“You’ve been focused on Jasper.”
That gave Dean pause.“I have been, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about what will happen next.I’m not leaving the forest.This is my home now, and it’s where my child will grow up.I thought you and the rest of the family had agreed to move?”
“I didn’t realize this place would be so dangerous.”
Dean shook his head.“It’s not.”
“Your boyfriend got stabbed, Dean.Hell, you and your team are herebecausethis place is dangerous.”
“We’re here because the human authorities are prejudiced against shifters.We’re here because one asshole is ruining everyone’s lives, but that’s not going to last forever.Silas will be stopped.”
“I hope you’re right, but in the meantime, you should protect yourself.”
“Which is something I can do better than you can protect yourself, remember?I was trained for this.”
Mackenzie didn’t want to fight with his brother.He understood where Dean was coming from, but at the same time, he thought that Dean wasn’t thinking clearly.
It made sense.He didn’t want to leave his baby’s father.He was in love with Jasper, so of course he wanted to be close to him.Was it the best thing he could do, though?
Something told Mackenzie that his brother wouldn’t listen.He’d made his decision.It didn’t matter how hard Mackenzie tried to convince him otherwise.Dean was sticking around, and that was that.Mackenzie would have to deal with it, and clearly, he needed to make his own decision when it came to moving to the forest.
Initially, he’d been almost eager to.After he’d learned what had happened to Jasper, he’d been more hesitant.It felt too dangerous, especially considering how vulnerable he was compared to shifters.
But Dean wasn’t going anywhere.That meant that Mackenzie wasn’t, either.They were family, and they stuck together.
Hopefully, that didn’t mean that Mackenzie was going to get stabbed, too.
* * * *
WHEN NICO GLANCED DOWNat his phone as it vibrated, he was surprised to see Mackenzie’s name on the screen.It was a pleasant surprise, but considering he was with his father right now, it was also slightly awkward.
If he answered in front of his father, his father would have questions.He’d be curious because Nico was his son, so of course he wanted to know who Nico was friends with.Even more likely, he’d assume it was Chris and might want to talk to him, and Nico would have to tell him that the call had nothing to do with his brother.No, it would be better if his father didn’t find out about Mackenzie just yet.Nico wanted to keep Mackenzie to himself for a while.He didn’t want any of the complications that would come with him being friends with a human.
Not that his father would care.He didn’t have anything against humans or against Nico having friends.He’d just warn Nico to be careful and to think about the clowder and what his friendship with Mackenzie would mean for them, but Nico didn’t want to do that.For once, he wanted to think about himself.
It had always been hard for him and Chris to make friends.Not only were they carriers, but they were also the alpha’s sons.People were either intimidated by them or wanted to use them.
But Mackenzie didn’t know who Nico was.It made Nico feel guilty for not telling him, but at the same time, he was giddy.He didn’t want to keep secrets from his friend, but this was easier.
“I have to take this,” he told his father as he raised his phone.
His father frowned and gestured at him to leave the office.He was reading the latest report on Silas, so he was as distracted as he could be.
Nico quickly left the office, answering the phone as he ran up the stairs to his bedroom.“Hey,” he said, hoping Mackenzie wouldn’t realize how breathless he was.He needed to do more exercise if one set of stairs left him feeling like this.
“Hey.I’m not bothering you, am I?”
“I wouldn’t answer it if you were bothering me.What’s up?”
Mackenzie sighed.“I just had a fight with my brother.Well, it wasn’t really a fight.We argued, and honestly, I understand his point of view, but I feel he’s not considering mine.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”That had to be why Mackenzie had called, right?
Nico was touched that Mackenzie seemed to trust him enough to tell him about his family.It made him feel bad about not doing the same, but he would eventually.He just wanted a little time.
“I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t, but I trust you.See, the reason I asked you about carriers the day we met is that my brother had just found out that he was pregnant.We didn’t know it was possible since we’re both human.His boyfriend was also stabbed that day, so everything was a bit of a mess.”
Nico swallowed.He’d heard about Jasper getting stabbed.Jasper was an alpha, and even more important, he was Silas’s son.Silas hated him, though, and he wanted to retake his place as the skunks’ alpha.He and his supporters were ready to kill Jasper to obtain that.It was a miracle that Jasper had survived.
