I am disgusted and heartbroken for Anthony, but my father is right. Anthony is the better man, he could have gotten even, but instead, he rose above it and raised the man that caused his heart to be wrenched apart’s son.
“I understand if you hate me, Kat, I understand if you want me to leave, and I will if you want. But I am sorry, so sorry for everything,” dad confesses. The Moon Goddesses’ words come back to me, and I repeat them.
“Everyone has skeletons in the closet, you just choose which ones you can live with.”
“Kat?” My father questions.
“You chose wrong, and now you live with it, now you live with knowing the secrets are out, knowing what you did. You are my father, but living with knowing what you did? That is your punishment. The Moon Goddess will punish you for it, and you will pay, just like I will when the time comes. We all choose our skeletons, choose what haunts us, if Anthony can forgive you, then so can I. But if Andrei chooses, dad. Just know if it comes down to choosing sides, I will side with him because, as you said, this is your Karma. One thing I have learned through all this bullshit, through all the lies, is “never choose anyone over your mates,” not even yourself no matter how selfish and torn you feel, you choose them. Always them. You didn’t, you chose wrong, but I won’t make your mistakes,” I declare before getting up.
My father nods his head, tears welling in his eyes as he peers up at me. “I understand, Pumpkin.”
It breaks my heart seeing my father like this, but he made the choices he did, I won’t live with them, but he will. Before I leave, my father reaches out and grabs my hand.”So you will let me stay?” he questions, and I look at him.
“Yes, I want you in my life as long as Ezra permits it, but remember I don’t need you in it. If Ezra wants you gone, dad, I will stand by him. At the moment, he is letting you stay for me, so don’t give him a reason to throw you out because I won’t stop him next time, you want to be in mine and Andrei’s life? Then you have got to earn it.”
“Andrei doesn’t want me in his life, Kat.”
I shake my head. “If that was true, he’d have killed you by now,” I point out.
Ezra
“You don’t get to choose for us, Ezra,” Mateo argues, following me to my office.
I growl. “Well, I did, and I am not taking it back, Mateo.”
“I am sick of this shit, you can’t decide for Kat and me, we don’t even know who she has to choose between, Ezra.”
“Yes, you’re right, but if it comes down to you and me, she saves you, and she lives. I won’t have her die for me, and I won’t have you die either, besides, you’re better with her than me.”
“What? No, I am not, if she can’t have both, she would rather go with you, Ezra.”
“I don’t mean it like that, I mean Ares won’t hurt her or any kids we may have.”
“Maddox won’t hurt us. Is this what you’re worried about, that if Kat kills me, Maddox will hurt her?”
“No, I love you both, and neither of you will die for me, that is all, Mateo. End of the discussion, I won’t change the command.”
“No, not the end of the discussion. Discussion means we come to a mutual agreement, you fucking chose for us.”
“Yes, it is, I made the choice,” I tell him, shoving past him. I leave, deciding to go for a run and check on the patrols. Mateo follows after me. “Stay with Kat and keep an eye on Derrick,” I order Mateo.
He growls but does what he is told, knowing better than to challenge me, unlike Kat. I head for the forest, shedding my clothes as I run toward the trees. I could hear Kat talking to her father at the back of the house, but steer clear, knowing she would ask where I was going. Maddox, not hesitating to come forward, also excited about the run, takes over, and we shift.
I ran the patrol line looking for any scents that shouldn’t be here, but we would notice if anyone stepped across, but until they did, they could be lurking anywhere, which left me uneasy. Something was going to go down soon, it was in the air, hovering over us. Something was off, and I had a strange feeling something catastrophic would happen.
Feeling the mindlink tugging, I open it, pulling on Alex’s tether. “How is Jackson’s border?”
“Quiet as always, Alpha, no one in or out. But several trucks went in today, but they stayed within the town, and didn’t leave like usual.”
“What sort of trucks?”
“Supply trucks, grocer and produce trucks mostly, they usually come in every few days, but this time they haven’t left.”
“Keep me updated if they leave, send some men to follow the trucks,” I order.
“Yes, Alpha.” I cut the link, deciding to run the entire pack border and check the traps and game cameras at the base lookout.
Then, deciding it is getting late, I head home. Mateo and Kat try to link me, but I know it would end in an argument. I decide it would be best to head home once they are asleep.
Climbing the back verandah stairs, I reach above the door, grabbing the spare key down and unlock the door. Walking inside, I am very aware of Kat’s scent throughout the house. It is too strong when Maddox comes forward. “Keep the pack away and lock it down, Ezra, she is going into heat.”
“Do you think that is why they were trying to get a hold of us?” I ask. I entered the foyer and grabbed the remote shutter, pressing the button hard. The shutters groan and lock into place, and I release a pent-up breath.
“No, she may not even realize it yet, her scent isn’t strong enough, or there would have been unmated wolves everywhere.”
I nod, walking up the steps before telling all unmated wolves to steer clear of the packhouse, and only mated wolves were to patrol this side. Trudging up the next steps to our level, I check to ensure every shutter is locked into place and secure, before heading to the bedroom.
Pushing the door open, I spot both of them asleep, though Mateo is moving around reacting to her scent, she is half undressed like she has been removing her clothes from being too hot as her shorts are twisted around one foot. I walk over, tugging it off, and she moans in her sleep but doesn’t wake at my touch. That wouldn’t last long, though, so I hop in the shower before climbing in bed and getting some rest while I still could. Knowing soon, I would be getting none.