Nodding, Kahn began scooping up the ingredients his mother had already prepared, tossing them into the bowl Then picking up a knife, he began chopping up the lettuce, all the while thinking about his brother. He wondered who his brother looked like—and hoped it wasn’t their father.
“Kahn! Stop!” Elenor took the knife from her son’s hand. “We’re having a salad, not cole slaw.”
Looking down, Kahn grimaced at the pile of shredded lettuce. “Sorry…”
“What’s bothering you?” asked Elenor. “Did Reeve say something to upset you? Is that why you’re taking it out on the poor lettuce?”
Turning to face his mother, Kahn asked, “Did you know Josiah had a son before me?”
“I didn’t know it was a son,” Elenor replied, calmly. “After I married your father, I found out there was a woman who loved him and everyone in the pack thought he’d marry her, especially since she was pregnant with his child, but he didn’t. Instead, he forced her out of the pack before he brought me there…at least that was what I heard from several members. How did you…”
“Reeve told me he showed up today and wanted to challenge Josiah for control of the pack.”
Frowning, Elenor murmured, “Josiah would have killed him.”
“His own son? I don’t think so. More likely he would have welcomed him with open arms, overjoyed he had a son he could control…unlike me.”
“I know you find it hard to believe, but your father did love you in his own way.”
Shrugging, Kahn claimed one of the chairs at the island. “It doesn’t matter anymore…Josiah’s dead and life goes on. I’m sure there are lots of kids out there who had it worse off than I did.”
Elenor grasped one of her son’s hands and squeezed it gently. “Give it time, sweety. Anger creates a narrow tunnel where all that’s visible is what made you angry in the first place. You’ve been fighting your father for so long, it’s hard to remember the good times you had with him when you were a child. But theywillcome back eventually and so will the memory of your father’s love.”
“Even if he was a monster?”
“Your father wasn’t always that way, and it’s important you remember that in order to remember the good times you had together.”
“I can never forgive him for what he did!”
“Maybe not, so it’s a good thing it’s not your job to sit in judgement of him,” Elenor said, “but it’s important you realize you’re not to blame for it, either.”
Looking down at his mother’s hand holding his, Kahn was struck by how well she knew him—and how wise she was. Hehadbeen blaming himself for what his father had done. It was exhausting and he knew it couldn’t continue. “I don’t know how to stop…blaming myself…my days are filled with ‘if only’s’ and…”
“Kahn, it’s not your fault. Your father had a choice, and he picked the wrong one…but that’s on him, not you…and you need to remember that. Let Josiah pay for his sins because if you insist on blaming yourself then you’ll end up in a hole that has no bottom,” Elenor said, softly. “I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but you owe it to yourself…and your mate…to do it.”
“I’ll try,” Kahn murmured.
“That’s all any of us can do,” Elenor said. Then, her eyes falling on the tangle of shredded lettuce, she shook her head and grinned. “Let’s see what I can do to salvage this salad, hmm?”
~/~/~/~/~
“Have you decided yet?” Steel asked, standing in the doorway of Jackson’s study.
Swiveling his chair around, Jackson grinned at his mate. “Not yet, but I like him.”
Stepping into the room, Steel closed the door before walking over to his mate’s desk and settling into a chair. “Just from meeting him once?”
“Yup…my gut tells me he can be trusted.”
“But…”
“I’m not sure everyone will agree.”
“No shit!” Steel snorted. “Especially once they see his file.”
“That’s not gonna happen. If Cain joins my pack, he starts with a clean slate. The only problem I see is with Cody, Dylon, and your brother. While they don’t know all the details about Cain’s past, they do know he was charged with trafficking shifters.”
“Wait a minute,” Steel protested, “you’re not serious, are you? If you bring Cain into the pack without the rest of the pack knowing how dangerous he is, that’s just looking for trouble. Have you considered what will happen if Cain hurts one of us, or gods forbid, one of the kids?”
