“Settle yourself in and get some sleep,” Kendrick said. “I’ll go see if I can help Charlie with his generator.”
“Are you an electrician?” Perhaps that’s how he made a living and was able to buy pie every night.
“I know something about it.”
“What about the cubs?” Addie asked. “Are they going to be all right?”
Kendrick hesitated. “They’re off the road, safe for now, under my protection. They’ll be fine. Robbie knows how to look after the little ones.”
“Yes, but who looks after Robbie?” Addie thought about the look Kendrick had given him, the one that told Robbie he needed to make sure the smaller cubs were okay. Robbie sometimes looked crushed under the weight of responsibility.
“I look after him,” Kendrick answered. “Go to bed. Long day tomorrow.”
“Why? What’s tomorrow?”
Kendrick gave her an unreadable look. “I don’t know. We’ll find out tomorrow.”
“Kendrick.” Addie took a step forward.
Kendrick turned back to her, looking impatient to be gone. “Something you need?”
“A lot of things. Like who is after you, why you don’t live in a Shiftertown, why you don’t wear a Collar, and why you want to buy this house in the middle of nowhere. The documentaries say Shifters aren’t allowed to buy houses. Which is a stupid rule, but I don’t want you getting into trouble.”
Kendrick came back from the door to halt a foot or so away from her, right in her personal space. He could change from quiet, enigmatic man to dangerous predator in a heartbeat.
He leaned down and spoke quickly and softly, his eyes glittering in the shadows. “I want Charlie to think us a human family so he won’t catch on I’m Shifter. Humans would be together like this. I’ll buy this place, like a normal human, and he never has to know. I need you to help me with that, Addison.”
His warmth came to her, his eyes holding vehemence but also fear. Kendrick demanded, but Addie realized his demand was actually a plea. Kendrick wasn’t a man who had to ask for help very often.
“So did you escape from a Shiftertown?” Addie asked in a whisper.
“No. I was never in one.” Kendrick took a step closer her. “That’s the point. I’ve kept myself, my family, and an entire group of Shifters from being forced into Shiftertowns. For twenty years.”
Addie’s lips parted. From what little she’d gleaned, Shifters could not be without Collars and were not allowed to live anywhere but a Shiftertown. Those were the rules, enforced pretty hard. Shifters caught not following those rules were called “rogues” and could be arrested and killed.
Kendrick and his sons, walking around in the world un-Collared, were in a dangerous position.
“How can you?” she asked, her voice hushed. “Isn’t it safer for you in the Shiftertowns?”
Kendrick’s look of rage nearly made her step back, but Addie held her ground.
“Not safer,” Kendrick said, the words containing a snarl. “More convenient for humans. They’re terrified of us, but they never gave us a chance.” He’d begun to curve over her, a beast enraged, and now eased back down. “You didn’t give us up to the police. I’m trusting you to not give us up now.”
“Like I would.” Addie pinned him with an annoyed look. “I really don’t care whether you live in a Shiftertown or not. Just . . . promise me you won’t let your kids be hurt for what you believe in.”
His scowl deepened. “I am doing this to make sure my cubs are free and far from harm. Do you think they’d let me keep Robbie? He’s without clan, without pack. Humans would shove him in with a different wolf family who might not accept him. Pack affiliation is taken seriously.”