Page 26 of Adding Fuel To The Flames

CHAPTER 11

Day watched as Dain licked his lips and then looked at Rhys, uncharacteristically nervous." When you came back from this realm, you had changed. I don't mean the way you dressed or did your hair and stuff. I'm talking internally. You were self-assured and internally strong. I thought it was because of all the lessons I had you doing when you were home, but then you started talking to Desdain. I heard you laughing about things Candy did with you. The fun you had together. I could hear the love you had for this woman. I got jealous. You had stopped loving me so long ago, but you loved this Candy. I'm so damn sorry, Rhys. She saved your life and all I could think about was how she got to hear you laugh and see you smile. She got to feel your love and --"

Rhys hugged his father close, whispering, "Father, I never stopped loving you. I just never knew how to reach you. All I ever wanted was your love and for you to be proud of me."

Dain hugged Rhys tight and close, rasping, "I have always loved you and I have damn sure always been proud of you."

Day cleared his throat, softly saying, "I'm going to go out and make sure Salem isn't skulking around out there."

"Day, wait!" Justice called out.

Day damn near roared in frustration. All he wanted was a little alone time. Seeing Rhys and Dain was bitter sweet. He was happy for his mate making amends with his father, but seeing them together and hearing Dain say he loved his son and was proud of him were words he had always dreamed of for himself. Scoffing to himself, Day new that day would never come for him.

Justice approached him, saying, "Illan, don't you think it's time you ended this feud with your son?"

"Right now, I need a few minutes alone," Day hissed.

Shaking his head, Justice replied, "The time for running needs to end now, Day, and I'm talking about you both. Just talk to him. Ethan and I had our fair share of issues, but talking it out, listening to both sides, really helped us." Turning to Illan, Justice replied, "I see the pain in your eyes when Day goes on the attack, just like I hear the pain in his voice when he's attacking. "

Avery stood and went to Day, saying, "I know what it's like to feel as if you don't measure up in your parents’ eyes, Day. That no matter what you do, it just isn't enough."

Day snorted, "Or how everyone around you matters more than the child you helped create."

Avery nodded. "And how you put their wants ahead of your own."

Day nodded. "At first you think, it's no big deal. You can do something about it later, but then it happens again and again, until you lose yourself and become so bitter and angry you can barely breathe. Yet that person still doesn't recognize or appreciate what you sacrificed to make them happy and maybe throw you a crumb."

"Talk to him, Day. Don't yell, just talk," Avery said quietly.

Day swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. It took him a few moments but finally he looked at his mates and could get the words out. "I wanted to be an architect. I applied to some of the best schools and got accepted into Harvard."

"Holy hell!" Ethan gasped.

Day snorted, "Yeah, I was really excited. I went to my dad waving that paper around and he said,That's nice. You start at the fire academy next Monday.We argued, and my father said he would not sanction me to join another pack or clutch in Massachusetts. He said that our clutch needed me. Our clutch had taken a huge hit in the war and if I left others would want to follow and I would be bringing danger to everyone. All my life I wanted to build things and I was fucking good at the smaller projects I had done, but now I'm told that for the good of the clutch I have to stay. So, I did."

"Your pack did need you, Daytona, and you know that," Illan argued.

Day looked at his father. "I gave up my dreams because you wanted me in the fire department."

"But I thought you loved being a fireman?" Justice asked in confusion.

Turning to Justice, Day replied, "I do, but the choice should have been mine, not his! The great Illan, maker of all choices for people's lives. Like when he went to my boyfriend and paid him off so he would go away because he insisted I marry some woman of his choice and have babies to preserve the dragon race!"

Justice turned to Illan in shock. "You did what?"

Illan ground his teeth and turned away, not saying anything. Which pissed Day off even more. "I wasn't allowed to join football in school, because I could hurt someone. I wasn't allowed to go on the high school trips because it wasn't safe to be away from the clutch. Every time I wanted something, you refused me and always used the fact that I'm a dragon. The problem is, Dad, I started hating my dragon."

"Son!" Illan gasped.

"When I moved to Crystal I didn't even shift for a year! I didn't want to be a dragon. I wanted nothing to do with him or you! Every time you called I ignored it. Every time my dragon begged to be set free, I ignored it. It took me a long time to forgive both of you, and I did for the most part. The thing is, there are times...there are times..." Day couldn't finish because of the tears clogging his throat that he didn't even know were falling.

Illan stepped forward, rasping, "There are times that the anger and hate come forward and you don't know what to do with it. It's easier to lash out. I know, Day. I screwed up. I allowed my fear to get in my way. To get in your way, but I've been trying since I arrived in Crystal."

"Fear? What fear could you possibly have?" Day asked in disbelief.

Illan looked away, whispering, "I couldn't lose you, too. I lost your mother because I wasn't there to help her. She died because I was not there to protect her. I refused to allow that to happen to you too, Daytona. You were all I had left. Football was out, because it would bring too much attention to your strength and the humans would notice. How was I supposed to let you go off to California or Washington or Paris? If one of our enemies got to you...then you wanted to go off to Massachusetts! I did everything I could to keep you close to me in case you needed me and I lost you anyway."

Turning back to Day, Illan rasped, "But I never, and I do mean never, paid that asshole off to break up with you. I caught him cheating on you in town. I told him he had to the end of the night to tell you what happened or I would. When you came to me saying that you guys were done and maybe you weren't meant to be with men, I figured I could help with this."