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He went out the back door to his car and hopped in. The drive over to Tanner’s place would help him clear his head and convince him the young man was okay and safe in his apartment. He felt a shadow of distress and wasn't sure of the cause. Having spoken with Tanner, it was clear he was fine and safe, but still, he had a driving need to get a feel for the area. The atmosphere would tell him if there was trouble, and he would take action from there.
His anxiety also stemmed from the fact that he just wanted to be close to his mate, even if it was with him parked on the street and Tanner up in his apartment. Zeke was feeling ridiculous, but he couldn't stop himself. When he pulled up in front of the apartment building, the first thing that he noticed was the wood sheeting covering Tanner's window. It was the large living room window.
It hadn't been broken when he looked at the apartment that afternoon. Sometime between then and now, the window had been smashed. That left him with a lot of questions, none of which he could get answers to tonight. Suddenly, ten in the morning seemed very far away. Zeke sat there and observed the neighborhood, taking in the scents and the vibes from the residents and the street itself.
The neighborhood was considered somewhat safe, with several apartment buildings and a variety of small businesses. It was nearing midnight when he saw three men walk past the front of Tanner's building. They stopped, looked around, and started discussing something. They were too far away to hear what was being discussed, but Zeke could easily sense the fact that they were wolves, all three of them.
The tall one in the suit and tie looked like the leader or the dominant of the group. The other two listened while the tall one spoke, and then the two hurried away, heading north, and the tall one turned around and headed back the way they came. It might be nothing, but Zeke was getting a negative vibe from the three of them.
They were clearly up to no good, but it was probably none of Zeke’s business. As long as it had nothing to do with Tanner, the wolves could carry on their business, whatever it might be.
There was an assortment of shifters in the area, going by the mix of scents he was picking up on. Bears, wolves, cougars, and even foxes which was surprising since the foxes were rather rare in Cincinnati. He stayed there until well after two in the morning before heading home, satisfied that his mate was safe for the remainder of the night.
Tanner was up and dressed and was tidying the apartment when he received a call that there were delivery men downstairs. He checked his watch, and it was nine-thirty. Zeke wasn't due for another half hour. "Who hired you?"
"Zeke Montgomery, we have furniture to deliver to your apartment. Can we come up?"
"Yes, of course, come on up." Tanner moved his desk and the chair blocking the door and unlocked it. As soon as he heard them coming down the hall, he opened the door and held it for them. He was impressed and surprised by the amount and quality of the furnishings being delivered. These weren't used items everything was new in boxes or wrapped tightly in plastic. There was furniture and appliances and even small utensils the apartment was getting it all.
“Where do you want the couch?” The man asked.
"Over there by the window," Tanner stated, and then the guys carrying everything in kept asking for direction, and after about fifteen minutes, they were done, and the apartment looked amazing. They'd set up all the appliances and organized the living room kitchen and Zeke's bedroom. Tanner was beside himself with the orderliness with which this was completed.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty, knowing it was far less than deserved, but all he had on him, and the man shook his head. "We've already been compensated." He smiled, and they all left. Tanner just stood there, taking in the new look of the apartment.
Salem had some good pieces, but they were his tastes and somewhat stark in appearance. Zeke's tastes were warm and welcoming and exactly what Tanner would have picked if he'd had the money to do so. It was now a quarter to ten, which gave him enough time to freshen up before Zeke arrived. He was just heading for his bedroom when another ring came at his door.
“Yes, hello.”
“We have a grocery order for Zeke and Tanner.” The guy stated, and Tanner buzzed him inside. He waited at the door and was about to take the bags from the guy, but he shook his head.
"I've been hired to deliver and put away, so show me to your kitchen and pantry."
"No pantry, but I have kitchen cupboards."
“That’ll do.”
Tanner watched them put things away and set up the kitchen, and he hoped that Zeke was the kind of guy who liked to share. The steaks and other prime cuts that were placed in the freezer were things he hadn't enjoyed in a long time. When the guy was finished, he and his team left with a heartfelt thank you from Tanner.
That was a whirlwind of activity and improvement that Tanner was exceedingly grateful for. It was obvious by the food choices that Zeke was a cook, for there were no frozen meals or canned soups. Again, he prayed that Zeke was going to be a generous roommate, for if he had to sit in his room and smell fabulous food being prepared, he might just die.
At ten sharp, Zeke knocked on his door, and Tanner was so glad to see him. It was like they were friends and had known each other forever. It was weird but so damned nice. The call last night had been just what he needed. Hearing Zeke's voice on the phone had settled Tanner in a way that was unexpected. His words and his manner made him relax when, seconds before, he had been on the edge of a panic attack.
"Coffee and donuts as promised." Zeke walked in and handed him a large cup of coffee, and set the box of donuts on the counter. He then stepped back out into the hall and grabbed a suitcase and a duffle bag. "My personal things." He said in explanation. He carried them to his room and then returned immediately.
They sat down at the dining table Zeke had provided and started in on the donuts. "These are great." Tanner was hungry, having not eaten since before Blake dropped by last night. That memory caused him to stiffen a little, but he shook it off with just a friendly smile from Zeke.
“How do you like the furniture?” Zeke asked between bites. “I like a comfy home, don’t you?”
“I certainly do, and I like these donuts too.” He said as he grabbed another.
“So, what happened to the living room window?” Tanner hadn’t made reference to the plywood-covered window, not sure how to explain it without making the area sound unsafe. He didn't want Zeke to change his mind about renting the room.
"I'm not sure it could have been deliberate, or maybe a truck threw up a rock. It happened around five last evening. My landlord put up the plywood but said he would replace the window when he got time, so that means we will be living with the plywood for a while." He noticed Zeke's expression became very serious as he checked out the window and then looked around. He was seeing something Tanner was not, and it was piquing his curiosity.
“What is it?” He couldn’t hold back.
"Where were you when the window broke?" Zeke asked, and Tanner wasn't sure what he was getting at.
