Page 113

Cameron

Nate’s hand was warm in mine, the cold wind of the mid-November afternoon blustering around us. The frigid air did nothing to quell my nervousness and excitement. Mom stood next to me, Gael pressed against her side. We all stared at the vacant train tracks in anticipation.

“You’re sure he’s on the next train?” I asked Nate.

He chuckled. “That’s the same question you asked ten minutes ago. He’s on the train.”

I smiled wanly. “Sorry. I’m nervous.”

“ You’re nervous, mija ?” Mom said, glancing at me. “Imagine what this is like for me.”

That was true. When Nate and Ollie told me that they thought they’d found my father, I’d been too shocked to say much, and too worried it wasn’t true to tell Mom.

But then, three weeks later, my world had shifted.

JC had confirmed my father’s location and informed us that a European special forces team comprised of only shifters had raided the drug factory and extracted him.

He’d told me he’d have my father home in a few days.

Nate had spun a fairly good tale to Mom and Gael about where he’d been all this time.

He’d left out the shifter portions and only focused on the drug-dealing, blackmail, and kidnapping.

Mom had actually fainted when he told her my father was coming home.

Like, honest to God, slumped-over-unconscious-on-the-floor fainted.

As Nate and I had tried to wake her, Gael tapped my shoulder.

“Yeah, buddy?” I said.

Gael looked down awkwardly. “Is your dad gonna be my dad? Or am I gonna get left out?”

My heart nearly shattered. His real father had vanished before Gael was born. I’d always wondered if he felt hurt by that loss. That man had left because he hadn’t wanted anything to do with a baby. Asshole move on his part. Gael was a great kid and deserved all the love in the world.

I’d put my hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.

“Gael, all Mom ever talked about was how amazing my father was. He was a good man, and I think once he meets you and sees how much you’re like Mom and me, he’ll be overjoyed to be your father.

Heck, I’ve never actually met him, either, so we’ll be in this together. ”

He chewed on his lower before nodding hesitantly. “Okay.”

Now, he stood there with Mom, looking down the tracks hopefully, nervous excitement on his face.

A similar expression was probably on my own face.

All my insecurities had been swirling around inside my head since I woke up that morning.

Would my father recognize me? I was a baby when he’d vanished.

Would he like me? What if he thought I was silly or stupid?

My father was a scientist, and I was a reporter.

Would that disappoint him? What if he didn’t love Mom anymore?

I could think of nothing more devastating than for him to give her a wave, then leave again to start a new life without us.

It was all ridiculous, I knew that, but I couldn’t stop those intrusive thoughts.

Nate leaned down to whisper in my ear so the others couldn’t hear. “It’s going to be all right.”

“I know,” I said. “It’s just a lot, you know?”

“I do,” he said, then nodded at JC and Ollie.

The two men were twenty feet back, giving us plenty of room for our reunion. Ollie waved, and JC gave him a nod. Before I could wave back at them, the steady rumble of an approaching train broke through the silence of the day. Mom let out a little gasp, and Nate squeezed my hand.

“It’s coming!” Gael shouted, pointing toward the train in the distance.

The platform was mostly deserted. Only a few others stood around, waiting for arrivals. That was good. The fewer witnesses to what was bound to be an emotional and private affair, the better.

The train came to a stop in front of us, its brakes squealing, and the door slid open. A dozen or so people streamed off and headed toward their friends or family, while others headed straight for the exits.

After everyone else had left the train, a single man stepped out.

A shuddering breath escaped me. He looked to be in his early fifties.

His head was fully bald, possibly shaved, and a thick, salt-and-pepper beard obscured most of his face, but the resemblance to the man in Mom’s photos was unmistakable. He also had my eyes.

“My father,” I whispered to myself, and Nate squeezed my hand harder.

The man scanned the platform until he spotted my mother. His stoic face broke into an open-mouthed sob.

“ Sophia ?” he cried.

Mom, already sobbing, released Gael and ran to him, opening her arms and shouting his name.

She crashed into him. “Callum. Oh, God, Callum.”

Tears sprang to my eyes. They held each other so close, shaking as they cried. Nate pulled me forward, nudging Gael as well, moving us closer to them. As we neared, I heard my father’s muffled voice.

“I’m sorry. They said they’d kill you. I never wanted to leave. Please don’t hate me. Please. Your memory was all that kept me going. I’m so sorry.”

“Shhh,” Mom said, pulling away and putting a finger to his lips. “You are back, my love. That’s all that matters.”

She kissed him then, and as we drew near, I could see their cheeks were wet with tears, but that didn’t stop them.

My heart leapt with joy. The only time I’d ever seen my mother this happy was the day Gael was born.

My strong, wonderful mother had spent most of her life longing for exactly this.

To be in the arms of the only man she ever truly loved.

Finally, she broke the embrace and gestured to me and Gael.

“This is your daughter, Cameron,” Mom said.

Callum released Mom and took two staggering steps toward me. He scanned my face, his eyes blazing with emotion. The sorrow, the sadness, the things he’d missed. He reached out a trembling hand and cupped my cheek.

“My baby girl,” he whispered. “Daddy missed you so much. I never forgot you. You look just as I remembered.”

Tears streaming down my face, I let go of Nate’s hand and folded myself into my father’s arms for the first time in my life. We rocked together for a long time. My father’s tears dripped onto my forehead as he held me. Suddenly, I realized Gael was standing there awkwardly.

“Oh, crap,” I muttered, pulling away and wiping my face. “Uh, Dad, I guess. Can I call you Dad?”

He swallowed hard, wiping his own eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“This is my little brother, Gael,” I said, gently pulling Gael forward.

Gael held Callum’s gaze for only a second before looking away. Callum knelt and put a hand under Gael’s chin, tilting his face up. He smiled at my brother.

“You have your mother’s eyes,” he said. “Beautiful eyes.” His voice was thick with emotion. “A man could grow to love those eyes. I’m not your father, but… I would like to be. Would that be okay with you, little man?”

Gael stared at him in dumbfounded wonder. “You want me? Really?”

That question alone made my heart shatter. Had he gone his whole life thinking that no man would ever want him as a son because his father had run away at the first mention of his existence?

“I do,” Callum said, a fervent honesty in his voice. “You are of your mother, and I love everything about her. I want to love you, too.”

Mom lost it, dissolving into tears again, and clutched Callum and Gael to her in a massive hug. When they broke apart, I introduced Nate.

My father shook his hand. “I heard you’ve been keeping my little girl safe. I can’t thank you enough.”

“It was an honor, sir,” Nate said, putting his arm around my waist.

Dad nodded and pulled Mom into another embrace, pressing his lips to hers.

“He really missed her, huh?” I said to Nate.

“I’d feel the same if I was away from you that long,” Nate said, nudging my chin up to kiss me.

Gael made a mock-gagging sound. “Eww. Everyone’s kissing. This is gross.”

Laughing, we turned to face JC and Ollie as they came forward, our reunion mostly complete.

“Let’s get you guys home,” JC said. “I think you all deserve it.”

Mom and Dad walked hand in hand, and Gael took my father’s other hand. I followed behind, leaning against Nate. The cold and blustery day didn’t feel so bad anymore. In fact, I couldn’t think of a day that had ever been so beautiful, so amazing.

For the first time in my life, my family was whole. My personal pack was whole. With Nate by my side, and a mother and father and brother, my life was exactly what I wanted it to be. Happy, healthy, and healed.

As we exited the train station, I looked up to the sky and smiled, excited about the future and all the love that would come with it.

At the car, Nate looked at me and grinned. “Ready to go?”

“Absolutely,” I answered.

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