The sky darkened so fast. Curtis thought, as he stared out from the window in his room to the world around his pack.
It had been more than three hours after the conversation with his father, and two after being with his mother. He had never seen his mother so shattered emotionally, so wrecked. It had taken him all the control, all the tightening of the restraints to remember not to kill his father before the allotted time.
He sighed a minute later, noting his folded fists. His body was still thrumming with the feeling, the feeling of punching his father at least one time. Yet, he couldn’t do that, not until everything had been sorted out.
His mother hadn’t told him much, hadn’t told him something new other than what he had found out whilst being at his cousin’s pack. Except for the fact that she thought her mate was misguided, and needed some direction.
He had bit his tongue from asking her why her presence or words hadn’t been enough to keep his father in a firm line. He had bit his tongue from accusing her for aiding his father to break out from the Blue Moon’s pack, for keeping silent even knowing the latter’s plans.
He had wanted to, but he had seen the answer in her eyes.
She knew, and she was sorry.
And so, he had left it at that. There had been no need to terrorize her further, but he would grant her the request of taking her out of here once he left. He would just have to trust Louise to keep things moving, keep the people moving.
Curtis snorted.
Do they even have people anymore?
Most of their members had left the pack to the human realms, after citing some lame reasons, and his father had left them, so long as they weren’t returning to their previous pack. The numbers in his pack now were so small. So small. Barely there.
He sighed again, and stood up to his feet, and began pacing.
“Is there anything the matter?”
Curtis balked, as he sharply turned to the door. His father, Arnold, was standing by the doorpost, actually reclining by its hold, his hands folded across his chest.
When did the old geezer come in? And why hadn’t he heard him come in? Was his ears now dull of hearing or has his father always been this subtle, this mad in stealth? He wondered, shaking his head to the latter’s question.
“Don’t shake your head at me, Curtis. What were you just thinking about right now, that had you giving the aura of hopelessness?”
Curtis furrowed his eyebrows at the question. He was giving off an aura of hopelessness? Well, the truth then wouldn’t be too bad.
“I was thinking about the lack of numbers we have in the pack. I know the women are replicating, and all that…but I don’t know.”
“You think we should open up our gates to more people from other packs or maybe form some sort of alliance with humans like my brother did?”
Arnold stepped into the room proper then, and stalked to the lone sofa that was before Curtis’ bed.
Curtis nodded his head, then sat on the bed. There wasn’t much distance between him and his old man.
“I’ve thought of that a lot these days, would have gone ahead with it, but for the times we are in. There’s a battle looming ahead, a battle that we can’t stop. We just have to be on the right side. When it’s over, when all this is over, then we can work on rebuilding our pack.” Arnold stated calmly, finding his hands suddenly interesting.
At that moment, Curtis thought of talking to his father truthfully, winning him over to the side of his uncle, but his wolf cut him off.
“Don’t try it.”
Curtis thankfully understood. His father wouldn’t turn away now. His mother hadn’t been able to do anything and she was his mate, he had no chance in hell-the son who was only considered because his sister was a female.
So, he settled on another question that had just popped into his head, or rather that his wolf had slithered into his mouth to say.
“So, father, about the people that had left, do you know where they went? Could they be called back for battle if push comes to shove?”
Arnold’s eyes darkened, and he looked away from his son. The act didn’t go over Curtis. He watched it happen, and felt the sinking in his chest. Had his father really done what he was thinking about now?
“Father…” he called softly, not because he was trying to coax his old man to talk-no that wasn’t in his mind. But it was a silent threat that he had allowed to slip.
Thank the heavens that Arnold had thought that it was the former.
“They couldn’t be allowed to do what they want. Yes, they had mentioned thriving better in the human realms, but how could I know they wouldn’t be returning to my brother? It was a slap to my face. They were telling me with their actions that I wasn’t good enough as a leader, a statement I heard a billion times whilst growing up. That I wasn’t good enough for the leadership. Reason why my heritage had been passed to Peter, my younger brother.”
Curtis gritted his teeth, albeit subtly.
But is his father really good at leadership? He thought, straining to keep his hands splayed on his thighs, and not folded. He didn’t want his father suspecting anything.
“So you killed them?” There had to be a confirmation.
Arnold looked at him then. “Yes.”
“Good.” Curtis forced the word out of his mouth, a bit relaxed when his father’s eyes shone with surprise.
His old man had expected him to shout or do something that wasn’t what he had just done now.
Supported him killing his people. Arnold chuckled at the thought.
“My god, if I had known that you were really crazy like me, I would have taken in your confidence before now. Before Maya.”