23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Milo
Dad eyed Jeremy and me with confusion as Loren came with our food. The diner had been my idea for this talk, since we had no idea how Dad would react to it.
“Is everything okay?” Dad asked, once again eyeing us both with worry.
“Sort of,” Jeremy began, likely trying to find the correct words. “Milo and I talked through some things, and we ended up feeling confused. We figured you could help us understand better.”
“Of course, son. What troubles you?” Dad asked, seeming to think this was a father/son talk.
“Why did you keep me away from the pack as soon as Jeremy moved out?” I asked, getting right into it.
Dad frowned. “I didn’t keep you away. You chose to stay at home.”
“I wasn’t given a choice, Dad,” I reminded him, keeping my anger at bay.
“And I was told he didn’t want to come with you,” Jeremy continued. “But Milo said that wasn’t true at all.”
Dad sighed. “Boys, this was years ago. I can’t recall the exact words we exchanged.”
“Okay,” Jeremy shrugged. “Then let’s talk about how you’ve spoken to Milo lately.”
“I haven’t spoken to him any differently than before,” Dad argued, looking at me with confusion.
“You have,” Jeremy said, holding firm. “Even Darius has noticed it.”
“Then enlighten me,” Dad sighed, cutting into his steak. At least we could have this conversation somewhere he was clothed.
“You asked me why I couldn’t be more like Jeremy,” I said, proud of my even tone. “And you blamed me for things I hadn’t even done.”
Dad waved that off. “You should be more like Jeremy. I never have to worry about him like I do you.”
I bristled while Jeremy growled.
“You can’t talk to him like that!”
Dad sighed and put his cutlery back on the table. “If I don’t, Milo could end up hurt, Jeremy. I don’t want that.”
“Why on earth would I be hurt?” I questioned.
“Because Riley was!” Dad snapped.
His outburst had Jeremy and I sitting up straight and alert. He rarely raised his voice like that.
“Who’s Riley?” I dared ask.
“Wasn’t he your little brother?” Jeremy questioned.
Dad slumped back into his seat, looking dejected. “He was my youngest brother and he was determined to become alpha.”
“And?” I prodded. I’d never once heard about Riley, but I knew from the way Dad talked about him that he’d died.
“I was supposed to keep him safe at all times. It was my job. But he was so determined to show all of us that he could be alpha one day,” Dad explained.
I was about to ask what that had to do with me, but I held my tongue. This was the first time I’d ever seen Dad look so broken.
“Riley was attacked by a bear. Not a shifter, but a real one. He survived, but his shame over losing the battle had him leaving the pack. I haven’t seen him since.”
“So, he isn’t dead?” I blurted. I truly thought this would end with his brother dying or something.
“He very well might be dead. None of us have ever heard from him. When my parents died, your uncles and I decided that we should think of Riley as having passed, too. It was just easier than hoping that one day he’d show himself again.”
“But…what has that got to do with me?” I asked, feeling more confused than ever.
“You remind me of Riley. And I already lost one Riley, I couldn’t lose another one,” Dad whispered.
“And you think the way you’ve been treating Milo was for his benefit? For his safety? You never felt that maybe you should’ve been kinder to your son, instead of leaving him feeling unloved and unwanted?” Jeremy asked, breathing hard once he was done.
Dad shook his head. “It was never my intention to make Milo feel unloved.”
Jeremy slammed his hand on the table. “He was thinking of leaving the pack! You did that to him!”
Blinking, I felt a rush of pride, of gratitude, wash over me. Jeremy was defending me against Dad. His anger showing how much me leaving would’ve affected him.
Dad’s eyes widened and shot to me. “You were?”
Nodding, I explained, “I didn’t feel like I was wanted in the pack. When you picked Jeremy as alpha, I lost the one thing I had kept fighting for. It was hard figuring out what my purpose was, having never thought about an alternative before that day.”
“But I made sure you had lots of jobs to do within the pack,” Dad argued. “I even got you those seeds to help Mary out. I tried to come up with ways where you’d be happy.”
I scoffed. “No, you kept reminding me how I wasn’t Jeremy and you seemed determined to remind me as often as possible what a disappointment I am.”
“And,” Jeremy cut in. “You even did it in front of Darius, his mate. You’re so used to talking down to Milo that you don’t even realize how often you’re doing it.”
Dad seemed at a loss for words, so I continued. “You also accused me of sleeping with Silas after I found out Darius was my fated.”
“He did what?!” Jeremy shrieked.
I nodded. “That was why Darius threw him out of our house.”
“What the fuck, Dad?!” Jeremy exclaimed.
“Well, what else was I supposed to think?! He wasn’t mated to Darius even though I knew they were both aware they were fated. You had an easy time yourself with Cass who’s human. What other reason could there be for them not to mate?”
“See! Right there! You instantly thought I was the reason. If not for me cheating then what? Not once did you think Darius could be the reason.”
“Why would he be the reason? He’d known for over a year you were fated,” Dad argued, even though he looked to have given up.
My emotions had been through too much already and with my cold food in front of me, I realized I didn’t care anymore.
Whatever reason Dad had to compare me to his little brother made no sense to me.
If he felt guilty every time he looked at me and saw Riley, then that was his issue.
I’d never done anything to deserve that treatment, and now I was leaving.
I stood, giving a nod to Jeremy and then left.
My appetite gone and my mood soured. As I walked back to my old car, I wondered what I’d hoped to get out of talking to Dad.
I truly hadn’t thought this day would end with us having cleared the air like I’d done with Jeremy, but I was still disappointed as I drove home to Darius.
At least I had Jeremy in my corner.
“I’m just as confused as you are,” Jeremy sighed, sitting down on our couch.
I was currently snuggled up in Darius’ lap, content to stay there forever.
Jeremy had tried talking to Dad once I’d left.
Hearing how Dad had confessed he felt sick whenever he thought of Riley and that maybe that was his problem with me, I simply wished I could forget all about it.
“I just want to forget about today,” I mumbled against Darius, who hadn’t stopped his low growling since I’d gotten home, his instinct to protect me on overdrive.
“I tried to get him to elaborate,” Jeremy continued. “But he was acting like he truly didn’t understand what he’d done wrong.”
“Maybe he’s sick?” Darius said, his growling quieting for a moment. “Think about it. Why else would he want you as alpha already? And it isn’t as if he’s working at the vet every single day.”
“You think he would keep it a secret?” I asked Jeremy. He knew our father best.
“I mean, he could. I did wonder why he was in a hurry for me to take over, and of course, his joy of being a full-time vet.”
“But he isn’t,” I corrected. “He’s there maybe once a week, and that’s it. Maybe you’re onto something, Darius.”
“I don’t want to be right on this, but perhaps you should ask Nic. If he’s allowed to tell you, of course,” Darius suggested.
Nic would definitely know if Dad was sick, him being the only pack healer meant he knew everyone’s business.
I gave Jeremy my best puppy dog eyes and he groaned. “Fine. I’ll find Nic before I go home to Cass.” He stood and made a half-hearted wave as he let himself out.
“Let’s hope your dad is just a jerk,” Darius said, his tone so serious it made me laugh.
“We can only hope,” I agreed. “Now please carry me to bed. I want to be thoroughly claimed.”
Darius laughed. “It’ll be my absolute pleasure, baby.”