Page 64 of Half Wolf Mate
I remained quiet. Partly because I was stunned and speechless and partly because I wracked my brain for a clue of what my father could have possibly done. He was a good alpha, a good man. He was always level-headed and fair.
“What do you think my father did?”
Adam’s dark eyes narrowed to slits. “He failed to protect my mother. The righteous bastard banished her from his pack and left her vulnerable to hunters. One hunter in particular. Your father’s actions led to the death of Sophia Elliot, but it was her hunter lover who took her life.”
My jaw slackened. “Did you say, Sophia Elliot?”
“Yes. And I won’t rest until I find the man who killed her. I resented you for what your father and your entire pack did.” Adam took a drink and shrugged. “But maybe it wasn’t fair of me to take my anger out on you. You’re not completely awful. I mean, you can’t be. If a sweet girl like Sydney cares for you, you must be alright.”
“Gee, thanks,” I muttered, mildly amused. My brain worked to process everything Adam told me. “Sophia Elliot was Sydney’s mother. So, you’re her…”
He nodded.
“That explains why you’re here,” I said. The jealous monster inside me retreated to its corner.
He sat back and exhaled loudly. “I tried not to care about her problems, but here I am.”
I gazed at Adam with growing curiosity. So, he wasn’t the man I thought he was. Adam Blackwell might very well be a standup guy. “So, as soon as you find the man who killed your mother, you’re leaving your pack?” I asked.
“That’s right. Once I’ve used them to get what I want, I’m stepping down as Alpha to leave those miscreants to their own devices.”
Stroking my chin thoughtfully, I suggested, “Or you could step up, take your position as an Alpha seriously and change things. Lead the Blood Claws in the right direction.”
Adam’s lips curled in disgust. “We don’t all desire to wear a superhero cape like you, Grayson.”
I snorted my amusement. I’d never seen myself as any kind of hero.
Chapter 27 Sydney
Everyone had left, leaving just me and Cole at his apartment. Hours after being attacked, injured, kidnapped—sort of—and discovering I carried an Alpha’s child, I was exhausted. Yet, sleep eluded me. Pacing in front of the window, I silently practiced my speech on how to tell Cole I was pregnant.
I had wanted to tell him as soon as the others left, but he insisted on me resting. He made me a late dinner and then ordered me to rest. When I told him I had something important to tell him, he said I looked tired enough to keel over, and he’d feel better if I got some sleep. So, we’d talk in the morning. It was sweet that he cared. I held on to that knowledge, knowing it would change in a few hours.
Cole was going to flip when I revealed his pack was plotting against him because of me and that I was pregnant. He’d probably go back to hating me. My heart dropped at the thought. Wiping a hand over my face, I sighed heavily and stopped pacing to stare out the window.
“Well, it was good while it lasted, I guess,” I muttered. Cole never verbalized loving or liking me, but his actions over the last few months spoke volumes. He’d warmed up to me, and that was about to be ruined. At least now I knew I had Adam to lean on.
We hadn’t exactly bonded in the short time we discovered we were related, but he promised to help me if Cole kicked me out of his life.
“I never should have gotten so attached to him.”
“Attached to who?”
Cole’s voice coming from the doorway made me gasp. Spinning around, I winced when I inadvertently put too much pressure on my leg.
He scowled. “Hey, you’re supposed to be resting that leg.”
Glancing down at my bandaged leg, I shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Whatever Macy put on the wound worked magic. I’m barely in any pain. I bet it was some super cool witchy concoction.”
His lips curled into a small smile, and I couldn’t help staring. He was a different person at home. He was more relaxed. The formidable air around him was less intense. “She does that for me a lot…help me with her cool witchy concoctions. I owe her one.”
I nodded. Having a better understanding of his relationship with Macy, I knew they helped each other out often, and they were just friends. I no longer felt that wave of jealousy when I thought about them together. “I owe her one too. I think whatever she put on my wound is accelerating the healing process, kind of like amping up my ability to heal as fast as a full shifter would.”
Cole studied me as he stepped further into the room. “She’s a natural healer. So, I heard you talking to yourself. Who shouldn’t you have gotten attached to?”
Heat engulfed my face and spread to my neck. “Er…” My eyes darted around the room. How embarrassing would it be if I admitted to getting stuck on him like a lost, needy puppy? “No one.”
He stepped into the room and slowly advanced until he towered over me. He was so close I felt the heat of his body, and I was tempted to lean into him.