Page 51 of Unknowingly Being his Brat

“And?” I prodded. I’d never once heard about Riley, but I knew from the way Dad talked about him that he’d died.

“I was supposed to keep him safe at all times. It was my job. But he was so determined to show all of us that he could be alpha one day,” Dad explained.

I was about to ask what that had to do with me, but I held my tongue. This was the first time I’d ever seen Dad look so broken.

“Riley was attacked by a bear. Not a shifter, but a real one. He survived, but his shame over losing the battle had him leaving the pack. I haven’t seen him since.”

“So, he isn’t dead?” I blurted. I truly thought this would end with his brother dying or something.

“He very well might be dead. None of us have ever heard from him. When my parents died, your uncles and I decided that we should think of Riley as having passed, too. It was just easier than hoping that one day he’d show himself again.”

“But…what has that got to do with me?” I asked, feeling more confused than ever.

“You remind me of Riley. And I already lost one Riley, I couldn’t lose another one,” Dad whispered.

“And you think the way you’ve been treating Milo was for his benefit? For his safety? You never felt that maybe you should’ve been kinder to your son, instead of leaving him feeling unloved and unwanted?” Jeremy asked, breathing hard once he was done.

Dad shook his head. “It was never my intention to make Milo feel unloved.”

Jeremy slammed his hand on the table. “He was thinking of leaving the pack!Youdid that to him!”

Blinking, I felt a rush of pride, of gratitude, wash over me. Jeremy was defending me against Dad. His anger showing how much me leaving would’ve affected him.

Dad’s eyes widened and shot to me. “You were?”

Nodding, I explained, “I didn’t feel like I was wanted in the pack. When you picked Jeremy as alpha, I lost the one thing I had kept fighting for. It was hard figuring out what my purpose was, having never thought about an alternative before that day.”

“But I made sure you had lots of jobs to do within the pack,” Dad argued. “I even got you those seeds to help Mary out. I tried to come up with ways where you’d be happy.”

I scoffed. “No, you kept reminding me how I wasn’t Jeremy and you seemed determined to remind me as often as possible what a disappointment I am.”

“And,” Jeremy cut in. “You even did it in front of Darius, hismate. You’re so used to talking down to Milo that you don’t even realize how often you’re doing it.”

Dad seemed at a loss for words, so I continued. “You also accused me of sleeping with Silas after I found out Darius was my fated.”

“He did what?!” Jeremy shrieked.

I nodded. “That was why Darius threw him out of our house.”

“What the fuck, Dad?!” Jeremy exclaimed.

“Well, what else was I supposed to think?! He wasn’t mated to Darius even though I knew they were both aware they were fated. You had an easy time yourself with Cass who’s human. What other reason could there be for them not to mate?”

“See! Right there! You instantly thought I was the reason. If not for me cheating then what? Not once did you think Darius could be the reason.”

“Why would he be the reason? He’d known for over a year you were fated,” Dad argued, even though he looked to have given up.

My emotions had been through too much already and with my cold food in front of me, I realized I didn’t care anymore. Whatever reason Dad had to compare me to his little brother made no sense to me. If he felt guilty every time he looked at me and saw Riley, then that was his issue. I’d never done anything to deserve that treatment, and now I was leaving.

I stood, giving a nod to Jeremy and then left. My appetite gone and my mood soured. As I walked back to my old car, I wondered what I’d hoped to get out of talking to Dad. I truly hadn’t thought this day would end with us having cleared the air like I’d done with Jeremy, but I was still disappointed as I drove home to Darius.

At least I had Jeremy in my corner.

“I’m just as confused as you are,” Jeremy sighed, sitting down on our couch. I was currently snuggled up in Darius’ lap, content to stay there forever. Jeremy had tried talking to Dad once I’d left. Hearing how Dad had confessed he felt sick whenever he thought of Riley and that maybe that was his problem with me, I simply wished I could forget all about it.

“I just want to forget about today,” I mumbled against Darius, who hadn’t stopped his low growling since I’d gotten home, his instinct to protect me on overdrive.

“I tried to get him to elaborate,” Jeremy continued. “But he was acting like he truly didn’t understand what he’d done wrong.”