32. Noah #2
Rebuilding my relationship with my father would take time and effort from both of us. For now, I focused on the warmth of my mother’s presence and the knowledge that, despite our differences, my family would always stand with me.
“I love you.” I pulled her into a gentle hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
She gave my hand a gentle squeeze, her eyes shining with understanding. “Give it time. Your father will come around. Just focus on getting better and leading the pack the way you know is right.”
With a final hug and a promise to visit again soon, my mother left, and I was alone with my thoughts. As I lay back against the pillows, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the road ahead would be filled with obstacles I had yet to face.
A knock at the door jolted me from my brooding thoughts. Kyler stepped inside, a wry grin on his face as he held up my phone. “Figured you might need this.”
I took the phone from him before leaning back against the stiff hospital pillows. “Thanks. How are the kids doing?”
Kyler sat in the chair beside my bed, his expression morphing into something serious. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. With everything going on with George, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to send them to that bout next weekend.”
Damn. Ky had a point, but pulling the kids now would crush them. They’d been training their asses off. Before I could respond, there was another knock on the door.
The door swung open, and Mike Cortana strode in. I tensed, my eyes narrowing as I took in the grizzled older shifter. What the hell was my father’s beta doing here?
“Noah,” Mike said gruffly. “Just wanted to check in, see how you’re holding up. I know firsthand what that bastard George is capable of.” He gestured to a faded scar on his forehead.
I kept my expression guarded. Mike had always been loyal to my old man. Him showing up now, when my father had just left, set my instincts on edge. What game was my father playing?
“I’m fine.” The last thing I needed was my father sending his lackeys to keep tabs on me. “Is that all?”
Mike held up his hands. “Easy, kid. I’m on your side. If you need anything, someone to talk to who gets it, I’m here.” His gruff tone softened a fraction. “Being alpha ain’t easy, especially with everything on your plate.”
I met his gaze, trying to figure out his true intentions. Perhaps I was being paranoid. Mike had watched me grow up. I’d known him for as long as I was alive. But I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not now. Not with so much at stake.
I gave Mike a hard stare. “Cut the bullshit, Mike. Why are you really here?”
Kyler shifted beside me, moving to stand. “I should probably?—”
“Stay,” I said. Whatever this was about, I wanted Ky here. I trusted him to have my back.
Mike sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his weathered face. “All right, straight to it, then. I ran into your old man. He asked me to talk some sense into you.”
I bit back my growl. Of course he had. “About what, exactly?”
“He’s worried you’re putting that girl Zoey above the pack. That you’re not focused on what really matters now that you’re alpha.” Mike’s words were blunt, but his eyes held a glimmer of sympathy. “It’s not a good look, kid. Not this early on in your rule.”
White-hot anger surged through me. How dare he? How dare my father question my commitment, my priorities? I’d given up everything for this pack. For him.
“Get out,” I said through clenched teeth. “And tell my father that if he wants to talk, he can damn well do it himself. I don’t need his middleman.”
Mike held my gaze for a long moment before nodding slowly. “I’ll pass along the message.” He walked to the door, then paused. “For what it’s worth, Noah? I think you’re doing all right, considering.”
Then he was gone, and I was seething. Ky stared at me as if expecting me to sprout fur in the middle of the hospital bed. “You good, man?”
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my temper. I couldn’t afford to lose control. Too much depended on me keeping a level head.
“Yeah,” I finally said. “I’m good. But we need to talk about the kids, about keeping them safe. I won’t let George hurt anyone else. Not on my watch.”
Kyler hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Look, Noah, I know I’m not a wolf. I don’t fully understand all this pack stuff. But do you think your relationship with Zoey might affect the way you lead? I mean, your dad seems to think?—”
“I don’t give a fuck what my father thinks.” I instantly regretted my harsh tone when Ky flinched. “I’m sorry, Ky. Zoey’s my fated mate. Giving up on her isn’t an option. It never will be.”
Kyler chewed his lip. “I get that, man. I do. But what about the pack? They need you, too.”
“And they’ll have me,” I said firmly. “My relationship with Zoey won’t change that. I made an oath, Ky, to be the best fucking alpha I can be. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.”
I stood up slowly, ignoring the twinge of pain in my abdomen as I paced the room as my mind raced.
“My father may not like the way I’m handling things, but that’s his problem.
He gave Zoey the pack’s protection. I stood up to challenge George through the proper channels.
He couldn’t do it, so I did. And now I’m alpha.
” I stopped, turning to face Kyler once more.
“I won’t be guilted into choosing between my integrity and my father’s embarrassment.
He’s not going to pull my strings, Ky. Not anymore. ”
Kyler leaned back in the chair, arms crossed.
“The way I see it, Noah, you’ve lost everything you loved to become alpha of the pack.
A position that, until recently, you weren’t even sure you wanted.
” He studied me for a moment. “Won’t you start to resent Zoey?
Blame her for being pushed into a role you didn’t want? ”
I froze, his question hitting me like a physical blow. The room fell silent except for the steady beep of the monitor.
Finally, I spoke. “After Nate’s death, I knew I would have to assume the role of the alpha.
Did I think I was going to go straight into the role as soon as I came home?
No. I assumed I’d have a year or two to devote to establishing the gym and working with my father to learn the intricacies of the role.
Zoey... Zoey accelerated the timeline. I’d never resent her.
Never.” I turned to face him. “Fated mates, Ky. It’s like two puzzle pieces perfectly designed to fit together.
They share a unique compatibility that makes them destined to be together.
And for a shifter to deny their fated mate? It’s not something you can do lightly.”
Kyler’s lips pressed into a thin line. “But what about Zoey? Don’t you think she deserves to know? She’s been through so much already. Is it fair to put that kind of pressure on her?”
“No, it’s not. And I don’t plan on telling her. Not yet, anyway.” I shuffled to the window and stared out at the bustling city below. “She deserves to know, but only when George is off her back. I won’t make her feel trapped. Not like he did.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy with the weight of unspoken fears and uncertainties. Kyler was just looking out for me, and for Zoey. But he didn’t understand the pull of a fated mate, the undeniable connection that went beyond logic or reason.
I turned back to face him, my jaw set. “I won’t hurt her. Quite the opposite. If it’s up to me, George James will never hurt anyone again.”
“All right. I trust you.” Kyler rose and moved to stand beside me. “But if you ever need to talk, or if you think Ro could benefit from speaking to someone who’s been in a similar situation, I’m here. Always.”
I clasped his shoulder, a silent “thank you” passing between us. “I know, Ky. I know.”
As we stood side by side, the weight of our shared history and the challenges that lay ahead settled over us like a heavy fog.
Kyler was right to be cautious, to question the potential impact on Zoey.
But deep down, I continued to remind myself that our connection was meant to be, that the universe had brought us together for a reason.
I leaned against the hospital bed, and with Ky’s help, I slowly got back in. Ky was right, of course. Zoey deserved to know the truth about our connection, about the unbreakable bond we shared as fated mates. But the timing had to be perfect.
Kyler and I sat in silence, lost in our own thoughts. I could see the pain behind his eyes, presumably as his memories of his own mother’s toxic relationship resurfaced. It was a wound that never fully healed, but it had shaped him into the man he had become.
“About the boxing match,” I said, breaking the tense stillness, “I don’t think we should cancel it.”
Kyler’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you sure? With everything going on...”
I shook my head. “The kids have put in too much work, and they’re looking forward to it. We can’t punish them for something that’s out of their control.”
“But what about George? What if he tries something?”
“We’ll just have to be vigilant,” I replied. “Keep an eye out for any signs of him or his men. But we can’t let fear dictate our lives. We have to keep moving forward. Besides, I don’t think he’d try anything with the kids.”
Kyler squinted and scuffed his toe against the baseboard. “You’re right. We’ll make it work.”
“There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” I shifted around the bed to get more comfortable. “With my new responsibilities as alpha, I might not be able to spend as much time at the gym.”
“Do you think we should hire someone else to work with your clients?” Kyler asked.
“The budget won’t cover it right now, especially with Carla taking on the self-defense classes and the aerobics and spin sessions.”
“So what’s the plan?”