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I cock my head, widening my eyes pointedly.
Diana gulps and says, “I talk a lot when I’m nervous.” Her elegant fingers tangle together in her lap. “Maxim is going to kill me, Willow. Seriously. I should just run away from home now and spare myself the trouble of running after he tries to make me break up with Jacob and I have to escape an armed guard to get out.” She sits up straighter, fire flickering her gaze. “Because I won’t break up with him. I love him. I don’t care if we can’t have kids. I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
I rise and cross to the footstool, sitting beside her. I reach out, taking her hand in mine and giving it what I hope is a courage-building squeeze. “Maxim loves you. There is no doubt in my mind about that. Is there in yours?”
She hesitates a beat, but then slowly shakes her head.
“And where there’s love, there’s a way forward,” I continue. “When you talk to him, just keep bringing him back to love. Try not to give into your fear that he’s going to damage your relationship with Jacob and try not to let him give into the fear that the only way to protect you is to cage you.”
She hums doubtfully beneath her breath. “Okay, but…how do I do that? When Maxim is basically living in fear twenty-four seven?”
I blink, brows lifting. “Really? You think so? From what I’ve seen, he’s pretty brave. He certainly projects fearlessness.”
Diana smiles a sad smile. “Yeah, he does a good job overcoming it. A great job, really. I can admit that, even though I’m dreading seeing his face right now.” She sighs. “But his aura is pure fear most days. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. I know that’s cliché, but for Maxim it’s true. He considers every wolf in this pack his responsibility. Whenever anyone is hurt or suffering and upset, even if it’s something kind of silly like the teachers threatening to strike if they don’t get more classroom space for the elementary school kids, he takes it right to his heart and lets it fester there.”
I nod slowly. “Okay. Tell him that. And tell him that festering isn’t doing anyone any good. To be a truly great Alpha, he has to understand the difference between leading and inspiring his people and coddling and controlling them. No matter how hard he tries, he won’t be able to save everyone or please everyone. He has to come to terms with that and let some of that fear go.”
Diana stares at me, completely deadpan, for so long that I reach up to wipe the corners of my mouth. “What? Do I have crumbs?”
“No, you have crazy,” she says. “You seriously think I should say that to my brother? Tonight, no less, when a terrorist group got through our defenses and we have several pack members in critical condition in the infirmary?” She huffs. “I’d literally be signing my own death warrant.”
I stand, brushing my suddenly clammy palms on my pajama pants. “Fine, then I’ll tell him. And I’ll feel him out about Jacob. In a subtle way that he won’t be able to connect to you.”
Her eyes go even wider, and she reaches out, snatching my wrist. “No, Willow. You can’t. Seriously. I may have sounded like I was teasing before, but I wasn’t. He won’t take that well, especially from a stranger. He might…really hurt you.”
I arch a brow, wondering if my initial take on Maxim was closer to the right one.
Maybe he is a bully and an abuser, just like every other Alpha I’ve ever known.
I ask softly, “Have you seen him hurt people before, Diana? If so, please tell me the truth. I’d appreciate it.”
Her eyes begin to shine. “No, but the night he thought Shane poisoned Dad… When he couldn’t find him…” Her hand drops from my wrist. “His aura was black as night, Willow. Blacker. If he’d been able to find Shane, I think he would have killed him.”
I relax a little bit.
Diana knows her brother far better than I do, but growing up in The Parallel, I’ve maybe learned a thing or two more about human, and wolf, nature.
“But he didn’t,” I say gently. “In my experience, a lot of people can be pushed to wanting to kill, especially if they’re stuck in a place where murders happen all the time. But most people won’t act on those feelings. Even when they have just cause. In my pack, a very few people do ninety percent of the killing. Most of us just aren’t built for it. Truly, I believe the lion’s share of people are good, Diana. Or…at least not murderers.”
“From what I’ve seen in people’s auras, I would agree, but…” She pulls in a breath and lets it out long and slow, guilt creeping into her tone as she adds, “But I’m not sure about Maxim. I mean, he’s my brother and I love him so much, but…I’m not sure. I think he could go either way—light or dark—and he hasn’t really decided which path is for him just yet.”
“That sounds about right.” I shiver, a bone deep tremble that leaves every inch of my skin prickly, itchy, and I’m not surprised when Diana whispers, “Your eyes are glowing again so…I guess it is.”
Right.
I can tell the future now.
Or…something like that. Sounds like Pathfinders start out parsing truth from lies, and that’s a skill that could prove useful to this pack tonight.
I nod toward my bedroom. “I’m going to go change into some street clothes, and then you’re going to take me to Maxim.”
“We’ll have to break out of here,” she says, but I can tell by her tone that she already knows this is a done deal. “He’ll know we broke the rules and be pissed off before we even start talking. Or before you start talking, since I intend to keep my mouth shut until I can talk to Jacob about all this and see what he thinks I should do. No offense. I value your opinion, too, but Jacob knows me better. And he knows Maxim better. Or at least Maxim’s bad reputation.”
“No offense taken, and hopefully he won’t be pissed for long. I’ll make it clear that I know about my pack gift, and I’m there to help.” My lips twist up on one side. “Considering he saw my eyes glowing and decided not to say a word about it, maybe he’ll feel too guilty for keeping secrets to be pissed for long.”
“And maybe we’ll run into a unicorn sitting on the toilet in your bathroom,” Diana deadpans.
I smile, forcing an upbeat note into my voice. “Maybe. Let’s go check.”
