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“And that is?”

“What do you know of the mating bond?”

“It doesn’t exist. It’s a myth.” He shook his head. “I’ve seen you with women, and there’s never been anything remotely mystical about it.”

“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

“Did it exist with my mother?”

Ethan turned away.

“I heard the stories,” Caleb called after him. “You abducted her, raped her, and then let her die. Where was the mating bond in that?”

Ethan paused then turned back slowly. “You shouldn’t believe all the stories you hear, and I wanted a son.”

“And you got me. Was I worth it?”

Ethan looked him over. “I thought so at the time.” He shrugged. “I still think so, or would if you’d stop being so stubborn and join me.”

Caleb climbed into the truck and slammed the door shut. He drove off without another word, but when he looked in the mirror, Ethan was still watching him.

He thought over what he had learned. He’d never wanted to be involved, had turned his back on the pack as soon as he’d been able, but he didn’t like the sound of this. The world was not perfect, but he knew there were far worse things out there, and it sounded very much as if Ethan was involved with one of those things.

As he turned a corner, the house and his father disappeared from sight, and a tall figure stepped out of the trees at the edge of the drive. It was Tom, his father’s second, and Caleb swore softly. He pulled the truck to a halt and wound down the window. “What?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“I can’t talk now.”

“Caleb, please.”

Caleb sighed. Of all his father’s people, Tom was the only one who’d stood up for Caleb when he was a child. Caleb owed him, but he couldn’t do this so soon after seeing his father; he needed some space. He took a business card from his pocket, then paused. He didn’t want Tom at the office, he didn’t want his two worlds colliding any more than necessary. He picked up a pen from the dashboard, scribbled an address on the back of the card, and handed it to Tom. “Come here tomorrow afternoon around five,” he said. “I’ll speak to you there.”

Tom nodded and stepped back, disappearing into the forest.

Caleb made to drive off when a whine from the back seat reminded him he had company, and he frowned.

He took out his cell phone and punched in Catrin’s number.

She answered immediately. “Caleb.”

“How the hell—” He broke off—perhaps he didn’t want to know. “Is Regan there?”

Catrin was silent for a minute. “Not right at this moment,” she said.

“I have her hounds.”

“You do? That’s wonderful. Can you bring them here?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Good. But Caleb—”

“Yes?”

“Can you wait till after dark?”

He frowned.What the hell?“No problem. I’m a couple of hours away anyway.”