“I would have rather it be fresh from the oven, but….” Isaiah shrugged.
“Why does it matter?” Food was food.
“Because this is a gift, and gifts should be as perfect as possible.” Isaiah filled Luca’s plate.
“Whoa, that’s way more gift than I’ll be able to eat.”
“I’m sure Nash will eat the rest.”
What remained on Luca’s plate and what was in the containers. Damn, the man could pack food away like no one Luca had ever seen.
“Are your betas like that? I mean, do they have big appetites?”
Isaiah laughed a little and slid Luca’s plate over to him. “We all eat a lot. More when we had our wolves, but still more than most.”
“Your metabolism.”
“Yes. Which is a good thing because I’m pretty sure the Fenrir like the experience.” Isaiah sat.
“I never thought about the Anubis liking food.” Luca took a bite.
Isaiah picked at the mashed potatoes. “I doubt it eats for enjoyment.”
“Why not?” Luca shrugged.
“Because it’s not alive. It’s never been alive.” Isaiah rubbed his forehead. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it like that. It’s just that….”
“Do you want something to drink?”
Isaiah stood.
“Sit.”
“But—”
“Please.”
Isaiah did, and Luca went to the fridge and brought back two bottles of water. “It’s just what?” He set one in front of Isaiah.
“I…” Isaiah rubbed his face. “I wasn’t completely honest about the Mah.”
It didn’t surprise Luca. But Isaiah admitting it did.
Luca sat. “I’m listening.”
Hurt, shame, and regret played across Isaiah’s expression. “When I said they expelled Varu for crimes and labeled them Mah, was true. At least at first.”
Luca opened his bottle of water.
“But later… later….” He blinked several times, and Luca was sure he saw unshed tears. “Later, there were those of us punished so the rest of us wouldn’t be.”
Luca replaced Isaiah’s closed water bottle with his open one. “Drink.”
“I…”
“Drink the water, take a breath.”
It wasn’t like Luca was in a hurry to hear what the man wanted to say. It would hurt. Not just Isaiah, but Luca. Because it seemed everything bad in Isaiah’s life circled back to the Anubis.