“Yeah.”
“He looks like you.”
“The fuck he does,” Gordo growled. “Mangy-ass motherfucker.”
I laughed.
Gordo looked surprised, and his lips quirked. “Bastard.”
I sobered, putting my glasses back on.
Little wolf, little wolf, can’t you see?
“I’ll make you a deal.”
He looked wary. “What?”
“I’ll go through with this. What I need to do. To get my memories back. But you have to promise me that when we find Gavin, when we bring him back, you’ll treat him like you treat me.”
Gordo scowled. “And how’s that?”
“Like I’m your brother.”
Gordo’s expression stuttered. He opened his mouth but closed it. “Fuck. Kid. Robbie, you are my brother.”
“I know. But so is he. And he deserves to know it. From you. From all of us.”
Gordo closed his eyes, breathing through his nose.
He didn’t even give me shit when I rose from my chair and rounded the desk, then leaned over and hugged him. He brought his hand up and gripped my arm. “Yeah,” he eventually said. “Okay. I… I’ll do what I can.”
“I know you will,” I mumbled into his hair.
“So, deal, then?”
“Deal.”
“Good.” He shoved me off him. “Because the full moon is tomorrow, and everyone’s coming back from Maine. I already told them you’d do it. Now get the hell out of my office. You have work to do, and I don’t pay you to fuck around.”
“You what!”
He ignored me, squinting at his computer, typing with one hand in that hunt-and-peck method I’d come to know.
“Gordo!”
“Get out.”
I went.
Gordo offered me a ride home, since he was headed to the pack house anyway, but I waved him off. I wanted to walk. Clear my head. Put my thoughts together.
He hesitated before nodding.
Out on the street, people waved at me.
I waved back, but I didn’t stop to talk to them. I didn’t have the words yet.
The people of Green Creek had been relieved at our return, though they’d been scared at first when they saw some of our pack missing. They’d calmed when Gordo and Ox explained (leaving out some of the more violent details) that Joe and the others would be away for a little while longer.