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She’s fine, I reminded myself for the umpteenth time, but the gnawing anxiety didn’t go away. I knew it wouldn’t disappear until she was in my arms again, the constant worry a part of the mating bond that I could do without. I brushed against the mental link I kept open to her and felt her contentment. If there was one thing I was grateful for it was that she didn’t have the same nagging fear which haunted me. The never-ending fear of losing the one that held the other half of your soul.

I slowed as I came to the circular building in the middle of the clearing. It was our meeting house and where almost every important Pack decision had been made for the last three hundred years. I sniffed and then padded around to the back, shifting as I went.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said as he offered me a change of clothes. I bent over to slip on the pants as he asked, “Everything alright?”

I straightened, buttoning the slacks he’d brought. “Jess is fine,” I replied, almost automatically since that was the single thought that been repeating on a loop for the past hour in my head. He smiled knowingly.

“That’s good, but is there a reason you needed me to bring you clothes right before an important council meeting?”

“Oh,” I murmured, shaking my head slightly to clear it. “Dylan took off and I went after him. Took longer than I thought and I didn’t want to show up underdressed.”

Dad’s eyebrows quirked but he let what I said slide. “Thanks, by the way,” I added, gesturing to the shirt I was buttoning up.

“No problem, I was having dinner with your sister so it was easy enough to grab them,” he told me and it was my turn to glance at him in surprise. He shrugged. “Payne invited me on her behalf.” I nodded, that made more sense. Sam was living in my house with her son, Nicky, since it was safer than the motel. The Hanleys would think twice before coming in to our territory to try and snatch them.

I rubbed my hand over my chest as I reminded myself once again that Jess was safe. Trent was at the motel with her and Liam, and even Dylan, though I tried to push that thought away, not ready to deal with the implications of what Dylan’s shift meant in terms of me. As soon as the meeting was over, I’d return to the motel and keep her safe myself.

“Dinner was good?” I asked, catching back up to the conversation.

“Yeah, she talked to me,” Dad answered, “Well, fussed at me is more like it, but she’s her mother made over so I wouldn’t expect anything less.” I smiled at that. Sam would hate to think she reminded us of Mom, but it was the truth. She’d taken over the mothering role after Mom died and she’d done it well. At least until she’d left to be with a Hanley. The thought wiped the smile from my face. I still struggled with her reasons for leaving and part of me blamed myself. I hadn’t seen the toll it had taken on her to be mother, sister, and daughter to our family, or the fact that she’d hated the expectations the Pack placed on her. The expectations the Alpha had placed on her, I corrected myself. Caleb’s father hadn’t supported her relationship with his oldest son, Payne, since Payne couldn’t shift. When Payne had broken up with her, she’d decided to leave, making the decision to be with a Hanley and forsake our Pack.

“Wipe that look off your face, son.” Dad exhaled heavily. “The past needs to be laid to rest if we want to move forward.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth, shaking his head as he glanced away. “I made mistakes and I know it, but I won’t let that ruin the time I have now with you. I told your sister the same thing. I apologized to her and I’ll apologize to you.”

I stared at him in surprise. “Apologize to me for what?”

“For the expectations I placed on you,” he stated, grasping my shoulder. “For giving you the impression that you needed to follow in my footsteps instead of forging your own path. I’m proud of you, Dom. It doesn’t matter what you choose to do, I want you to know that I support you that you will always be my son and I couldn’t be prouder of that fact.”

My jaw worked as I swallowed hard. “I never minded your expectations,” I told him. “Or the thought of following in your footsteps.”

“I’m glad to hear that, son, but I want you to know that no matter what happens, what you choose to do, I will have your back.” His words held the impression of an unspoken promise, an acknowledgement of something I hadn’t fully formulated myself yet.