Beside me, Cat tensed, and I knew she was just as on edge as I was.
“They argued,” Tobias went on. “Your father attacked her, and she stabbed him in the heart with a fire poker.”
I stared at Tobias, too shocked to speak.
“He’s dead, Easton. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Cat’s free hand came up to squeeze my arm in comfort. Angus moved in closer, eyeing where she touched me.
I blinked. “She stabbed him?” I repeated.
“In the heart,” Tobias added.
Holy shit. “He’s gone.”
Tobias nodded, waiting for me to absorb it.
I looked at Cat whose expression was full of sorrow.
“Mom killed him.” I couldn’t believe it. After years of refusing to fight back or hold him responsible—
“She won’t be charged for this, will she?” I asked, turning to Tobias then Angus for answers.
Tobias shook his head. “I’ve spoken to Barnett already. It was clearly self-defense, and after all the previous reports that have been filed against him, she’s the victim in all this.”
My throat closed, and I had to fight for words to come. “Thank you.”
“I meant what I said about protecting her,” he said.
“I better get over there.” I turned to leave, dazed by everything he’d just told me, but Tobias called me back.
“There’s still the matter of your friend.”
I stilled.
Beside me, Cat straightened.
Tobias cleared his throat, and I noted Angus hadn’t backed off yet. They still expected me to lose it.
Not happening. Not for that asshole. It was a shock, sure, but I wasn’t going to put Cat in danger over whatever fucked up feelings my old man’s death gave me.
“Cat, you’ve been through a lot recently, and out of respect, we’ve kept our distance while you adjusted to your new reality. How are you doing with the change?”
“I’m good,” she said, hesitant but open. “East’s a great teacher.”
“Yes, he is.” Tobias hesitated then added. “I’m sure he’s told you by now about some of the inner workings of the pack. What it means to join one. To choose an alpha.”
“Or to choose yourself,” I put in.
Tobias only nodded, never taking his eyes off Cat. “It is up to you, but there’s more protection in a pack.”
“Sounds like a threat,” I said, eyes narrowed.
But Tobias shook his head. “It’s not meant to. Look, I’ve made mistakes. Tied my own hands when it comes to pack law. My ego isn’t so big I can’t admit that. But if our laws are going to change, it’s going to take fresh voices.” He looked at Cat pointedly. “More female voices would be a nice addition, too.”
Damn.
His pitch was good.
Cat smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate the invitation, and it’s nice to know there are others like me who I can go to with questions about . . . what I am now.”
I tried to ignore the hurt her words caused. Was I not enough? Did she need others? Did she need something I wasn’t giving her?
“That’s how it started for all of us,” Angus put in. “We became friends, but now we’re more like family.”
My chest panged.
Cat nodded. “Would it be all right if I take some time to think about it?”
“Of course,” Tobias said. He gave me a pointed look. “And my invitation includes you both.”
I exhaled, not even sure whether I was disappointed or relieved by her answer. But that was something I’d have to figure out later. Right now, all I could think about was my mom. And the weight around my shoulders that was suddenly, just, gone.
23
Cat
The funeral for Bertram Raines was a strange gathering. Not many people showed up, and I suspected the ones who did only came out of respect for Tobias. No one spoke except for the pastor. East’s mom cried quietly, but otherwise, there wasn’t a single tear in the room. And I couldn’t even find it in me to feel sad for the man whose death didn’t warrant grieving.
Since then, East had been quiet and a little distracted, spending time with his mom and even more time alone. I had no idea where he went, only that he seemed settled somehow when he returned.
Part of me was too scared to ask what had caused the peace he’d discovered. Still, he hadn’t mentioned leaving. And I hadn’t stopped thinking about Tobias’s offer to join the pack.
I waited until the morning after the burial to tell East.
Rudy had already left for rehearsal. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was opening in a month, and the preparations kept him busy. I was glad. It left me more time to focus on the crazy turn my life had taken. A life I hadn’t yet found a way to tell him about. Though, he’d dropped enough comments that I suspected he knew something.
Bracing myself for an argument, or worse, for him to walk right out, I stood against the counter and watched East finish his morning coffee.
In the end, ripping off the Band-aid seemed like the way to go.
“I’ve decided to take Tobias up on his offer.”
Easton looked up, setting his mug down slowly. I tried to read his expression, but there was nothing familiar in his eyes now.
“I had a feeling you would,” he said, his voice even. Impossible to read.
“I think having a circle of others like me that I can lean on for support is important,” I said, rambling as I tried to figure him out.
He nodded. “Makes sense. I’ve been packless for a long time now, and it’s not easy.”
I bit my lip, waiting to see if he’d say more, but he only rose and went to put on his boots.
My heart sank as a feeling of dread settled in my gut.
So, he was leaving then.
“Hey, before you do that, would you take a ride with me?”
I nodded, numb as the loss settled over me. What would I do without him? This time, I had a mate bond to grieve over, and I had a feeling that sort of thing didn’t just go away because of a breakup.
“Sure.”
East was quiet during the ride,
