But he’d gained a brother.
For most of his adult life, he’d thought that Cliff had betrayed him just so that he could be assured of the Alpha position – a betrayal that had festered and burned inside him.
And all along, Cliff had really been watching out for him. Cliff had kept his secret for all these years, not wanting Austin to be cut off from the pack forever. Even if he never got to talk to Cliff again, he’d always have that.
Cliff’s rejection had stung so much that he’d cut himself off from all of them, even Grant. He’d lashed out at them again and again, and let them know that he didn’t need them any more than they needed him.
It hadn’t been true.
He’d never let himself acknowledge how much their rejection hurt, but now that he knew why, he felt as if the poison in his soul was evaporating. He felt a heavy weight lifting from him – a weight he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying.
“You also cannot continue accompanying him the rest of the way to the Washborn pack,” Oswald said, with a smug tone that set Austin’s teeth on edge.
Fuck.He’d just lost the protection they’d promised for Tully’s pack. And he was going to have to figure out how to transport Roy back to the Washborn pack without their help, and without tranquilizer darts.
Jason had known exactly what he was doing when he’d called the Elders and spilled his ugly little secret.
And even though Jason’s leadership was now in question, Austin was still going to have to honor the agreement. He wouldn’t be able to unseat Jason right away; there would have to be DNA tests, maybe a formal challenge. Tully’s pack might be dead by the time the dust settled.
And also, Roy was a fucking lunatic. It wasn’t like Austin could just let him go.
He glanced back at the truck. Rusty was still hovering nearby, watching. So far, for whatever reason, Roy wasn’t flipping his shit.
“I will say goodbye to my brother,” Cliff said.
Austin, head swirling, looked down at Savannah, who still had a slightly stunned expression on her face. She slid her arm around his waist and hugged him.
“I’m glad you’re not some poofy billion-were anyway,” she told him. “Rich people are weird. I think. I’ve never actually hung out with any.”
He hugged her back. “We’ll forage for nuts and berries together,” he said with a wry grin, but he loved that his mate lovedhim, not his bank account. And it was a good thing, because after he’d emptied it out to pay Savannah’s mother all those bounties, his bank account was quite anemic these days.
He inclined his head at his brothers to follow him, then started walking towards his truck. Cliff and Grant hurried after him.
“One minute!” Oswald yelled. “After that, you forfeit pack membership!”
The other Elders were all looking away, faces creased with varying expressions of unhappiness or disapproval. Even the Elders who’d stood behind Cliff hated that this was happening, because the honor of the Alpha reflected on the honor of the pack – and Austin was a living, breathing, walking testimony to how their late Alpha had been shamed.
“After one minute, you can kiss my furry taint!” Grant yelled back at Oscar. “There’s no provision for this in the pack charter, so we’ll take as long as we damn well please!”
“All right, tell me everything,” Austin said to Cliff when they reached the truck.
Rusty leaned in, a puzzled look on his face.
Cliff nodded, his expression resigned. “Christopher was Jessica’s true mate. They went to high school together. She rejected him for Lloyd, because at the time Lloyd was wealthier. Christopher moved to Washington, married, founded his own pack, and started using his Seer power to make money. They say that Seers have power that relates to what matters most to them. For Christopher, it was money. That’s why he did so well on the stock market, why his pack is so wealthy. What do you see in your visions?”
“Things that affect my friends and family.” He glanced at Savannah.
Cliff glanced back at the Elders, who were scowling at them, then returned his attention.
“You understand now why I was trying so hard to keep you from visiting the pack?” he asked Austin. “If you started showing any sign of being a Seer, it would be obvious Lloyd wasn’t your father, and we’d all be cut off from you forever. You’d lose your inheritance. We’d never be able to back you up if you needed help.”
“I get that, but why didn’t you at least tell me?” Austin demanded.
“Because you’ve got your stubborn, stupid pride and you would have said something,” Cliff said with exasperation. “If our father had found out, while you were alive, he would have taken out a hit on you. And after he was dead, I was afraid you’d just be such a stubborn ass that you’d tell everyone, and then be cut off from us forever.”
Austin nodded, his mind reeling as his entire life history rewrote itself.
“How did Jessica end up banging my dear old dad?” he asked, bitterness dripping from every word.
