“I’m sorry about your mom,”I told Doc as we strolled down the road to the restaurant. Jo Jo and Chav lagged behind, giving the two of us some space. “Do you think William knows?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. I heard what you said to her.”
I smiled, thinking about what Jo Jo had said to me earlier. “No such thing as privacy around shifters.”
“True story.” Doc chuckled. “And I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“For what?”
He fixed me with his gaze. “For not knowing you existed.”
“Unless you’re a psychic too, I don’t know how you could’ve known. William likes his little secrets.”
Doc nodded. “That he does. Even so, I left Luna Parish, and I didn’t look back. Your mother and I were friends and sometimes lovers. I loved her, but not in the way she deserved. I’m sorry about that as well.”
“It’s okay. Not every relationship is meant to last. I don’t blame you.” That hadn’t been true in the beginning. William had lied to me. He said he’d told Doc about me after I was born and my mother had died. I’d grown up believing I wasn’t good enough for my own father to love. Ideas like those left scars.
He stopped walking as the water came into view. “I would’ve loved you.”
An ache formed in my chest. “I know.”
He turned to face me. “I do love you, Etta. You’re my daughter.” He pressed his hand over his heart. “I feel it right here to my very soul. We’re connected. I want to protect you and keep you safe, and I also want to provide for you and make your life as easy as I can.” His silvery gaze turned to the lake. “But I also understand that you’re an adult who no longer needs to be parented. It makes being your father…challenging. I want to be in your life all the time if that’s something that you want.” He met my gaze. “Or we can keep going on like we’re going. Your happiness is what matters. I’ll keep paying for your tuition, so you can carve out a life wherever the road takes you.”
His heartfelt words moved me. I had a hard time trusting anyone, thanks to William, but I knew that Doc and he were very different creatures. I’d seen the proof with Rory and with me. He gave generously all the time and expected nothing in return. Not even a phone call. A part of me had resented him for it. As if he hadn’t cared enough to make me keep in contact. But now I understood. He’d wanted me to be able to choose my own path—a gift William would have never allowed.
I peered up at him. “I think that’s the most you’ve ever said to me.”
“Huh,” he grunted. “I’m sorry for that too, then.”
“I’ll accept your apology if you stop apologizing,” I told him.
He rewarded me with a stunning smile. “Deal.”
“Thank you,” I added sincerely.
“For what?”
“For giving me time. I needed it. Hell, I still may need it. Our father did a number on my head.”
Doc winced when I called William “our father.”
“I didn’t mean….”
“It’s okay,” His gaze grew distant. “You don’t have to explain.”
When we walked around the back of the restaurant, Bette was sitting on her front porch sipping a drink. She stood up, her focus on Doc. “I’m glad you came, Billy Bob.”
Doc frowned, and the lines around his eyes deepened. “I want to know what’s happening to my daughter and why William is coming for her.”
The tension in the room was extreme as we waited for her answer.
“He wants Etta for the same reason he wanted me.” Bette cast her gaze on me. “My mother was a hedge, sometimes called a wisewoman, and my father was a lycanthrope. They met and fell in love, and shortly after, I was born on March twentieth at the exact time the sun crossed the equator. When I turned fifteen, I had a wild spirit my father couldn’t tame. That’s when I met William. He was handsome, cool, and already moving up through the ranks of our pack.” She looked at Doc. “Your grandfather was the shaman, and his position helped raise William’s status.” She shook her head. “But I digress. By the time I turned sixteen, I was heavily pregnant with you.”
“At sixteen?” I asked. “How old was William?”
“Twenty-four.” Bette waved her hand. “It was a different time. Our parents let us get married.” She made a scoffing sound. “Let us. As if they had a choice. I was hard-headed and determined.” Her brow furrowed. “Of course, I hadn’t known at the time how badly he wanted to rule or what he was willing to do to make it happen.”
“What do you mean?” Doc asked.
