I quickly hid the photo behind my back. "I—It’s fine, Alpha," I stammered. "I fell asleep and Follow current novels on novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
was wondering where all the boys were."
He chuckled and pulled out his phone. On the screen, I could see Rhett sitting in what appeared to be the VIP section of an upscale bar, surrounded by multiple women. Kael was there too, but tucked away in a corner, nursing a bottle of beer and looking drunk.
"They’re having fun, Eamon. We should expect them home after midnight, if Rhett considers his poor father and comes home at all." He turned and started walking down the hall. "Anyway, dinner is ready. I was going to eat by myself, but now that you’re awake, come join me."
At this point, I knew I couldn’t refuse without seeming rude, so I followed him. I also felt oddly comfortable with Alpha Terry. There was something warm and paternal about his presence that I’d never experienced with my own father.
"Alright," I said quietly, pocketing the photo and following him down the hall.
The dining room was luxurious but welcoming. A long polished mahogany table stood at the centre, and on it was already a delicious-looking spread of roast meat, steaming vegetables, soft bread, glazed fish and wine.
My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything substantial since morning.
Alpha Terry smiled, pulling out a chair for me. "Help yourself. You look like you haven’t eaten all day."
I nodded, hiding the flush on my cheeks as I sat down. We began eating quietly until Alpha Terry broke the silence.
"I didn’t get to thank you properly at the hospital for saving my son," he said earnestly. "I’m truly grateful for what you did."
I smiled and nodded. "It was nothing. I wanted to help Rhett; he’s been a good friend."
"It wasn’t nothing," Alpha Terry insisted, setting down his fork. "You risked your own health to save him. That kind of selflessness is rare, especially among young people."
"Rhett would have done the same for me," I replied.
Alpha Terry nodded, his expression growing more serious. "You know, I worry about him constantly. This condition of his... It’s been a shadow over our family for years. I’ve spent fortunes trying to find a cure, consulted with every specialist in our world and the human world."
"He’s stronger than he looks," I offered.
"He is," Alpha Terry agreed, "but strength can only take you so far. Sometimes I feel like I’ve failed him as a father. I took away his childhood, dragging him from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital. And then there’s the matter of his mother..."
He trailed off. When he looked up, he had a strained smile on his face.
"I was young when I married her. She was my fated mate, and we loved each other. I was ambitious, and I wanted to live up to my family’s legacy. So I poured everything into building Ravenspire, into making it the strongest, wealthiest pack in the world. I thought if I gave my family everything—comfort, protection and security—that would be enough. But I wasn’t there when they needed me most." He looked away.
"I felt that since she was my fated mate, she wouldn’t leave, but she did. She left me for a poor man and never looked back. She has three children with him now and has blocked every channel I can use to reach out to her. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with me or Rhett."
"I’m sorry, sir," I said quietly, not knowing why he was sharing something with me.
He nodded and continued. "After she left, I struggled too, you know and in the process neglected my son. I used to think raising a child meant giving them your name and resources. But now I know, it’s your time, your love and your presence that matters most."
"I’m sure, Rhett knows that now," I said gently. "He talks about you a lot."
"I wish," he murmured. "But every time I see him suffer, I wonder if there’s still time to fix it. To be the father he deserves and eventually reunite him with his mom. These days, I try to mentally prepare myself for his death..."
"We have to remain positive, Alpha Terry," I interrupted him. "A miracle might happen, who knows? We cannot keep wishing death for Rhett if we want him to get better."
A small smile broke through the tears in his eyes. "Do you know what the doctor told me after he was discharged from the hospital?"
I shook my head, clutching at the hem of my shirt to steady my pounding heart.
"He said if Rhett makes it to the end of summer next year, then we would know he has a chance to live."
My ears started ringing as I stared at Alpha Terry. "Didn’t the doctor say the surgery made him better, and my blood helped? He looks better."
"It’s like the calm before the storm," Alpha Terry whispered. "His health has declined a lot, Charis. It’s my fault that he picked up dangerous habits like smoking and drinking because I couldn’t give him attention. That’s why..." he exhaled deeply. "That’s why I want him to have the best life in these few months before he..."
"No!" I shook my head, swiping angrily at the tears that had escaped to my cheek. "Rhett won’t die. I know it. I know it, and it’s not your fault that he fell sick. It’s no one’s fault."
"Isn’t it?" he asked bitterly. "As a parent, my biggest fear has always been losing a child. And now, watching my son slowly dying, feeling helpless to save him..." he trailed off again. "I’m sacred Charis."
I thought of my father. Of the haunted look in his eyes just minutes ago.
"That’s exactly how your father feels, too, Charis," he said quietly.
That was when it occurred to me that Alpha Terry had addressed me by my name twice. Not Eamon but Charis.
My fork clattered to the ground, and I rose to my feet, turning to look at the door. I expected my father to burst through the dining room doors at any moment and grab me.
"He’s not coming, don’t worry. Besides, he doesn’t know you’re the one," Alpha Terry said quietly. "Now sit down and don’t be dramatic."