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Remus simply sighed, still watching me. His expression had shifted into something much more unreadable. “We’re going to need to do damage control, now,” he murmured, shaking his head. He turned his attention to Nic. “And we need to find out who that gunman is. Immediately. We need to know if he was working with this military group or was just a gun for hire.”
Nic snorted softly. “We’re making a big assumption — that this is indeed the handiwork of the American military.”
“I suppose.” Remus looked thoughtful for a moment. “We’ll need to review the records carefully and determine how legitimate they are.”
I growled softly; it was like I had suddenly disappeared from the room. I hadgone overthis — hadn’t they listened to what I just explained? If they weren’t going to respect me in my own damn condo, they could get the hell out and have a meeting at Wendy’s, for all I cared.
“Excuse me,” I snapped, not caring how petty that might have sounded. “I’m not a child. I do not need to be either controlled or protected, and I donotappreciate being treated as such, especially in my own damn house!” Despite my better instincts, I lifted my upper lip, exposing one of my canine teeth. “I am sick and tired of this constant fucking disrespect. You probably don’t even know you’re doing it, and that makes it ten times worse. You can either treat me like an equal or get the hell out.”
Both men quieted for a moment, clearly surprised by my outburst. I wasn’t sure if I ought to feel stung by that or maybe a little smug.
My father was the first to speak, something coloring his voice I couldn’t quite place. Regret? Something else? I rarely heard that tone.
“Eli, I am sorry I made you feel that way,” he rumbled quietly, the expression on his face nearing distraught. “You are right. While you will always bemypup, you are no longerapup and haven’t been for quite a few years. I— I know we’ve grown apart since you were younger, and I suppose sometimes I just thought to myself: maybe if I can just recreate that…” He paused and shook his head, clearing his throat as if that would reduce some of the emotion in his voice. “But that was selfish of me. You are a grown adult and deserve to be treated as such. I know I’ve always been protective of you because of… everything, but that is my hang-up, not yours. If I keep protecting you like this, I will be doing you — and the pack — a disservice by robbing you of life experiences and learning opportunities.”
“I—”
I cannot believe what I am hearing. When was the last time my dad apologized to me — actuallyapologizedto me — and in front of another shifter, no less?
I had expected the other two alphas to argue with me. That I wasn’t ready, or I wasn’t a pack alpha, or it wasn’t my business, or, or, or. At best, I expected placation and inclusion… for now. Butthis? Even my wolf didn’t have a damn thing to say about it, too shocked by what my father had just said out loud to process the implication behind that.
Wow. I guess it does take two to tango.
I had been so convinced it was aboutme, that I hadn’t stopped to consider that some of how my father had been treating me had been a reflection of howhewas feeling. My mother’s departure hadn’t only been a blow to me, after all, and my father was left with the fallout.
I licked my lips, trying to get my wits back about me. “Thank you,” I said. I couldn’t go wrong with that. “I… appreciate it. And I will do better about coming to you when I need help, but I need space to…” I waved an arm, struggling to find the words. “I need to learn how to become a pack alpha before becoming one.”Before you’re gone, I didn’t say, hating the thought. “Which means I need to do it myself sometimes, whether I succeed or fail. Myself. If I never do that, the pack will never see me as anything more than Nicholas Archer’s little boy.”
Remus hummed quietly, inclining his head. “You are wise to consider that now,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching. “My father, Remington, could be very heavy-handed sometimes. He taught me a lot, but he could have taught me a lot more if I didn’t spend my time trying to evade his rules or being smothered.” He sighed and shook his head. “It wasn’t until my boys were born that I truly understood, even if I had started to come to terms with it. Now, I can only hope to learn from that when they reach that age.”
He looked up at me and tipped his head. “Eli, I apologize if anything I’ve said or done has made you feel disrespected or unworthy. That was not my intention at all. I’ve never had a brother — or any sort of sibling — so I realize I’m sort of reaching into the dark, but I’d rather not ruin this relationship before it’s established if I can help it.”
I paused, startled for the second time — but at least it didn’t take mental gymnastics to handle this one. I still wasn’t sureIwanted a brother, but…I could at least give him a second chance. I did, after all, indirectly cause the death of one of his packmates, and Remus would have every right to throw me out on my ass. Plus, we’re trying to work together to solve the bigger picture, so… Yeah. I can do that.
I gave a short nod. “I appreciate it,” I said, not sure what else to say on the matter.
Nic tipped his head and looked around the apartment. “How’s Iris?” he asked, looking toward the bedrooms.
I sighed, unsure if this was the change in topic that I had wanted. “She’s… okay,” I said carefully, not wanting to put words in her mouth. “A bit shaken. She’s cleaning up right now.”
Remus eyed me for a moment. “You don’t sound very convinced.”
That’s because I’m not. I eyed him back for a moment. “It was an intense day,” I replied lamely. “We gotshot at. I’m worried about her heart.”
“Her heart?” Remus gave me a puzzled look.
Immediately, I wished I hadn’t said that. It wasn’t my business to tell, but… Hell, they’d probably seen the outline of the device under her shirt. “She has a pacemaker, and this has been a fuckton of stress in a very short period,” I said carefully, still feeling slimy for having brought it up. “She’s explained it all to me and says she has it under control.” Which I did believe.
It didn’t stop me from worrying, though.
Both my father and Remus looked puzzled for a moment. Remus was the first to seem to get his thoughts together, eyes focusing back on me. “And how are you handling all of this stress?”
I frowned and shook my head. “I’m fine,” I replied. I felt like a broken record, always repeating the same thing. It had been stressful, yes, but so far, I hadn’t slipped in my work, and I was certain I had been of use to Iris, not a burden.
Remus didn’t say anything else, but my father frowned, eyeing me. “You’re still in survival mode,” he rumbled. “You were attacked, as you said. It will all wear off sometime in the next day, or maybe several. You can come to me any time if you need, Eli.”
The thought still made me prickle, but I swallowed the feeling down. Remus hummed. “You’re also welcome at my house if you’d like. I killed a wolf for the first time when I was about your age, I think.” He grimaced and shook his head. “I sat for hours with my beta. Hours. I don’t think I spoke at all, but it helped to just… have him there.”
I nodded slowly. “Thank you,” I said. I didn’t want to fight with either of them — and just because they offered didn’t mean I had to take them up on it. It was… nice to be thought of, I supposed. “If I need anything, I’ll call.”
