Chapter Twenty-Three
Seth
We made the choice. We would be staying with Indy’s herd, and my father was going to have to deal with it. Our shimmer was very close to their lands, but we had to choose a home and were going to put family first, no matter what that meant.
I was prepared to tell my father that he’d have no choice but to let my nephew be next in line.
Indy’s herd was less rigid, more easy-going, and that seemed a better choice for our family.
His father was very happy to have me as his son’s mate and while I would not be herd alpha, I never wanted that job anyway.
I did love the idea of being able to help the herd grow and improve.
My skills at everything that would take were strong, thanks to my father, which made me feel a little guilty and maybe slightly sad.
But the thing was, when I visited and told my father where we would live and that I understood I was giving up my position as heir, he would hear none of it. “I’m not letting you abdicate your responsibilities. It’s just not done.”
“But I won’t live here.”
“You’ll have access to the alpha house and be able to stay anytime you want or need to. Unless you’d rather have another home on the lands.”
“Father, my mate will be alpha of his herd and I will have responsibilities from there.”
“Yes, and I presume your mate will take care of his here, too. You can live your life any way you want that doesn’t violate the rules.”
“There is not one that says I have to live on the land and not be anyone else’s pack rulership?”
“Not that I’ve ever seen. You found an omega, fathered an heir or heirs, and yeah. Good job. It was all I ever asked of you.”
I flung my head back, praying for strength. “If it would always have been okay for us to have each other as long as we had an omega too, why didn’t you say so?”
“Because you have to learn some things for yourself. Especially since you’ll be taking over the shimmer one day. And don’t think it’s that far in the future. I have no desire to do this job until I die. That’s not a rule either.”
“Where do I find these rules?” For some reason, I’d thought most of them were just carried down from generation to generation by the bards. “Because I suspect that as alpha, I’m going to need to know them.”
I’d also been assuming I would no longer be alpha, and that had been less of a relief than I’d expected. I loved the lands, and although my nephew was a fine young steed and would no doubt do a good job for the shimmer, I kind of hated giving up being alpha. Who knew?
“So, I’m still it.”
“You’ve always been it. I’ve been training you since you were born. Why would I waste all that effort.”
“Not to mention breaking the rules.”
He grinned, something I couldn’t remember seeing before. “And that.”
I’d brought my mates with me, and they were just coming back from a run in the woods when we emerged. Over dinner, my father asked Bram, “What does your father have to say about all this?”
Bram’s cheeks flamed. “I haven’t…that is…it hasn’t been the right time.”
“Well, we can remedy that right now. Let’s go to my office and video chat with the wolf.
It’s time I met my son’s father-in-law.” He’d of course known Indy’s family for years.
“In fact, let’s get your fathers over here for dessert and then we’ll have a real family get-together. Maybe he’d like to come visit.”
My omega dad was all in, hurrying to the kitchen to make sure there would be enough dessert for everyone.
Bram went from embarrassed to mild panic in seconds, but I leaned over and said, “This is very good. The best.” Indy’s and my parents would do what we might not be able to. A fact proven after the chocolate mousse cups were cleared away and we all took our after-dinner espressos into the office.
I was a little nervous myself, not because I didn’t think it would go well, but I’d never met my father-in-law either.
When he came onscreen, my nerves disappeared.
Mostly because Bram’s father was not scary.
We made quite a picture, I was sure. Both sets of alpha parents and our family all seated comfortably, sipping espresso—caffeine free in Bram’s case—and ready to chat.
He fawned and tried to win over our parents, but they were unimpressed and made it quite clear that he would gain nothing from this mating except more family members, if he chose to accept, and treat us all decently.
My father said all of this without actually saying any of it, and when Bram’s father stopped fawning and asked his son how his pregnancy was going, I knew we’d passed the crisis point.
And then we got to see the father that our omega loved and missed.
My eyes filled with tears, and I spotted Indy wiping at his as well.
Bram’s father was anything but perfect, but the love was there.
It was hard to forgive what he’d put him through, but sometimes with family, exceptions had to be made.
With caution. Our parents had shown a strength that made it clear he’d better be on his best behavior.
When we disconnected, Bram was so happy that I hugged my father, surprising the heck out of him. “Thank you.”
“Just doing my job.” He patted my back awkwardly. “Bram is family now.”
And the rules probably said we had to take care of family. But I didn’t care why he did it. Only that he did.
“You’ve just gotten yourself an extra visit a month from your grandchild,” I promised.
“That’s a good deal.”