She shrugged and gestured somewhere over her shoulder. “They’re fixing that problem, so at least we’ll know why the wild animals decided to track you down. But it would help me a great deal if you could explain how we can help you.”
“Help me?” I didn’t believe her. “You want to help me? Why?”
Deirdre’s head tilted as she studied me, and something softened in her dark eyes. “Because you look like you need help. Where’s your coven?”
“No coven.” I didn’t want her sympathy. I really didn’t want her sympathy. If anyone was too nice to me, I knew I’d start crying and blabber the whole sad story. And it was better if no one else knew the truth. Safer. She wouldn’t want to help me if she knew the truth about what a mess I was, all the people I’d hurt. “I’m on my own.”
She made a thoughtful noise. “No coven? Did you have one before and something happened?”
“Look, I don’t know you.” I glanced over at the reception desk and Kara, who seemed oblivious, and lowered my voice. “I don’t know anyone here, and I’m really not comfortable talking about stuff that shouldn’t be talked about in the open.”
“Kara’s fine,” she said, waving in the other woman’s direction. “She’s a wolf who lives with bears. She deals with more drama than almost anyone else I know.”
Kara snorted a laugh and said, “Preach,” before going back to the book she was reading.
I massaged my temples and struggled to come up with a response. “I seriously don’t know how to deal with this.”
“Then come stay with me,” she said. Her intense dark eyes nearly pinned me to my chair. “I have a very large house. I share it with some wolves, but they’re good guys and don’t usually cause trouble.”
“I don’t think that’s—”
“They’ll also be able to keep other wolves and coyotes away,” she added quietly. “And to warn you if any get close. It’s a benefit to having them around. They take territory seriously and spend a great deal of time making sure people stay away from their part of the city.”
I took a deep breath. I knew I couldn’t stay at the shelter forever, but I hadn’t even considered moving in with a witch—especially someone I didn’t know and who terrified me just a little. “I don’t think I can impose.”
Her lips compressed to a thin line as she studied me. “There are a few other witches in the city, none of whom are particularly helpful or welcoming. I was in a position once where I needed help and no one was there. I know what it’s like to stand on your own. I know how tiring it gets. I’m offering this because I want to and because you look like you could use a safe place to land for a little while. You’re under no obligation to stay. Just come and hang out for a couple of days—recharge, get your plan together, and then take your next step.”
My chest ached. She was right—I was tired. And it wasn’t just being alone that made me tired—it was running from Rocko and all the other mistakes I’d made, waiting for the other shoe to drop and for those mistakes to catch up to me. I didn’t know what to say. At all.
Deirdre must have read something in my expression, because she knocked her knuckles on the table and slid her chair back. “Think about it. I have a few errands to run, but I’ll be back in an hour or two. You can tell Kara if you want me to swing by to pick you up.”
I was still searching for a response when she got up and headed for the door, not looking back. I stared after her for a long time, my coffee gone cold and the breakfast burrito unfinished on the plate. She offered me a lifeline, but was I brave—or crazy—enough to take it?
