Chapter 4: The Penthouse

Micah only used the sauna in his penthouse when he really needed to focus. The steam had a way of clearing his mind, wiping away the distracting thoughts and allowing him to hone in on his thoughts. Breathing in the hot air, he closed his eyes and replayed the night before.

The longer time passed after he shifted, the harder it became to remember the little details–and this was a memory he wanted to harden in his brain with cement. Although his human senses lacked the intensity of his wolf form, he clearly remembered one specific aspect of the night.

He couldn’t connect with the wolf. All Shifters, when in their wolf form, had the ability to communicate through emotion, through thought–not just with each other, but with other animals too. There was only one explanation for this disconnect.

“Micah? Micah, I know you’re home, where are you?”

Micah sighed, swapped his towel for gym shorts, and pushed open the door of the sauna. A puff of hot air blew out onto the terrace and into Libby’s face.

“Oh no, not the sauna,” she said, closing her eyes and putting a hand up.

“I’m wearing clothes, you can open your eyes.”

His sister sighed. “Oh thank God. That’s one thing I definitely don’t need to see again. Honestly–who has sex in a sauna?”

“That happened one time.”

“One time too much,” she said.

Micah opened the sliding glass doors into the oversized living room. “What are you doin’ here, Lib? I’m taking a personal day. Which means I want to be alone.”

His sister followed and crossed her arms.

“Micah, I love you, but you don’t know how to be alone.”

He grabbed a handful of peanuts from a jar in the kitchen and tossed them into his mouth. “I take offense to that.”

She sat on the barstool across from him and swiveled in the chair. “Whose heart did you break? I mean, I know yours is unbreakable, but you’re always a little off after you end it with someone.”

“No one,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes in the way she did when she suspected he was hiding something. “Is it Mel? Oh God, please tell me you’re not seeing her again?” she groaned. “I’m right, aren’t I? You took a personal day for Mel? Is she here?”

“Jesus, Lib, no. I just wanted a day.”

“Micah Kyle doesn’t take days.”

Micah chucked a peanut at her. “Micah Kyle can do whatever the hell he wants.”

“Does this have anything to do with a little incident at Mills Tavern last night?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“I would probably not recommend checking social media today,” she said. “There may or may not be a little video swirling around on the internet of some girl who looks awfully like Rachel Mae throwing a drink in your face.”

Micah sighed. “Why does everyone want to film everything.”

“Rachel Mae, Micah, really? I’ve met her. She’s kind of a monster. She doesn’t talk to anyone whose salary is below seven figures.”

“It’s not her,” he said. “It’s her twin.”

Libby’s eyebrows lifted. “I was not expecting that. No idea she had a twin sister. Well listen, I’m all for you taking personal time. You should have a little fun. Lord knows Luca does it on a daily basis, why not you?”

“Luca’s twenty and in college,” Micah said. “It’s a bit different.”

“You graduated valedictorian from Stanford. I have a Masters in Art History. And the only thing more impressive than Luca’s 2.0 GPA, are his three DUI’s. And yet, one thousand percent, our little brother will be promoted to CEO before I do. Because dad’s a misogynist and our company is corrupt.”

“Lib, you can take my position if you want it that bad.”

“Please, I’d rather continue my quiet life at my art gallery, but when I have to cover your ass with the company, I will, because you’re my best friend and I love you. And mom is incredibly annoyed, so it’s kind of nice to watch the golden child fall off the throne for once.”

Micah grabbed one of the green juices his chef Charlene made and took a swig. “When is mom not annoyed?”

“Well, you missed a meeting with the demolition team for your first project as CEO.”

“Sh*t,” Micah muttered. He grabbed his IPhone off the counter and glanced at the 24 missed calls. “That was today?”

Libby’s blue eyes darted nervously from side to side. “And the investors may be having some second thoughts. They don’t think it’s a good look, your first job as CEO and all. They expect the Kyle company to have some stability, not a bad boy reputation.”

Micah rolled his eyes. “Bad boy reputation? Give me a break.”

“Not my words,” Libby said. “I would call it fear of commitment, but hey different strokes for different folks. It’s just nice to not be the f*ck up in this family, for once.”

“I’ll talk to mom,” he said.

Her eyes drifted to the bandage on his shoulder. “What happened?”

“You can’t say anything,” he said. “Not until I talk to the pack.”

“Oh, Micah, please tell me you didn’t go looking for the Shifter. They’re already breaking the law by shifting in a public place, you don’t need to go down with them.”

“I didn’t. Well, not on purpose.”

“Micah!”

“Mom's suspicions were right. It’s a Shifter from our pack.”

Her expression changed to concern. “How do you know?”

“The speck.” Of the five packs in New York City, one to each borough, each had a signature–a different color and mark in their eyes. Micah and Libby’s Manhattan pack all had a green, flame shaped mark in their irises.

“Sh*t,” she whispered. “Did you tell mom yet? I know she annoys you, but she’s still our Alpha.”

“I’m going to.” Micah hesitated. “Whoever it is…they’re definitely Rogue.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m telling you, I was face to face with them. Nothing. I couldn’t feel anything.”

Starting in childhood, Shifters went through rigorous training to become aware of their consciousness when changing forms. It not only created an awareness that gave Shifters control of their other form, but it opened a connection between Shifters, one that allowed them to communicate with each other in their wolf form through thought and emotion.

“But we can always feel when that’s happening,” she said. “The pack always knows when somethings off.”

“We missed it,” Micah said.

She stood up and tapped her hands on the counter. “Okay. Text me when you talk to the pack. And in the meantime, I’m going to go do damage control.”

“You’re going to meet with the demolition team?”

“Don’t act like I can’t,” she said. “I still own an eighth of the company.”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” he said. “I’m just surprised. You hate meetings.”

“No, Micah, I hate being in a room with a bunch of men who think they’re smarter than me. There’s a difference. Dad made you CEO for that very reason. Oh, and you know you can’t lie to me. If there’s a girl you’re having issues with, I’m going to find out.”

His eye roll and smirk faded as Libby let herself out. He needed to get back his spare key from her. Opening the door to the master suite, he stared at his California King bed.

Rory was fast asleep beneath his covers, her breathing deep and normal–better than normal, healthy. He crossed the room quietly and peeled back the bandage he’d put on her wound. It had still been bleeding when he’d brought her back here, and he’d decided that if she’d made it through the night, he would take her to the hospital to get stitches.

He blinked, staring at her arm, not comprehending it. Not only had the bite wound not killed her, there was no sign of infection, no sign of a wound. The skin was tender and pink, starting to scar. Overnight, it had closed on its own.

He glanced up, and found Rory wide awake, staring at him with a look of utter fear.