless dedication,” Rory said. “Any humans who know of us must be associated with us through blood: family. Otherwise and we silence their knowledge.”

“Silence as in k-kill?” Milan asked, eyes wide in shock.

“Not death, but wiping away memories, which is almost similar. We take it all away, giving the human a clean slate.”

“That’s mean,” Milan said. “Memories are important, Rory.”

“They are but keeping a few makes it possible that the person might remember what he or she mustn’t. We’ve had a few mistakes happen over the years. A clean slate is the only way to ensure silence.”

“So, you’re saying that’s what will happen to me and my family if we break up?” Milan asked, eyes wide in disbelief. “We’ll be these clean slates walking around not knowing we’re a family or all the things we’ve—”

“Milan that will never happen to you,” Rory soothed. “You are my mate. The moon of a powerful pack. Your family is safe. I will make sure of it.”

“Moon? What is that? What do you mean by mate?” Milan asked. “I guess that’s the stuff we need to discuss”

“Yes.” Rory nodded.

“Right.”

“Are you saying Cade knew wolves live in Portento before he asked me and my family to move here?” Kiyo asked.

“Most likely,” Rory nodded, his attention on Milan, and the frown dancing on his forehead. He wanted to pull Milan into a private room where they could talk it out. It annoyed him that they still had so much to work out with Kiyo. He wanted time alone with his mate.

“My research—” Kiyo was saying.

“Cade must be using it for something else,” Rory said. “Lloyd was human before he turned. A wolf with corrupted blood turned him and injected him with your infusion to make him strong. This individual then used him to walk around town, causing trouble. Trying to get to Milan.”

“Will Lloyd be alright?” Milan asked. “He doesn’t look very well.”

“I don’t think his mate turned him, so yes, he’ll die. Painfully,” Rory answered, satisfaction in his voice. When he saw Milan’s shocked expression, Rory shrugged. “Don’t look at me that way. He attacked you, Milan. He deserves it.”

“He what?” Kiyo turned to Milan, grabbing his hands and pulling up his sleeves to check his arms. “Did he bite you? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, Papa.”

“I need to be sure. A single scratch on you can lead to infection, Milan. We have to check.”

Kiyo pushed him away and dragged his sweater up to expose his stomach, then his back. Kiyo stilled, his gaze on Milan’s bare back. Pushing Milan’s sweater higher to his shoulders, Kiyo touched Milan’s back in shock.

“What?” Milan asked.

“What are these?” Kiyo asked. “You look bruised. Did you fall?”

Milan tried to see his back, but he couldn’t with Kiyo holding his clothes on his shoulders. Rory moved closer to see what Kiyo was freaking out over.

“Does this hurt?” Kiyo asked touching Milan’s back, running a finger along his spine.

“No.” Milan frowned. “What is it?”

“You have dark lines along your spine. They look like fading waves,” Rory said. When he touched Milan’s back, Milan shivered.

“What?” Kiyo asked, looking at Milan with a frown. “Are you cold?”

“No.”

Milan cleared his throat, throwing Rory a warning glance when Rory touched him again and the shivers down his back persisted. Hot, delicious thrills that swept deep into his core, making Milan bite his lip to keep from moaning in pleasure. He was hard and wanting Rory to touch him again. The sensation was like nothing he had ever experienced, and he wanted to keep it from his father. It felt too personal.

Rory moved closer taking his right hand, comforting him. Milan leaned into him.

“Must be an effect from the infusions,” Rory suggested, trying to push Milan’s sweater down to cover his back.

“Could it be? An effect of the poison blood?” Kiyo asked, his frown deep. He seemed ready to reach for a needle and start drawing blood. “I should check on this.”

“Not today,” Rory murmured, shaking his head at Kiyo.

Milan pressed his forehead into Rory’s chest, breathing him in. There was so much happening in the space of an afternoon. He almost felt crazy with overload. He wasn’t ready for his father’s brand of drawing blood, the numerous needles…Milan shook his head.

“Papa?”

“You’re fine, Milan.” Kiyo sounded as though he was reassuring himself. “Rory is right. There’s been too much happening today. I’ll run the blood we got earlier through a few more tests.”

“Okay,” Milan said, relieved when Kiyo smoothed his clothes back in place. “Stop worrying so much. I’ll be fine.”

Kiyo nodded, running a hand through his hair, scratching his beard as he looked around his lab.

“Should I talk to Cade?” Kiyo asked Rory. “Ask him about Lloyd? About the source of the blood?”

“No.” Rory shook his head, pulling Milan into a loose hug. He was afraid talking to Cade would alert the traitor. “I think it’s time our families met. Dr. Takeda, I’d like to invite you and your wife to dinner at my house. You can meet my Dad.”

Milan clung to Rory, brown eyes wide in surprise as he looked up at Rory.

“Are you sure?” Milan asked.

“Yes.”

Rory touched the corner of Milan’s lips, then turned to Kiyo.

“Dr. Takeda, I will need to make a thorough case on your behalf and Milan. I’ll take Lloyd with me to start. I’ll have to ask you to bring the details of your research with you when you come to dinner later. My father’s people will want to look at it.”

“Your father has people?” Kiyo asked, amused.

“Very paranoid ones,” Rory said with a quick nod. “It’s now very clear. I can’t solve all this alone. I’ll need your help, so you have to be thorough. Now, what are we going to do about Nisin? He can’t stay here anymore. I don’t think it’s safe or healthy for him.”

“I haven’t met him,” Milan said against Rory, his gaze sliding to Kiyo. “I don’t think this is a good place to stay for him.”

“I suppose the clean room I have set up at our house will do for now,” Kiyo said. “Nisin has been missing human contact. Marie is a much better cook than those quacks at Biosense.”

Kiyo placed his hands in his scrub pockets and moved to the corridor.

“You guys wait here. I’ll go talk to him.”

Milan pushed away from Rory’s hug when his dad headed to Nisin’s room.

“I don’t want to be in the room when Papa talks to Mamma about Nisin.” Milan shuddered at the thought. Rory chuckled.

Milan then gripped Rory’s arm tight.

“So, about tonight,” Milan bit his bottom lip, worrying it for a moment. “What do I wear to meet your dad? Is he a werewolf too? What am I saying? If he wasn’t, you wouldn’t be. What does he look like? Do you think he will like me?”

***

Thinking of Milan’s million questions made Rory chuckle. Milan seemed eager to meet Rory’s dad. The excitement of it kept Milan in high spirits even when he met Nisin. His mood infectious, it helped Nisin find energy to get up and bundle up for the ride to the Takeda house.

Rory drove, leaving Rowen to keep them hidden one more time on their journey away from Kiyo’s lab to the Takeda house.

When Rory parked the truck outside the Takeda front door, he got out and opened the back passenger door for Kiyo. Kiyo jumped out and carried Nisin into the house.

Milan lingered, hugging Rory.

“What time should we come over?”

“Seven is fine,” Rory said, adjusting his jacket over Milan and holding Milan tight, to keep the cold away. “You’ve been bad today. You left your jacket at school. You forget to wear your mask. I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold.”

“It’s coming anyway,” Milan said with a shrug. “Papa is never wrong about a crash. I’m expecting one. I just hope it comes after my birthday.”

Rory kissed Milan’s forehead, upset by the thought of Milan ill.

“We’ll fix you,” Rory promised. “Now, go on inside and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“How do we get to your house?” Milan asked.

“I’ll meet you on the way.”

“Okay.” Milan nodded, worrying his bottom lip.

“Stop thinking so hard,” Rory said, kissing Milan to distract him. “Everyone in my family will love you. You’ll see. It will be a beautiful evening.”

***

“That poor kid,” Rowen murmured when they drove off from the Takeda home. “Do you think that’s how sick Milan gets?”

Rory glanced at Rowen, unwilling to think of Milan suffering.

“You were in the room with Nisin a while. How is he?”

“He was in a lot of pain. Severe stomach infection,” Rowen said, shaking her head. She lifted her wrists at him, reminding him of the chains reigning her gifts. “I couldn’t do anything for him.”

“Kiyo will help him, and with Marie around he won’t get sick again,” Rory soothed, heading to Rowen’s house.

Rowen sighed and stared down at her hands.

“I guess you’re facing a crisis, Rory. Milan’s parents in the pack house could go either way. My mom will probably have to do the deed when it comes to wiping their memories.”

“That’s not happening,” Rory stated quite confident.

“I can talk to Mom, ask her to be the swing vote. Milan deserves to have his family living with him in Portento, despite his father’s choices.”

Rory pulled up to the storybook house where Rowen lived. It was surrounded with vibrant flowers, growing despite the winter weather. The air was warmer here too.

“Your mom is in a happy mood,” Rory noted.

“She usually is since we moved here, until I do something to annoy her. Those days winter descents worse than the North Pole. So we can’t ever tell her about my adventure today,” Rowen warned. “Magic near humans is not allowed.”

“I got your back, Santos,” Rory assured her.

“You owe me lunch for a month for today.”

“I’ll get Jet to deliver you carrots like a rabbit.”

“Careful, I don’t have trouble turning you into a rabbit,” Rowen said, wiggling her fingers at him. “Good luck tonight, Rory.”

“Thank you, Rowen.”

She waved at him, then jumped out of the truck heading to the front door. Rory made sure she was inside before he reversed and drove out of the short drive. He raced home from there.

At the pack house, Rory drove to the side of the new extension. He pulled out Lloyd from the back of his truck and wasn’t surprised to find angry eyes glaring daggers at him. Lloyd was awake and struggling.

Rory entered the extension and went straight to the panic room built in the basement to protect children and mates in case of trouble. Right now, it was the perfect place to stow away an angry lone wolf.

He was just finished strapping Lloyd into a metal chair when Matt, Topher and Jack showed up at the door.

“Your dad told us to meet you,” Topher explained. “He’s coming down shortly. Is this the wolf that attacked Milan?”

“His name is Lloyd, lone wolf status.”

Topher walked in, stopping before Lloyd.

“You made a grave mistake approaching Milan today. Your life is forfeit for it.”

Lloyd could only make a growl in answer as he was tightly strapped to the chair. His mouth taped.

“What’s going on, Rory?” Jack asked. “I got Milan’s lunchbox from the parking lot like you asked and kept it in my locker. Nurse Lori helped cover for him the rest of the classes. Rowen had herself covered. You know how she is with that. I also checked as you asked. I didn’t see Principal Rick in his office this afternoon. No one could find him.”

“Thanks, Jack. This afternoon has been exhausting.” Rory sighed, leaning on the wall. He wiped a hand down his face. “Dad’s coming down now, I’ll explain when he’s here.”

***

Milan pulled up a soft blanket over Nisin Ogawa. The clean room was not his favorite place, but it was the safest for people like them. Nisin’s dark eyes held his and Milan smiled at him.

“You’ll get better here,” Milan said, perching on the edge of the bed. “It can be quiet, but there is Siri to keep you company when you get lonely. Which won’t be very much with me here.”

Nisin gave a weak chuckle.

“Siri?”

Milan grinned.

“She’s the best,” Milan said with a short laugh. “Siri, will you turn on Netflix?”

Netflix came on the glass screen fitted on the wall opposite the bed.

“What do you like watching?” Milan asked Nisin.

“Movies mostly,” Nisin answered. “I haven’t had much of a chance this past year so I don’t know what’s good. Spent too much time moving around until your Dad’s lab. Choices underground are limited.”

Milan stared at Nisin unfamiliar with the disconnect Nisin was living. He at least had his drawing to escape into, and his family who cushioned him and pulled him back from that scary edge. Nisin looked alone. He looked afraid of that loneliness.

“Watch any movie you want, Nisin,” Milan said. “An hour and a half will go by, then you can pick the next movie for the next hour. The pain will fade in your head. That’s how I get through those really worst days.”

Milan brushed straight black hair out of Nisin’s eyes.

“Do you have any food you miss? I can ask Marie to make it for you. She’s magic in the kitchen.”

“Rice porridge,” Nisin said. “My mom used to make it for me when I was staying with her. It’s been a year since I tasted it.”

“You’re in luck.” Milan got off the bed, and patted Nisin’s hand. “Marie’s rice porridge is the best. You wait here, I’ll be back with a bowl. Okay?”

Nisin nodded, clutching his blanket tight.

“Milan,” Nisin said.

“Hm?”

“Thank you. I knew I would love meeting you.”

“Don’t worry, Nisin. It will get easier now,” Milan said, patting Nisin’s thigh before he turned and left the clean room. The door sealed shut behind him, and he stepped out into the corridor of the second floor.

Milan stopped short when he heard his mother yelling in Italian in the master bedroom. The door was open, and he could not resist moving closer to their door. By passing the stairs down, he clung to the railing and stopped outside the open door.

“What else are you hiding from me?” Ilaria demanded of Kiyo. “What else?”

“Ilaria—”

“You are forgetting I’ve been to your lab, Amore mio. We had a wonderful time in that living space. A night and half a day, yet you said nothing to me of the child you were hiding behind that sealed door. What does that make you? How can I even look at you? That child looks younger than my Milan—”

“Actually, he’s older by a year. He’s eighteen.”

Milan jumped when a jade bowl hit the bedroom door and crashed to the floor, breaking.

“You are missing the point!” Ilaria yelled.

“Ilaria, if you break that vase you’ll be upset with me later,” Kiyo said, moving closer to the door to escape his wife. “We bought it in Paris for our anniversary. There is no other like it. You love it very much.”

“I love it when it has flowers. You have been too busy hiding a child in your lab to get them for me. Why do I need the vase?”

“I’ll bring you flowers every day from now on.”

“You’re not getting away with this so easy, Amore mio. You’re right about the vase, I won’t throw it.”

There was silence, then Kiyo came running out just as a lotion bottle hit the door.

Kiyo stopped when he saw Milan.

“That was her favorite lotion bottle,” Milan pointed out.

“I know.” Kiyo sighed and came to lean on the railing with him. “You’ll help me shop for a new one?”

“No way,” Milan shook his head, stepping away from Kiyo when Ilaria showed up at the door, her hair wet from a shower. She was in a white robe, clearly in the middle of getting ready.

“Oh, there you are,” Ilaria said, pointing at Milan. “I heard from your Papa. Rory is a werewolf. When were you going to tell me?”

Milan lifted his hands up in early surrender.

“I just found out too.”

“I knew he was hiding something. No man is that handsome for nothing. Why can’t I get a break with any of you?” Ilaria asked.

“That’s hurtful, Mamma.”

“Is it? Your father has brought home a new child, you’ve brought home a wolf,” Ilaria said. “Ayu better bring home someone useful or I will be upset with him.”

“Rory can be very useful,” Milan argued, defending his boyfriend. “He is strong. He can lift anything you need moving. He has a bunch of merits…, which I can’t think of right now, under duress.”

Ilaria stared at him perplexed, then slammed her bedroom door closed.

Kiyo took Milan’s hand with a chuckle.

“Looks like we’re both in the doghouse for now. Give her time to process.”

“Yeah.” Milan let Kiyo lead him downstairs.

“Papa, Nisin wants to eat rice porridge. Is that okay?”

“It sure is,” Kiyo said, smiling at Marie when she looked up from reading a recipe book at the kitchen table. “Marie, how are you?”

“Kiyo. It’s good to see you home.”

“It’s great to be home,” Kiyo said, pushing Milan into a chair. “Milan hasn’t had much to eat today. We should get him something. We also have a new boy in the clean room. His name is Nisin and he’s not feeling well right now.”

“What is he sick with?” Marie asked.

“A stomach flu,” Kiyo said, leaning on the counter with a tired sigh. He was still in scrubs from his lab. His beard was a few days old. “His condition is similar to Milan, though his is more severe. Biosense sent him food a day ago that’s has left him in trouble.”

“Poor thing,” Marie murmured. “We’ll get him back on track then.”

Kiyo yawned, giving Marie an approving nod. Milan doubted his dad had gotten much sleep if he was tending Nisin. It was only four in the afternoon. They still had time before they had to get ready to go to Rory’s house.

“Papa, you should rest too,” Milan said. “Use the guest room down the hall. I’ll take food up to Nisin. Marie and I have him.”

Kiyo rubbed his eyes.

“That sounds like great idea,” Kiyo agreed. “Marie, make sure Milan eats something. He’s—”

“I’ll eat, I promise,” Milan said, waving his father out of the kitchen when he yawned again.

Kiyo stopped by Milan’s chair to kiss the top of his head.

“I love you, Cucciolo.”

“Love you too, Papa.”

Kiyo rubbed Milan’s head and left the kitchen, letting out another loud yawn. Milan waited until he heard the guest room door down the hall close.

“Nisin wants rice porridge,” Milan told Marie, smiling hard. “I told him he will love your rice porridge.”

Marie chuckled.

“You’re lucky we always have rice stocked. What if we didn’t?”

“It’s you, Marie, you’re like wonder woman. My wonder woman.”

“Don’t make me blush. Rory will get jealous.”

“He understands,” Milan said with a short happy nod when Marie placed a plate of chicken sandwiches before him and a glass of milk. “Thank you.”

His stomach growled in anticipation and Marie laughed as he reached for a sandwich and gobbled it down like a man starved.

“You must have been hungry,” Marie teased.

“It was a long day at school,” Milan said, drinking his milk to help the sandwich go down easier.

Milan ate his snack, watching Marie move around the kitchen with practiced grace. She found the ingredients for rice porridge fast, getting the rice cooker working in minutes. Milan was rinsing his plate out at the sink about to help Marie set up a tray for Nisin when the kitchen door slammed open. Their kitchen door was hardly ever open unless Marie was cleaning.

Marie gave a startled shout, and Milan dropped the glass he was holding in the sink at the sight of the man walking into their kitchen.

“Principal Rick?” Milan gasped, as Marie hurried to his side.

Milan slammed his hand on the tap to turn the water off when Ayu followed Rick into the house. Fear gripping Milan when he saw the knife held against Ayu’s neck by a second man who looked around Rory’s age. Dark hair, same pale skin as Lloyd.

Marie stood in front of him, her arms opened wide in a protective stance.

“Who are you?” Marie demanded. “What do you want?”

“I want to see that boy you are protecting there, and the other one,” Rick said with a horrible sneer. “I can see why he likes coming in here. What a cozy kitchen.”

“Ayu,” Milan called to his brother, the knife on Ayu’s neck looked too close.

“Milan. Call for Papa,” Ayu said in Italian.

Rick turned and slapped Ayu across his face with force making Milan cover his mouth to stifle his scream.

“Uh-uh, English only.” Rick warned them. “If you behave you’re likely to live. If you don’t…well, I can’t be blamed.”

“What do you want with me?” Milan asked. “Let my brother go, I’ll come with you. He has done nothing to you.”

“We had to find our way in here. Just in case,” Rick murmured, moving deeper into the kitchen.

Milan, grateful for Marie shielding him, reached into his pocket and dialed Rory’s number. He left the call on, and slid the phone back into his pocket.

“Good boy, I’m glad you know to call him,” Rick said, looking at Milan.

Milan clung to Marie’s shoulders.

“What? Did you think I would stop you?” Rick sat at the kitchen table and folded his hands against his chest. “I just saw your father’s lab. I’m quite sure you know we’re werewolves now. Our hearing is quite excellent. You can’t make a call without me or my friend, Dolon, there listening in.”

Milan closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. His fingers clung to Marie’s arms. She was shaking, but she moved with him when he tried to go around her. He opened his eyes and met Ayu’s dark brown ones. They were full of fear, but Ayu tried to give him a brave smile.

Tears filled Milan’s eyes when he saw the knife on Ayu’s neck touching his skin.

“Please.” Milan begged. “I—I don’t understand why you need me. We’re not fighting you. You have us. Can’t you stop digging a knife into my brother like that?”

Rick turned to Ayu and Dolon who still stood by the door. The cold air coming into the warm kitchen.

“The kid’s right, Dolon. Let his big brother go, we’re not complete beasts.”

Milan bit his lip hard, waiting as Dolon tightened the arm he had around Ayu, then let go by pushing Ayu toward Marie. Ayu stumbled into Marie’s arms, making Milan hold on to Marie to steady them. Marie hugged Ayu tight, relief clear on her face.

“Aw, how nice,” Rick smiled, then his demeanor changed, then Milan saw him throw a knife at Ayu’s back.

Milan pushed Ayu and Marie out of the way with all the force he could master. He miscalculated and the knife sunk deep into his left shoulder with frightening force. Milan jerked back against the sink counter, a harsh cry escaping him, pain exploding on his left shoulder.

“Rory,” Milan said, his right hand coming up to touch the knife in his shoulder in shock. “Please hurry.”

***

Rory answered Milan’s call expecting more questions about dinner tonight. He moved out of the panic room leaving his dad, Kutler and June interrogating Lloyd.

“Milan?”

“…can’t make a call without me or my friend, Dolon, there listening in.”

Rory froze, recognizing Rick’s voice in an instant. His left hand curled into a fist and he turned back into the panic room, pressing his phone into his ear. His heart slammed against his chest when he heard Milan beg.

“Please. I—I don’t understand why you need me. We’re not fighting you. You have us. Can’t you stop digging a knife into my brother like that?”

Rory walked up to Connor and pressed the hands free feature on the phone so that Rick’s voice filled the room.

“The kid’s right, Dolon. Let his big brother go, we’re not complete beasts.”

Rory met Connor’s gaze, as he too recognized Rick. Then, Milan screamed in pain and Rory’s world turned blood red.

***