Relieved at having something useful to do, I nodded.
"Your side..." I trailed off, concern evident in my eyes.
"I'll get it taken care of. Zane called in a local shifter healer he trusts," Doyle assured me.
Then, tugging me close, he gave me a kiss of reassurance.
I nodded and gently took the young shifter by the arm, leading him into the kitchen.
The house, usually bustling with activity, felt quieter than usual. Then again, Otis and the kids were out of the house for the day.
"Hey, you're safe now," I said softly as we sat at the kitchen table. "Can I get you something? Water? Tea?"
The young man nodded, his eyes still wide with fear. "Water, please."
I fetched a glass of water and handed it to him, noticing the tremor in his hands.
"It's going to be okay. My name's Michael. What's yours?" I asked.
“Glenn,” the young man replied in a shaky voice.
"Nice to meet you, Glenn You're safe here, I promise," I said, trying to project calm and reassurance.
As we sat together, I kept an ear out for any sounds from the living room, where I knew Doyle was being tended to.
I hoped the healer would arrive soon and that Doyle's injury, though painful, wouldn't be too serious.
In the meantime, I focused on Glenn.
Glenn and I started talking, and I decided to take a risk and share more about myself.
Glenn might possess some useful information I didn't have.
"I was taken five years ago," I began, my voice steady despite the memories. "I was a captive of Liliana's coven until recently."
Glenn's eyes widened. "Five years? That's... that's a long time. I'm sorry you had to go through that,” Glenn said.
I nodded, appreciating his sympathy. "How about you? How did you end up here?" I asked.
Glenn sighed, staring at his hands.
"I was walking back from my shift at the gas station. It was late, and I was tired. Next thing I knew, someone grabbed me, and everything went dark. When I woke up, I was in a cell. I overheard my captors talking—they took me because they wanted to use me as bait,” Glenn said.
A chill went down my spine. "Bait? For what?" I asked.
"They didn't say who specifically, but it was clear they were targeting someone,” Glenn explained, his voice trembling slightly.
Doyle and Ivan?
Liliana’s coven clearly saw Doyle and his pack a threat and if they managed to eliminate one or two of the dragon shifters, the scales would tip to their favour.
The thought made me uneasy. Before I could respond, Doyle appeared in the doorway with Ivan.
Doyle was wearing a fresh shirt, but I could still sense the tension in his movements.
"Everything okay here?" Doyle asked, his gaze shifting between Glenn and me.
"Hey, Glenn. Why don't we call your family so they can pick you up?" Ivan suggested.