I watched as his face flushed with temper, but my wolf didn’t flinch. Not even when I felt the air between us heat as his beast stirred.
“You listen here, you disrespectful little shit. I don’t know when you got so high and mighty, thinkin’ you’re too good for your own family, but your place is at home. Your momma needs you—”
I wrinkled my nose. “What Mom needs is a husband who doesn’t rough her up every time he has a temper tantrum.” He opened his mouth, his expression angry, but I kept going. I’d held this shit in for too long. “What she needs is to not fear violence at the hands of the person who’s supposed to protect her from it. What she deserves is a man, not a monster.”
“You watch your fucking mouth right now, boy. You ain’t even livin’ here anymore. Haven’t been home for a damned decade, and you think you can talk like that to me?”
I could see the indignation in his splotchy face. Could hear it in his voice. It was a tone I’d heard before and one I knew meant nothing I said would get through to him. He was too pissed and full of himself to let my words sink in.
“You know what. Fuck it. I’m done with this. I’m done with you.”
“Like hell. We’re done when I say we’re done. I’m your elder.” His voice dropped as he added, “And since you like to think of yourself as a lone wolf, technically I’m your alpha.”
Like hell he was. I balled my hands into fists to keep my wolf from ripping into him right here.
“I have no alpha, and don’t you forget that.” The words tumbled out in a fit of fury, which only made him look more smug. Something in me snapped.
I got in his face. “I tried taking her with me, but she refused. Did you know that? I promised she’d never have to deal with you ever again. Never have another bruise or split lip from the person who is supposed to love her most in the world. She turned me down.”
I was trembling now. A few people had stopped across the street. No one dared speak to us or even pass by too close. I knew it, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Or look at them.
All I saw was him. His rage. His temper. His sorry excuse for being a father and a husband—and a wolf. It was all I could do not to kick his ass right here in the middle of town with half the Falls population watching.
“Your momma and I have an understanding,” he said gruffly. “She knows I don’t mean to hurt her, and when I do, I apologize for it. Ain’t none of this your business, anyway. It’s between a man and his wife. Damn disrespect is what this is.” He shook his head, huffed, and turned away.
My wolf wanted to rip his throat out.
The human in me would have settled for a sucker punch.
He stopped and turned back. “I take back my invitation. You stay away from us. A son who can’t respect his father is no son of mine.”
Ignoring his words, I said, “You let me hear of you putting your hands on her again, and I promise you’ll regret it.”
He scowled, muttered some more words about disrespect, and walked off.
I stood, watching him go, rage boiling inside me and complete calm claiming my outsides. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as the pedestrians all began to move again. No one spoke to me, but I felt their weighted gazes, some curious and confused, some knowing.
I suspected quite a few knew about my father’s temper. After a lifetime in a small town like the Falls, word got around. But no one would admit to it.
Gossip.
Hushed conversations.
Sideways looks.
That’s all it was to them.
To me, it was my entire life.
But no more. My father had been right about one thing. I was no son of his. And as much as it hurt my heart to leave her behind a second time, I’d have to walk away from my mother, too. I couldn’t stay in a town with him in it. I couldn’t have these run-ins on the sidewalk. Couldn’t think about what he might be putting her through later because of his temper toward me and his habit of drinking his feelings.
I wouldn’t live like that again.
When my leg healed, I was done here. Done with him. Forever.
I could eat dinner with Cat and leave town when this was over. I could even kiss Cat and still leave town. If I was really good, I could have my way with her and then drive into the sunset.
Fuck. Even as I thought the words, I knew I was lying to myself.
My brain needed to escape this place, once and for all. My heart needed—who knew what it needed anymore. But my wolf? My wolf needed her.
And it wasn’t going to settle for one dinner or one kiss or even one roll in the sheets.
I was so screwed.
But there was no going back.
The sun had set by the time I knocked on Cat’s apartment door for our dinner date. I’d gone to her old house, the one she’d grown up in, but the woman who’d answered the door had explained Cat had sold it a year back. Now, she lived in an apartment downtown. The woman had given me the address without hesitation. A perk of a small town, I guess.
While I waited at the door, voices filtered out from inside. One male. One female. My hand tightened into a fist.
A moment later, footsteps sounded. The door swung open. At the sight of the male, jealousy reared up,
