Page 7 of Shadow of Fury

Dominic wasn’t just drinking. He was drunk. Being a shifter, it took a solid amount of alcohol to even get a good buzz going and he had a feeling Dominic was far deeper than just five or six drinks if that was the case. He may not have seen his friend in more than six years but he knew enough to know this was out of character and paired with his father’s lie to get him here, Logan needed to get to the bottom of what was really going on.

“Hey.” Logan reached for the glass when Dominic started to lift it again. “Talk to me.”

“Thought I was?”

“Dom. come on. I’m here. I’m back, but I need you to tell me why he forced you to call me home now.”

“You saw him, right? He’s dying.”

“That’s what he said but I don’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth. Are you sure he’s not just sick?”

“Does our kind even get sick?” Dominic shot him a look as if he was stupid and Logan realized just how long he had lived in the human world for him not to have even thought of that.

Dominic was right of course. Shifters very rarely got sick. The magic in their veins that made them stronger and faster than normal people also helped cure most illnesses before they ever knew they’d caught something.

Yet, Logan’s father had been visibly sick and said he was dying. Logan had assumed it was part of his ruse but maybe it wasn’t. Maybe the old bastard had actually told the truth for once.

“What is it?” he asked Dominic but his friend only shrugged.

“You think he confided in me?”

“Your dad?”

Dominic snorted, “They’ve been on the outs for a while too.”

Logan was shocked to hear that, “What? They used to be as close as we are.”

“Things change.”

“They had a falling out? What about?”

Dominic shrugged again, tapping his glass against the scarred bar top. “Maybe because your dad’s a grade-A prick and he’s killing the pack faster than he can die off himself.”

Logan rethought ordering a drink. This conversation was not going how he’d thought it would. Dominic was drunk and only giving Logan more questions than answers.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Man, did you look ‘round at all?” Dominic squinted at him. “Things ain’t like they were before you left. This place is practically a ghost town.”

“I thought it was just a slow night.”

“Nah, not in here. Shadow Pines. The pack. People are taking off, or more like disappearing never to be heard from again.” Dominic snorted, “Kinda like they are taking a page outta your book.”

Logan winced at the low blow. He’d have expected it from his father, even from some of his other old friends, but he hadn’t been prepared for it coming from Dominic. They’d stayed in touch and though Logan hadn’t been able to tell his oldest friend exactly why he’d run away he had mistakenly assumed Dominic understood.

“I wish I could explain…” he started but Dominic was pushing his glass away and starting to stand.

“I need some air and…” He swayed on his feet and Logan jumped up to catch him.

He grunted as Dominic’s weight smacked into him. Yeah, his friend was definitely bigger these days. Dominic was solid muscle, and he was trying to shove Logan’s hands away even as his friend held him upright.

“Lemme go. I’m gonna hurl.”

“Don’t you make a mess in my bar, McMurtry!” The grizzled man behind the counter snapped and pointed towards the door. “Get him out of here. He can settle his tab tomorrow.”

“Come on.” Logan nodded, heaving Dominic back onto his own feet. “Let’s get some air.”

Dominic grumbled about not needing help but let Logan guide him out of the bar and onto the sidewalk. There was a little park just down the street and Logan managed to get them to one of the benches. He dropped Dominic down onto it and then sat beside his friend as he groaned and tucked his head between his legs.