Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Tucker
One month later
I could feel someone watching me, their eyes drilling a hole in the back of my head. But I didn’t stop what I was doing, just continued bringing the hammer down on the slab of wood that was making up the new addition to Mia’s cabin—and now mine, since I’d moved in after the mating.
I’d gladly—happily—given up my place and moved in with her, not wanting my mate to have to change her way of living now that we were together. I would’ve gone anywhere for her. She was the sole reason I survived now, and I was willing to do whatever it took to ensure she always stayed happy.
I finished hammering the nail I was working on and got up from my crouched position, set the tool down on my worktable, and looked over my shoulder. Although I knew who was watching me. There was no denying the heavy feel of the Alpha’s gaze when it was directed right at you.
“Aidan,” I said in greeting, keeping my voice light—although void of emotion.
I hadn’t spoken to or interacted with him since the celebration in the longhouse. He’d kept his distance from me for the last month, which was a pretty incredible feat, given the fact that I was his Beta, and our pack was a close-knit community. But he clearly hadn’t wanted another—almost—altercation, and I was pretty sure his distance was because he wanted to come to terms with everything that happened.
Aidan seeking me out today could either be a good thing—that he accepted what was happening and he wouldn’t put up a fight—or it would end very badly with him saying, after thinking about it, that he couldn’t give his blessing.
Of course I didn’t need his fucking blessing. I was already mated to Mia, and she wore my mark. I would never give her up.
Not even with the Alpha’s order.
He was silent, which led me to believe this wasn’t a pleasant visit. So I stood there, said nothing, and waited for him to say whatever it was he wanted to get off his chest and make the point of his visit known.
When the awkwardness persisted, I ran a hand over the back of my neck and figured I’d break the ice. It was the least I could do, seeing as we were connected as family now, even more than we were as a pack. I snorted at that thought. Who would have ever fucking thought Aidan would have been my father-in-law? Well, in the human sense, that was.
“Mia isn’t home,” I said flatly, wanting nothing more than to keep my trap shut and let him be the one to break this weird tension that was now formed between us.
Besides, I assumed that’s why he was here. Doubtful he’d come to speak to me, since he’d made it plain as day he still wasn’t okay with things, no matter what he’d told Mia last month in front of the whole pack.
Although he didn’t stop us from being together, he wasn’t 100 percent on board either.
But even if Aiden and I might not be on good terms at the moment, he was still my Alpha, I was still his second-in-command, and despite our differences, I’d still give my life for his if need be.
But I wouldn’t be disrespected in my own home, and I wouldn’t be told that I couldn’t be with my female.
I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for him to say something. Anything.
“I know she isn’t here. I didn’t come by for her.”
I didn’t respond to that, just waited for the other shoe to drop.
He looked over my shoulder at the construction I was doing. “I know she went into town with a few of the other females. Shopping, I heard.”
Although I felt antsy with her being away from my side, damn near neurotic that she was in town without me there to protect her, I didn’t want to be an overbearing male and demand she stay or I go with her. She’d gone with a group of pack friends, had been checking in with me to ease my overprotective, possessive shifter ass, and I was trying to stay busy and keep my mind off my worry for my mate by working with my hands.
“We got a big contract from a few businesses in town,” he finally said, and I focused on him again and less on my protective side for Mia.
I felt my eyebrows rise that he’d come all the way out here just for that. He could have easily told me this at a council meeting, which the monthly one was due to be held in a few days. Hell, he could have called me, even taken Mia up on the offer of coming over and having dinner with us.
And that’s where a lot of my anger was stemming from. Aidan was hurting Mia, albeit not intentionally. I knew he’d never do it on purpose. But him pushing her away to come to terms with this was cutting her deep. And that had my wolf pacing and snarling in possessive need to keep her safe and close.
“They want some custom furniture. Timeframe is about three months, but you’re one of the best carpenters in the pack, and I wanted to offer one of the spots to you?—”
“Did you really offer me the position because you think that, or are you extending an olive branch simply because I’m mated to Mia?” Maybe I was putting my foot in my mouth by throwing this in his face, but as much as I wanted things to work out between Aidan and me, and as much as I wanted him to be okay with me mating Mia—for her sake—I just didn’t care if he approved one way or another.
Because she was it for me. My priority, the one thing in my life to cherish above all else. Nothing else mattered, not even an approval I didn’t need.
But on the heels of that thought, I knew my mate wanted her father to be okay with all this, and because her happiness was mine... I wanted that too.
So waging wars moved within me—anger toward Aidan for making Mia unsure and upset that she’d angered him somehow, and possessiveness to keep her close and away from anyone who made her feel that way.
Aidan exhaled almost wearily, looking at the ground, and for long seconds, nothing was said, and neither of us moved.
“I didn’t come here to fight,” he finally said and glanced up at me. “And I didn’t come here about the job offer either. Not really.” He exhaled and ran a hand over his jaw, staring at the construction behind me again. “I came here to make amends.”
He locked eyes with me once more, and at hearing those words, some of my strain eased. I took a less aggressive stance, uncoiled my arms from my chest, and nodded slowly. But still I said nothing.
“For the last month, I've been doing a lot of thinking. A lot. I realized that my anger over her mating with you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. I want my daughter to be happy. She’s the only light in my life. And you’re a male of worth, the only male I’d fully trust her life with.” He scrubbed a hand over his jaw again and looked away, as if he couldn’t look at my face anymore. “I trust every person in this pack, but as my Beta, you’re different, Tucker.”
I felt my throat tighten at his words. We weren’t just packmates. We weren’t just Alpha and Beta. I’d looked at Aidan as a brother of sorts. We had each other’s back more times than I could count.
So maybe me keeping my mating connection with Mia secret for as long as I did hadn’t been the right move. Maybe I should have been honest with him and trusted that we could have worked this all out. But I hadn’t, and I’d been part of this problem too.
“This doesn’t all fall on you.”
He looked at me then and nodded. “You should have told me right away. You should have trusted me.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he pressed forward. “But I know why you didn’t. I understand the fear of conflict and that I’d keep you from her.”
A thick, uncomfortable silence passed between us.
“After my mate died, I knew I’d forever be alone if anything happened to Mia. I knew I’d never live if she too was taken from me. I guess I pushed all that fear on to her and you, and that wasn’t fair. It’s my issues that caused everything after that, my need to not let her go.”
He took a step closer, and I straightened. I didn’t sense any malice from him, but I was instinctively on alert.
“I meant what I said back at that celebration. I meant it when I said if anyone was to mate with my daughter, I wouldn’t have wanted any other male but you to be by her side.” He held his hand out, and I stared at it for a moment. “You don’t need nor want my blessing, but you have it. Wholeheartedly. I want the best for you two, and I’m too tired to let my inner demons bring me—or you two—down anymore.”
We clasped forearms, and I felt a strange welling of emotion claim me. This wasn’t the kind I felt with Mia, the rush of pure feelings that a mate had for his other half. This was emotions of a bond I hadn’t known I’d been missing until this point.
“I’ve used the love I have for Mia as a crutch to deal with the pain I buried deep.” I felt his fingers tighten around my forearm. “I’m ready to move on. Finally.”
My chest felt tight, and before I knew what I was doing, I pulled Aidan into an embrace and felt all the pent-up emotions the Alpha of the Black Wolf Pack had been hiding. It was this violent wave of despair and darkness, hopelessness and fear. And it nearly took me to my knees.
And then I scented an aroma I hadn’t smelled in nineteen years. It was the scent of Aidan’s wolf. It was the scent of the male I saw as a brother, the wolf who’d run beside me before we had mates or been leaders of the pack.
It was a scent I’d forgotten until this moment.
I pulled back and grinned, and judging by his expression, he smelled that familiar scent coming from himself as well.
“Welcome back, brother.” And I meant that. With my whole heart.
Things were just as they were supposed to be. Finally.