“Actually it’s a good idea because it will give my mother and sisters some space to process what’s happened before getting uprooted again.”
“Do you think they’ll be okay?” asked Reeve, softly.
“I’m pretty sure my sisters will…life moves on quickly at that age, but I’m not too sure about my mother. Josiah’s death hit her hard yesterday.”
“Does she have a friend she could talk to? Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone who isn’t family.”
“Maybe…I’ll ask her.”
“If she does, I can have one of my men bring her over,” Reeve said.
“Thanks,” Kahn said, shaking his head. “What a mess. Even dead, my father is still fucking up everyone’s life.”
“Not for much longer,” Reeve said. “I know all this crap is overwhelming but just take it slowly…one step at a time, and soon most of it will be over. You aren’t in this alone anymore, so just tell me what you need and I’ll handle it…no matter what it is…okay?”
Putting his arms around his mate’s neck, Kahn leaned forward until his forehead was touching Reeve’s, sighing as calm washed over him. He didn’t know how Reeve had done it, but his mate had eased the heavy weight that had settled on his shoulderssince the news of his father’s death. It felt good to share the burden, a feeling he wasn’t used to. His mother was the only other person who’d helped him when life weighed him down, but he kept a lot from her as he grew up when he discovered how hard her life was. Now, though, he had a mate who’d stepped in to fill an important need he’d forgotten all about.
His mate’s simple act of support did more to convince Kahn his wolf was right about Reeve than any fancy words ever would. Professing love was something most people did, but a person’s actions always revealed the truth, or falsity, of their words. It was a lesson he learned the hard way growing up, but one he had lived by ever since the day his father taught him it. “Thank you mate…for making my world a little bit brighter on a day I feared would be so dark.”
Scooping Kahn up into his arms, Reeve walked over to the bed and sat down, holding his mate against his chest. “I’ll always be there for you whenever you need me,cariño…you will never be alone again.”
~/~/~/~/~
“Are you sure I shouldn’t go with you?” asked Steel, standing in the doorway of his mate’s study.
Looking up from the computer screen, Jackson grinned. “Are you worried the big, bad man might hurt me?”
“No, of course not,” Steel replied, walking into the room. “It’s just that…”
“Oh my gods! Youare!” exclaimed Jackson.
“I amnot! It’s just that he should know if he attacks you, he won’t live to see another day. And that can’t happen unless I’m there.”
“That’s true, but if that’s the only way he’ll behave himself, then I can’t have him here. I don’t have the time…nor do I want to keep Cain under surveillance 24/7. I read his file again, and Oracle’s right…Cain hasn’t had an easy life, but that can change, if he takes advantage of the opportunity the Fates have offered him. But for that to happen, I have to be the one to extend a hand to him and that starts with me showing some trust.”
“Trust is one thing, but being careless is another. Nothing in his file tells me he can be trusted…”
“That’s the point! No one’s ever trusted him before. All of his past actions remind me of a dog who’s known nothing but abuse by his owner his whole life. Even if a new owner treats him with kindness, the dog has to learn to trust him before he’ll change his behavior.”
“So Cain’s a dog…well at least that makes him a distant relative of our wolves,” Steel said, smirking.
“Cute,” Jackson said. “But you know what I meant. According to the Fates, Cain is essential to finding the humans who are behind the attacks on our world. He’ll be accepted by them since he’s one himself…and I have to be able to trust that he won’t betray any of us. The way I see it, unless he and I can trust each other, the mission will fail. So, yes, I’m going to extend the first olive branch…probably the first time anyone’s ever done so to Cain.”
“I get it, babe,” Steel said. “And I agree with you. I just wish there was another way other than taking Cain into our pack.”
“I do too, but I haven’t been able to think of one,” Jackson replied.
Steel knew his mate was right but it was hard to swallow when he knew exactly the kind of person who was in that cell; records never lie. Deciding to let the matter drop for now, he asked, “Have you seen Dakota this morning?”
“First thing,” Jackson said, grinning. “According to my brother, Slate refused to let Max sleep in the bassinet. He claims his son will be lonely by himself.”
“Where does he want Max to sleep?” asked Steel.
“You won’t believe this…in either his or Dakota’s arms. He claims it’s the only way his son won’t cry.”
“All babies cry even when they are held. Where did my brother get that crazy idea from?”
“From a book. According to Dakota, Slate has bought every baby book he could find.”
