Nico wasn’t ready to tell his father about his relationship with Mackenzie, and not only because Mackenzie was human and related to Jerome.He was afraid his father would see any relationship as a distraction.He wouldn’t forbid Nico from having one, but he wouldn’t be happy, and Nico didn’t want to make his father unhappy, especially in times like these.He wanted his father to know that he was doing everything he could to become a good alpha.
Nico stayed nervous the entire time his father drove.He continued glancing out the window, then looking down at the phone in his hand.He had a decision to make.
In the end, he didn’t have time to make it.When they reached fox territory, his father told him to put his phone away.They had work to do, and they got right to it when they reached Jerome’s house.It was like Jerome was possessed by the spirit of Nico’s father, or maybe he was just more similar to him than Nico had ever realized.It wasn’t like he’d ever spent a lot of time with Jerome.
He did that afternoon.Jerome was welcoming and had no problem working with Nico.It was fascinating to watch two alphas work together, and it made Nico wonder if he and Jerome’s son would ever do the same.He had to believe they would.He didn’t know Galen well, but they were both going to be alphas one day.
Nico didn’t understand why his father had wanted to drive all the way here because the longer he listened to the conversation, the more he believed it could’ve been said by email or a phone call, but his father had always been hands-on.He still took notes with pen and paper instead of using his phone.
“It was good to have you here for the afternoon,” Jerome said as he walked them to the front door.“Us alphas have been distant for far too long.We allowed our differences to take over, but we shouldn’t have.It led to the situation we now have with Silas.It wouldn’t have happened if we’d been able to work together sooner and stopped him.”
“Hopefully, that won’t be a problem anymore,” Nico’s father said as the front door opened.
Nico thought it would be Jerome’s son, or maybe his wife, but it wasn’t.Mackenzie walked in, a smile on his face as he looked down at his phone.He glanced up and saw Jerome.“Hey, you said you wanted to talk to me,” he said before his gaze slid to Nico’s father, then to Nico himself.
Nico froze.He and Mackenzie stared at each other for a moment, and Nico quickly shook his head, hoping Mackenzie would understand that he shouldn’t say anything.Mackenzie hesitated, and Nico wondered what was going through his mind.
“Yes,” Jerome said with an easy smile.“I just wanted to check in on you.This is Dan, the bobcat alpha, and his son, Nico.”
Mackenzie gave them a tense nod.“Good to meet you.”
“You can wait for me in the kitchen,” Jerome continued.“I’ll walk them out and be right with you.”
Mackenzie looked at Nico one last time before nodding again and disappearing down the hallway.Nico watched him go, only half listening to the conversation his father and Jerome were having.This wasn’t how he’d wanted Mackenzie to find out, dammit.He should have taken his brother’s advice and talked to Mackenzie, but he’d been enjoying their time together too much.He hadn’t wanted anything to change between them.
And now, it was too late.Things woulddefinitelychange.Mackenzie knew that Nico’s father was an alpha, and he could probably guess that it meant that Nico would be alpha after him.Nico needed to apologize.He needed to talk to Mackenzie.He’d promised his father he’d stop sneaking out, but he felt like this time, he didn’t have a choice.He needed to get to Mackenzie as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, there was a good chance it still wouldn’t be soon enough—and that it was already too late.
* * * *
MACKENZIE WASN’T SURPRISEDby the knock on his door later that evening.In fact, he’d been expecting it.Nico had been sneaking out of the house he shared with his parents to visit Mackenzie at night, and Mackenzie hadn’t thought much about it except wondering why Nico had to sneak out since he was an adult—a young one, but an adult nonetheless.
Maybe he wastooyoung for Mackenzie.He’d been hiding something pretty big, and Mackenzie was confused.He wasn’t angry, but hewashurt, and he had questions.He was glad that Nico wouldn’t try to get out of answering them.Mackenzie would have caught him eventually if he had.
He went to open.For a second, he and Nico stared at each other.Nico’s eyes were wide, and his hands shook slightly.He looked terrified, and Mackenzie didn’t want him to feel that way.
He stepped aside to let Nico inside the house.“I’m not going to yell at you,” he said.“And I’m not breaking up with you.”
Nico’s shoulders slumped.“You’re not?”
“No.I wish you’d told me who you were, and I’m hurt that you didn’t, but I’m not going to assume I understand why you didn’t.I don’t know much about shifters and their politics.I just know that you being an alpha’s son means something to shifters, probably something big considering the way Jerome is treated, so I’m willing to listen to what you have to say.”
Nico started pacing the living room.Mackenzie leaned against the doorframe, willing to give Nico some space.This was clearly hard for him to talk about, and even though Mackenzie wanted to know, he didn’t want to push.
“So, you found out that I’m the future bobcat alpha,” Nico eventually said.“Initially, I didn’t tell you because my brother and I have always been treated differently because of that.Well, and because we’re carriers, and no one in the forest wanted a carrier alpha until recently.I think that a lot of people still don’t.But my brother was supposed to become the next alpha because he’s older than me by a few minutes, and that only changed recently.I’m still learning to deal with everything, and while I know I should’ve been honest with you, I just wanted to be Nico.”
“And you are,” Mackenzie murmured.
“Would I have been if I’d told you who I was that first day?”
Mackenzie couldn’t lie.“Probably not.Especially back then, I was intimidated by alphas.Jerome is easy to deal with, but I suspect that’s because he’s family.Jasper is the same, and he’s closer to my age, so he’s not as intimidating.Your father scares the hell out of me, though.”
Nico snickered.“Sometimes, he scares me, too.”
“Is that why you didn’t tell me?”
“No.My father would never hurt me or my brother.He loves us.He’s a serious and stoic man, but I’m sure of that.It’s just complicated.He wants me to become a good alpha, and he’s always been very focused on that role.He was the kind of father who spent more time working than with his family as I was growing up.I’ve been trying to play catch-up, and it hasn’t been easy.I don’t want to disappoint him.”
