Page 56 of Half Wolf Mate
My jaw dropped. “No…” I shook my head. “My father is dead.”
“What makes you so sure? You said you were two when you were taken in by a human. Did anyone ever find his body? They sure as hell found my mother’s, so she’s dead for sure.”
“Our mother,” I corrected. “My aunt told me my father died along with Sophia.”
Adam snorted and rolled his eyes. “You were told? Sophia was the only one confirmed dead. Her body was the only one found.”
He probably thought I was a naïve fool. Shit. Could he be right? My heart stuttered. Could Benjamin really be my father? It seemed far-fetched. The man and I were face-to-face weeks ago, and he never said anything. I replayed our interaction in my mind.
There was a moment when his behavior seemed strange. He stared at me as if he recognized me. But I’d passed it off as me simply reminding him of someone else he knew. “You’re wrong; my father didn’t kill Sophia.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “How do you know?”
“He loved her. I’ve read his letters to her. He would have never hurt her. There’s no way Benjamin is my father.”
Adam laughed. “Do you hear yourself? You’re betting on letters? He’s a hunter. He probably befriended her just to get close enough to take her out. Hunters are vicious, conniving sons of bitches.”
I was at a loss for words because my brain was still trying to process the possibility of my father being alive—and I met him. “Okay, let’s not dwell on that right now. On the bright side, we’re siblings. I’ve always wanted—”
“That’s not a certainty, and I don’t need any more siblings. I’ve got plenty. My father took procreating for a sport.”
My shoulders drooped. Being rejected from all directions was a bummer. My mate couldn’t claim me, and I found a brother who had no desire to claim me either. “Right. I guess I jumped the gun. I mean, we don’t have concrete proof, just coinciding stories about our mothers.” I tamped down my excitement about a brother. “I should go. I need to get back to Cole’s.”
Adam gazed at me for a moment, then sighed. “Look, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn’t.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
I averted my gaze. “Whatever. Are you going to let me go or what? I have some things to figure out.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “What things?”
“None of your business.”
His gaze narrowed. “You’re not going anywhere. I know you can help me find Benjamin.”
I threw my arms up. “How? You claim he could be my father, but for the last time, I don’t know him.”
“He’s obviously interested in you, so I’m going to use you to draw him out.”
I scoffed. “You want to use me as a pawn?”
“That’s right…sis.”
His mocking tone made me want to throw something at him. “Don’t call me that. You just said you’re not interested in another sibling.”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be dramatic. You’re staying here until I get Benjamin.”
“Now, I’m really your prisoner,” I grumbled. “I’ve heard some members of your pack are whack jobs. I won’t feel safe staying here.” I felt mostly safe with Adam because he hadn’t done anything to hurt me. I didn’t know if the rest of his group was as decent as he was.
“Cole has been bad-mouthing my pack, huh?”
I shrugged. “Your reputation isn’t stellar around here.”
He sighed. “Cole is right. My pack is a bunch of assholes with no regard for rules or common decency. Most of them are monsters.”
I gazed at him, wondering why he sounded so disgusted. “You’re their Alpha…”