"I didn't know what to do," my dad admitted, his voice trembling slightly.
Before I could respond, Doyle shifted back into his human form and leaped gracefully off the roof, landing effortlessly in our front yard.
He strode towards us, his expression a mix of concern and fury.
My dad stepped aside as Doyle reached me, his eyes searching mine for any sign of injury.
"Michael, are you alright?" he asked, his voice a low growl.
I nodded, still trying to process everything.
“Did they hurt you?” Doyle asked.
"I'm okay, just shaken up," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Morgan…he’s a member of Liliana’s coven. He showed up and took me for a drive. He said Liliana hasn't forgotten about me."
Doyle's eyes darkened, and his fists clenched at his sides.
"She won't get her hands on you again," he said fiercely. "I'll make sure of it."
"Doyle, I—,” I couldn’t get the next words out.
My eyes started filling with tears.
"Michael, you don’t have to say anything,” Doyle said, his voice softening.
He reached out and took my hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring.
“I’d been trying to distance myself from you, like you said, but it’s been so hard,” I whispered.
“It hasn’t been easy for me either,” Doyle admitted and somehow, that cheered me up a little.
My dad, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat.
"Doyle, if you have a plan, I'm all ears,” my dad said.
Doyle nodded. "We can’t let our guard down. I'll stay here tonight to keep an eye on things. Tomorrow, we can figure out our next steps,” Doyle said.
My dad nodded, looking relieved.
"Thank you, Doyle. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I’m glad Michael has you,” my dad said.
I squeezed Doyle's hand, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection for him.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice breaking.
Doyle pulled me into a tight embrace, his presence grounding me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
DOYLE
I thanked Matthew,Michael's dad for loaning me some clothes.
"Thanks for the change of clothes. They fit perfectly,” I said.
He gave me a nod. "You sense any of Morgan's or the black witches' presence around here?”Matthew asked.
I shook my head. "No, I don't sense their aura. They must've scattered by now,” I said.