Page 32 of Crossed Fates

A morbid part of me had forced myself to stand there and watch the process of removing him from the house, like I needed to witness every minute in order to believe this was really happening. Several other packmates had joined me in silence, their distress a palpable wave to my senses, one my wolf had ached to console.

But I didn’t know how.

Did I touch them? Talk to them? Offer words of wisdom?

All I wanted was to go for a run, to hide in the woods, and never return.

However, alphas didn’t cower. So I’d opened my arms and hugged them. Or maybe they’d hugged me. I couldn’t really say, only that it had felt right to accept the strength of the pack and offer my own in return.

It only lasted a few minutes. Yet I could smell their wolves on me now as I stood inside my father’s upgraded den. He and my mother resided in the house next to Tyler’s, a home they’d built during my youth because they’d known our family home would one day belong to the new pack alpha.

The windows lining the back of his proverbial cave overlooked the same woods as his den-like office back at the other house. However, the deck outside was bigger.

He sat by the fireplace, the chair beside him empty and waiting for me.

I considered his opening statement regarding Makayla and our mating not being a coincidence. It wasn’t exactly a greeting, but I preferred it over his usual disappointment.

“It wasn’t just the same week, but the same day,” I clarified as I took the seat beside him, a small coffee table the only item between us. He’d already poured two glasses of scotch from his minibar across the room. My glass lacked ice, just the way I preferred it.

“I found her right before you called me earlier,” I continued as I picked up the tumbler. “She stabbed me when you told me about Tyler.”

My shoulder still ached. Although, I’d forgotten about the pain while sparring with Makayla. And it hadn’t just been the physical agony, either. But everything. For a blissful moment, she’d given me peace.

Which unnerved me more than I wanted to admit.

My father’s lips curled into genuine amusement. “Is that why you favored one arm during your little wrestling match outside?”

“I should have known you were watching,” I muttered before taking a long gulp of the fiery liquid. It was just what I needed to take the edge off.

“I suppose you’ll tell me the injury is why she won,” he added, ignoring my reply.

“She didn’t win.”

He grunted. “She had you by the balls, son. At least own it.”

“I seem to recall pinning her.” I set my glass down. “Which means I won.”

“Except you kissed her afterward, thereby giving her the win.” He grinned to lessen the insult. “It’s all right. Your mother gave me quite the chase, too. She got all the way to Ohio before Ipinnedher down.”

A snort came from the doorway. “You mean until I finally let you catch me.” My mother’s long, dark hair hung over one shoulder, her slender arms folded as she arched a brow at my father. “And why did I let you catch me, hmm?”

“Because you wanted my heart, of course.”

“Of course,” she deadpanned.

I just shook my head. I knew their story from years of hearing it repeated in my youth.

My father had used his computer skills to locate her whereabouts, then he’d ordered flower deliveries from every florist within a ten-mile radius to send her lilies—her favorite flower—all day, every day,everywhereshe went.

She’d finally given up the chase when she’d arrived at a new hotel to find her room already flooded with fresh flowers. It had been clear that he knew her patterns and locations and that he wasn’t going to stop inundating her with gifts until she agreed to heel.

“I do love those earrings,” my father said, eyeing the rubies on her ears. Another story I knew all about—he’d given her those the day she’d let him catch her.

“My stalker gave them to me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.” She pushed away from the door. She appeared almost normal despite today’s trauma, but the light red rims of her eyes underlined her deep-seated pain. She wouldn’t let the pack see her cry. She probably wouldn’t even let me. Mostly because she wanted to be strong for everyone else. The only one she’d allow to see her true agony was my father.