“She just means that we have other things to talk about.” Hale’s comment gives me the impression that there’s something he isn’t telling me. “Kady also works atTheValley Voicewith Calder. She’s a reporter.”
It’s hard not to squirm. I’m not used to people paying me so much attention. My father doesn’t pay any interest to mystudies or extracurriculars. He sees them as more of a hobby, not something to be taken too seriously.
“Brains as well as beauty.” Winnie lays her palm on her chest. “You have it all. It’s good that you have your own interests. It was different in my day. Few colleges accepted omegas. All my family wanted was for me to find an alpha.”
“It was their loss, Winnie.” Nick’s gaze softens. “You’ve always been the smartest person in the room.”
“All I’m saying is that I feel like I wasted some of my potential.” She stabs a spear of asparagus. “I’m grateful that I found Nick, obviously. A good man.” She leans over and squeezes his arm. “I raised Hale to respect women. I trust Hale’s treating you well?”
“He is,” I reply.
“Well, I’m glad he doesn’t seem to be working all the time.” Winnie looks over at her son. “All work and no play is not healthy for a man your age, Hale.”
“He loves his work, Winnie.” Hale’s dad sounds proud before he begins coughing. He manages to take a few sips of water, collecting himself before adding, “Running the family company just like I did.”
I almost choke on my mouthful as my head whips to face Hale. “Running the company?”
“I started Valen Enterprises when I was Hale’s age.” Nick looks wistful, like he’s remembering that time, a breathiness to his voice. “I built it from the ground up, turning it into the mega corporation it is today. It was the proudest moment of my life when my Hale took it over.”
Valen Enterprises?
Hale looks sheepish, shoveling a mouthful of food into his mouth. I shoot a pointed glance at him but keep my mouth shut. From his expression, he clearly doesn’t want me to ask any questions.
I’ve heard of Valen Enterprises. In fact, my own father uses them regularly. It must be a multi-million-dollar company, at least. If my dad were sick, there’s no way he’d entrust his business to me, so it says a lot about how much faith Nick has in his son.
More to the point, I’m shocked that I didn’t even have the sense to do a quick internet search of Hale’s name. That would usually be the first thing I’d do, but my investigative instincts have been thwarted by recent distractions.
“Kady doesn’t want us to bore our ears off.” Winnie laughs. “How are you getting on with the rest of the pack, Kady?”
“Good,” I reply, still reeling from Nick’s revelation. “Riven and I went stargazing last night.”
Winnie claps her hands together. “Ah, our Riven. Lovely boy. Always so sweet. He needs someone to bring him out of his shell.”
“He’s great,” I agree.
I listen as Hale and his parents talk. There’s a warm atmosphere around the table that makes me feel at home. Soon, I’m asking questions about Hale’s childhood and laughing at their funny tales. There are a few times when Nick struggles to eat, his jaw tensing in frustration when Hale or Winnie has to help him. An alpha losing some of his younger strength must be hard to deal with, but I love seeing how supportive Hale is.
My heart pangs. I never wanted to have a pack and catch feelings, but getting to know the real Hale makes it pretty damn hard not to. Seeing him care for his father, for animals, and his packmates. How can I keep my heart frozen when I practically melt into a puddle whenever I see him?
After we finish up eating, I help Winnie clear the table while Nick starts a passionate discussion about boxes, parcels, and freight.
“It’s really good to see you and Hale together,” Winnie says, filling the basin. I grab a towel to dry by hand. “When Nick got sick, Hale was always here. I thought he’d never leave. He took it hard, obviously. But when Dean Rivers reached out to Nick—he’s an old friend—about a job at SVU for Ezra, Hale couldn’t be parted from his pack. Even though we were the ones who told him about the role, Ezra still asked for my permission before accepting it. I’m glad they all went.” She dabs her eyes. “Sorry, listen to me blathering away. I’m sure you know all this.”
“That’s okay.” I take a wet plate from her. “My friend Sabs says it’s always better to say what’s on your mind than hold it in. Something I’m still trying to learn.”
“Is he doing okay?” She tilts her head toward the dining room. “Hale?”
“I think so.” I nod, although I don’t think I’m really the best qualified to answer that. “He seems to be keeping busy.”
She shakes her head. “Always so busy with work.”
“There is one thing…” I consider telling Winnie about how Hale misses working with animals, but I’m not sure it’s my place to say. “Forget it.”
She turns off the water, giving me her full attention. “What is it, Kady? You can talk to me.”
I sigh, deciding that I have nothing to lose. “I think he misses his veterinary studies. That’s all.”
“Of course, he does.” Winnie’s eyes grow misty, turning the water back on and scrubbing a plate particularly hard. “You know, I never thought that he’d actually take over Valen Enterprises. Ever since Hale was a little boy, he was always bringing animals home. Once, he spent weeks nursing a bird with a broken wing back to health. He couldn’t have been more than eight or nine at the time.”
