I wanted to be that for him too. I had the first part down—keeping his ego in check—but I struggled with the second. Cooking him dinner, being there whenever he called, for as long as he wanted to talk, that all came easy. But complimenting him or even saying, “Thanks, Karl” was different. I’d worked so hard to keep things casual, so afraid of getting hurt that, even now, it was hard to drop my guard and let him know how I felt. I’d have to work on that.

I slid over to make room for him and he handed me a gin and tonic, then he got into bed, propping himself up on the pillows.

“Thank you,” I said. “For the memories.”

His brows shot up. “That sounds disturbingly like a brush-off.”

“You know what I meant. Your memories. The ones you…” I struggled for a word. “Projected, I guess. I didn’t know I could pick that up.”

“Neither did I, but it seemed worth a try.”

He lapsed into silence, his gaze going distant.

“I won’t pry,” I said.

“Hmmm?”

“If you’re worried I’m going to ask about those early memories, I won’t. I know you were just trying to find something to distract me.”

“Ah.”

More silence. He swirled the Scotch in his glass, frowning at it.

“Yes, you need ice.”

A bark of a laugh. “No, that’s not what I’m thinking. Good try, though. And ice would be nice.”

“See? I wasn’t reading your mind. I was predicting future thoughts. Even better.”

A tiny smile. “As you are, apparently, still building your mind-reading skills, I’ll have to tell you what I’m thinking. It is about that vision. I should tell you about it. Or maybe not so much should as want.”

He went quiet again.

“You wanted to join the Pack,” I said. “When you were young.”

A slow nod. “Ironic that now, almost forty years later, I’m in it and uncomfortable with the idea.”

“The instinct probably felt stronger at that age.”

“At the time, it seemed obvious. That’s how werewolves should live—as part of a Pack, growing up with Pack brothers, building a home and defending your territory. I blamed my father for dragging me from place to place, living in rooming houses and hotels. I blamed him and I hated myself for it.”