Dad glanced up at her with those glowing gold eyes of his. “Did he say anything else about the new Coeur d’Alene Lake Pack?”
“Only what I told you. One of the Elder’s daughters brought in a problem Alpha.”
“I bet I can guess which daughter,” he gritted out.
“Will they mess with us?” she asked, worried.
“I don’t know. My wolf says yes, but my logic says they will be focused on Dodger’s Pack for a while.”
“Is he in danger?” she asked softly.
“Yes. He brought it on himself. They all did for calling themselves a Pack and settling in the same territory as the one the Elders tried to kick them out of. Any bloodshed is on them.”
“Be nice.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near this. The Elders will make an example of them for remaining a Pack.”
“But what would you have done?” she asked.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he just kept flipping chicken over on the grill.
“Their Alpha fell in love with a human, just like you did with mom. The Elders stripped them of their homes and territory. Told them they couldn’t be together anymore. What were they supposed to do? Spread to the four winds and forget about each other, and all the memories they had made together? The Elders are bloated with power.”
“You speak of things you don’t understand.”
“I was raised by you. I remember the aftermath of you leaving your Pack for mom. I remember how sick you were while you broke the bonds in the years afterward. I remember you didn’t want to get out of bed sometimes. I remember thelook on mom’s face when she watched you suffer. I remember the hard parts, and I remember whose fault it was. The Elders. And they’re still doing the same thing, all these years later. I don’t think we can judge Dodger’s Alpha for wanting to keep his human mate and his Pack together. It would’ve been easier on you if your Pack would’ve rallied around you instead of going to war with you.”
Dad shook his head and closed the lid of the smoking grill. He came to stand beside her and placed his big hand on the top of her head. Staring out at the yard, he said, “You don’t know how hard your mother and I have had to fight for peace. Choose anyone else.”
His glowing gold eyes were somber as he dragged his gaze to her. No smile existed on his face now.
“Why didn’t you just Turn mom?” she asked.
“Destiny,” he growled, walking away.
“I’m serious. I have always wondered about it. Why didn’t mom want to?”
“She did,” he barked. “She does still. She was griping at me last week about how her collagen levels are down and I need to Turn her fast so she can remain pretty for the next fifty years.”
“Then why didn’t you do it? Who would get you in trouble for it? You’re Rogue. You can Turn one.”
“Because you can die from it, Destiny. Your little boyfriend hasn’t had a chance to explain that to you yet, but you will most likely die, and if that is a conversation you are having with him, I’ll kill him. Do you understand?”
“He didn’t mention it. I’m asking for Mom. You could’ve Turned her and been an Alpha again. You could’ve gone back to your Pack.”
“And if my Turning her killed her instead?” He lifted his chin higher into the air and his eyes were the color of fire now. “What then? What would happen to me then? What would happen toyou? If I stole your mother away from you for selfish reasons, how could I live with myself? I love her, Destiny. She formed a mate bond with me, and I know it seems like a simple thing. Just Turn her and everything is fixed. Just poof, everything is reset. I’ll go back and trust that fucking Pack to have my back again when things get tough. I’ll put your mother in front of them and ask them to accept a Turn, and then I’ll bring you to them. You were a kid, Destiny. What was I going to do? Put a human child in the path of Werewolves? Hell no.” He looked around their yard, and at the nice porch he and mom had added onto the house a few years back. “I gave you and your mother this instead, and I don’t regret it for a single day. I’m happy because of the decisions your mother and I made. We had to choose a world, Destiny, and the human one was safer for both of you. We went through hell for this. We are lucky. Let it rest. Don’t go tag in on a war that is a repeat of history. The Elders always win. Power is currency for werewolves, and there are layers to this that you do not and cannot understand.”
“But what if Dodger’s people fight back, and end up with this?” she asked, gesturing to their solid life.
“Then they can go through the bloodshed without you being a human casualty. You like this man? Give him time. Let him do his fighting and then if he is meant for you, it will be. Later.”
“That’s not how you build a bond, and you know it.”
“Are you talking about Chance?” he demanded. “Are you speaking of the bond you built from being there through his sickness? Do you think we wanted that for you? That is some pain, Destiny. It’s been ten years and you are still feeling it. Your life was altered because of that bond, and as soon as you are finally, finally ready to date, you pick a fuckin’ werewolf at war with the Elders.”
“I picked a werewolf because of you!” she barked out.
Dad froze.
