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I barely interacted with her.
I hated the house I grew up in. I hated the man my father was. He was a bad Alpha and a bad parent, and he did his level best to overturn many of the social reforms my paternal grandfather had introduced. Greed underlined his every action, and I, who had admired my grandfather greatly, found my father's greed disgusting.
Sometimes, I wonder what Eleanor, my older sister, would have thought of Father's behavior. Like me, she too had admired our grandfather. But she left our home when I was young, and Cynthia showed up a year later, almost like she was supposed to be a replacement for my sister. I ignored her most of the time, like I did with everyone else in my family. And soon, when I turned sixteen, after a particularly vicious fight with my father, I, too, left my family home.
But I always believed Cynthia was treated well in that house. I never saw Norman be abusive toward her. Mother was always cold to her, but then she was cold to all her children, except Norman.
You forgot.
What did I forget?
I gaze out the window of my condo, staring at the city. The way Cynthia uttered those words is haunting me.
What went on in my house that I'm so blissfully unaware of?
All this time, Father always kept her close to him. She's been working at his company for years. I've never seen her at any pack event, not even business galas. I've not caught a whiff of her scent anywhere in this city, which is strange. Now that I think about it, I should have crossed paths with her at some point after I left home.
Why didn't I?
Why has my father been hiding her from the pack? Everyone is aware of her. She's known for her marketing ideas, her negotiation skills, and her business acumen. From the year shejoined, Father's company took off. It could be a coincidence, or perhaps she put in the work. Either way, while she's an asset I want on my side, the fact that she's my fated mate has me worried. For some reason, she's still loyal to my father.
Father saw her bleeding and battered, and yet he ignored her, his first instinct to protect Norman.
"I don't see why you're so worried." Robert enters the living room, beer in hand. "Jonathon isn't stupid. There are too many eyes on Cynthia right now."
"There's something going on in that house that I don't know about," I mutter. "Lydia told me about the scarring on her back, Robert. We wolves heal. Why haven't those scars healed?"
Robert comes to stand by my side. "You can tackle one question at a time, my friend. The only one who can answer your questions is Cynthia. But for now, if she's your fated mate, your biggest priority should be to get her away from Norman. It would be easier to do that if she switches sides."
"That's another thing that doesn't make sense to me," I growl, slamming my hand on the window pane. "I'm her fated mate. She should understand what that means! Why is she so insistent on siding with my father?"
"You have a meeting with your father tomorrow," Robert reminds me. "See if you can get her to come to you."
I stare out into the rain.
The weather has been unpredictable lately. Just like my father. He requested this meeting out of nowhere. I've spent two days trying to get in touch with Cynthia, but to no avail. She had beenso hungry, but then suddenly leaped out of the car, leaving her half-eaten sandwich behind as if she'd seen a ghost.
I remember how she looked at me when I kissed Healer Lydia on the cheek. There was a childlike wistfulness in her eyes, and when I had stroked her hair, I could feel her wolf's happiness pouring out of her, but she had resisted, up until the very second she fell asleep. I can't forget how she clutched at me in the elevator, how desperate her kiss had been, as if trying to sink inside me. The way my heart had dropped into my stomach when I saw her about to climb on the railing of the bridge.
All these years I thought of her as a confident woman, one who was an extension of my father. But is she?
When I realized who she was and the link that now joined us, I had thought to exploit it. I still think having her on my side will be beneficial, but the idea of using her is making my stomach twist. She's naive and innocent in a lot of ways. Her business sense may be strong, but when it comes to herself, she's uncertain.
I paid the security guard at her building to give her the box of steaks I brought for her yesterday.
I run my hands over my face.
My wolf is deeply unhappy.
He wants her here, by our side, so we can protect her.
Her screams are still ringing in my ears from when Norman was hitting her.
"She must have provoked him."
My blood is as cold as the air outside as I wonder how many times Norman has been 'provoked' into laying his hands on Cynthia.
"Your phone's ringing." Robert elbows me.
