“Yeah, you should have.” But some of the anger had faded from her voice, replaced by exhaustion. “I’m tired of secrets, Knox. Tired of being protected. I’m stronger than you think.”
“I know you are.” I pressed a kiss to her temple, grateful when she didn’t pull away. “That’s what terrifies me.”
We emerged from the basement to find Hunt hovering anxiously at the top of the stairs. “Kids are playing in their room. You okay?”
“We’re figuring it out,” Lina said before I could answer. “But Knox has some explaining to do.”
“Lots of explaining,” I agreed, carrying her to the couch. “Starting with why I’m going to skin Mary alive for touching you.”
“Get in line,” Lina muttered, then hissed as I peeled back her shirt to examine the wounds.
They were already healing, the enhanced abilities doing their job, but the sight of her blood still made my wolf rage. Mary would pay for this. But first, I had to fix what I’d broken with my silence.
“Start talking,” Lina demanded, settling back against the cushions. “And Knox? No more deciding what I can handle. I’m your equal or I’m nothing.”
“You’re everything,” I corrected, pulling out the first aid supplies. “And you’re right. No more secrets.”
I cleaned the wounds carefully while I talked, telling her everything. How Mary had stood up at the council meeting before I could make my own announcement. How she’d placed her hand on her stomach and declared she was carrying the Alpha’s heir. How the room had erupted in congratulations while I sat frozen, calculating options.
“I wanted to deny it immediately,” I said, applying antiseptic that made her flinch. “But she looked right at me when she said it. The threat was clear. If I contradicted her, she’d reveal you and the twins.”
“So everyone thinks you’re having a baby with her.” Lina’s voice was carefully neutral. “Your parents?”
“They don’t know yet. They’re arriving soon, and when they do...” I trailed off, not wanting to think about that confrontation.
“They’ll expect you to marry her,” Lina finished. “The proper Alpha union they’ve always wanted.”
“I won’t do it. I don’t care what they expect.” I paused, honesty forcing me to add, “Though I’m not entirely sure what they’ll do when they find out the truth. Mary is Alderic’s daughter, and he’s got influence with them.”
“But you let the pack believe it. Let them congratulate you on your heir while your actual children hide in Noah’s house like shameful secrets.”
The accusation stung because it was true. “What would you have done? If I’d denied it and Mary had announced that I had twin cubs with a human, that they were living in Noah’s house, what do you think would have happened?”
“I don’t know,” Lina admitted after a moment. “But I should have been part of the decision. We should have figured it out together.”
“You’re right.” I finished bandaging the wounds, then sat back on my heels. “I’m used to making decisions alone. Used to carrying everything myself. But that’s not fair to you.”
“No, it’s not.” She studied me with those dark eyes that saw too much. “Tell me about the investigation. What have you found?”
So I told her about the scent analysis, about Noah’s suspicions, about Alderic’s mysterious nighttime departures. She listened without interrupting, processing the information with that quick mind I’d fallen in love with.
“You think Mary’s father might know who the real father is?”
“Or he might be more involved than we think. Noah’s following him tonight.”
“And if you find proof? Then what?”
“Then I expose her lie to the council. Show them the scent evidence. She’ll have no choice but to admit the truth.”
“Unless she runs,” Lina pointed out. “Or doubles down and claims you’re abandoning your child.”
I hadn’t considered that, too focused on proving my innocence to think about Mary’s counter-moves. “She won’t run. Too much pride.”
“Pride makes people do stupid things,” Lina said pointedly, and I knew she wasn’t just talking about Mary.
“I’m sorry,” I said again, taking her hand carefully. “I should have told you immediately. Should have trusted you to handle it.”
“Trust,” she repeated softly. “That’s what this keeps coming back to, isn’t it? You don’t trust me to be strong enough. To handle the truth. To protect myself.”
