I took a deep breath, shuffling my feet. I didn't know how to say what I wanted to say.
Eventually, I just blurted it out. “Are you working with a convict named Preston at Camp Bower?”
Walker stopped minding the pan, going still for a minute before looking at me with utter confusion.
His eyebrows sank low as he stared at me. “How do you know that name?”
I took a deep breath. Lifting my hand, I grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled it down so the bite mark was easily noticeable. “Because he and I accidentally bonded a few months back.”
“Fuuuck,” Walker hissed. “How?”
“Well, I went out drinking with a friend a few months ago. One thing led to another, and we accidentally bonded in an alleyway. He managed to tell me he was actually a convict firefighter before he absconded and left me on my own.”
Walker's face went pale, his head shaking. “Are you… Merrick?”
I took a deep breath, ignoring the knot of anxiety in my stomach. “A lot happened, and I'm not sure I can condense it, but…well, Merrick is now part of Preston's pack. The other two members of the pack are in town looking after me because I'm pregnant and suffering from separation sickness. Merrick bonded with me because I didn’t think I could trust Preston or his pack to do it to ease my symptoms, and I am happy about him, but that’s not important right now. Tell me. Do you know Preston?”
Walker stammered for a moment, before collecting himself and shaking his head. “I do. Let's go sit in the living room and talk. Do you want a soda?”
“Cherry Coke if you have it, please.”
Walker nodded and grabbed a can from the fridge before handing it to me. We didn't say anything as he walked into the living room, having to step over a few of his son’s blocks littering the pathway.
“So, how do you know Preston?” I asked once we sat down.
Walker ran a hand over his face. “Thiscannotleave your pack, you understand?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“I met Preston several years ago. He was a military firefighter, our paths crossed during a large wildfire outbreak where he was one of the smoke jumpers.”
“So he was a firefighter before a convict firefighter?” I asked.
“Yes. Last year, I was in charge of Camp Bower, or at least I was overseeing it, until a new warden came in, because we had an influx of convict firefighters help tackle the wildfires we've been having. Only recently…we've noticed a lot of drug-related issues in the camps.”
“Drugs?” My stomach clenched.
Walker grimaced, jerking his head in agreement. “We weren't sure how it was happening. The place has really strict security, and all of the guards are well-vetted. We conducted a few investigations and came up with nothing, so we decided to contact an old friend of mine to see if he could help. Preston has firefighting experience. If we made a fake criminal record for him, he would be the ideal candidate for the convict firefighter program.”
I was on the edge of my seat. “So he never actuallydid anything wrong?”
“Not at all. Preston is one of the best men I've ever known. Fuck, Hailey. Why didn’t you come to me sooner?”
“I was worried that being bonded to a convict would put my job in danger, and Preston didn't exactly have time to tell me what was going on, did he?”
“Jesus, yeah, that’s fair. How are you doing now?”
“Better. The bond with Merrick really has helped.”
“So the flu that just wouldn’t go away…”
“Was separation sickness made worse by the fact that I’m pregnant.”
Walker shook his head. “I am so sorry this happened to you.”
“There's been verylittlecommunication with Preston, so can you tell me what’s going on? When is he coming back?”
“Well, given the situation, he should be coming back immediately. I’m going to have someone get in contact with him and try and extract him from there in the next few days.”