2. One

One

Sawyer

The icy chill of dread zipped down my back as I ambled up to the porch. Dad was waiting for me, his hands on his hips, and a scowl that should make me cringe.

I didn't. I stood straighter and marched ahead as I tried to make eye contact.

Ever since we'd lost the Dennings, he'd been keeping tabs on me more than normal. He always knew where I was, where everyone was. I wasn't even sure he was sleeping. His paranoia had gone into overdrive.

The lack of rest was obvious with the dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks were sunken and his stare vacantly fixed on something over my shoulder. I fought the urge to look behind me.

I swallowed hard and jogged the rest of the way to the porch. My feet thumped up the wooden steps, making the whole porch rattle. "Everything okay, Dad?"

Dad blinked a few times and turned away from me. "I received some news today."

That sounded ominous. I arched my brow and crossed my arms over my chest. "Oh?"

He blew out a long breath as he turned toward me. He rubbed his jaw and stood ramrod straight.

Was he nervous? That was so unlike him. He might be a little out of his mind, but he was always sure of himself.

Gooseflesh pimpled my skin. I clenched my draw. Luna, what was it?

I squinted. There was a fine sheen of sweat on his brow and his nostrils flared out with each breath he took. His chest rose and fell rapidly like he'd just run a marathon.

Since he still hasn't answered me, I put a hand on his shoulder. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

My pulse spiked. I hadn't seen him like this...in well, ever.

My mind raced, searching for a cause for his odd behavior. No alarms had gone off and there were definitely no signs of any altercations. I would've heard about it by now if there had been. I hadn't gone for that far of a run.

My heart hammered as another thought occurred to me.

Oh no. What if he knew? I'd been found out.

No. Not possible. He wouldn't react like this. He'd be angry. Pissed. I wouldn't even have a chance to talk. This was something else. But what?

He still said nothing. His face a hard, unreadable mask. It had taken on an ashen color.

I gave him a little shake as every muscle in my body tensed. "Dad? You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

My fear was real. I couldn't fathom what could have him this shaken. I'd seen him slaughter packs without batting an eye, so whatever this was...maybe I didn't want to know.

"Dad!"

That seemed to snap him out of it. He shook his head and then swallowed hard. "Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind."

Goodness, would he spit it out already? My stomach twisted; bile crept up my throat. I coughed to cover my gag. The anticipation was killing me.

He pulled away from me and scrubbed his face with both hands as he backed up to the swinging bench and plopped down on it. The chains rattled under his weight and it creaked as the white swing rocked back and forth.

I leaned against the rail, knowing that if I tried to go over to comfort my dad, it would not go over well. But something wasn't right. The way he was acting had every hair on my body standing on edge. "What is it? Is it something I can help with?"

Just say it already!

He leaned forward with both elbows on his knees and rested his jaw in his palms. "It's okay, I think. Just some news I never thought I'd hear."

He didn't sound so sure with the way his voice was cracking. He used the back of his arm to swipe sweat off his forehead.

I pumped my fists at my sides and tried to relax. Every muscle in my body was looping into knots, which was making my neck throb. I let out a nervous chuckle. "Good news? I would think you'd be bursting with energy to share it."

Why was he being so obtuse?

Dad sat up straight and rubbed his palms on his jeans. "I suppose I'm still processing."

He laughed out loud as his eyes widened.

He looked at me for the first time since I'd come on the porch. "Angel. The girl...the girl I was with a few weeks ago..." he trailed off and moved his hand in a gesticular motion.

I shifted my feet. I wasn't really interested in my dad's sexual life. I take it back. I didn't want to know if this was the conversation we were going to have.

He cleared his throat and stood up. He walked over to me and clapped me on the shoulder as a smile bloomed across his face so fast it was like he had a split personality. "She's pregnant, son. You're going to have a little sibling."

I stumbled back like he hit me. He might as well have. I drew a few deep breaths and shook my head like I possibly hadn't heard him right.

He patted me a few times and then put his other hand on me and gave me a gentle shake before grinning from ear to ear. "It's crazy, right? You're a grown man and you're gonna have a baby brother or sister."

He burst out laughing. "I just turned fifty. I should be welcoming grandkids, not my own children. It's a small miracle is what it is."

I laughed out loud, whether from nervousness or sheer disbelief. I wasn't sure. "It is something, Dad. But that's great. A baby. Wow."

I wasn't honestly sure how I felt. My dad had no business bringing another child into this world. Not with everything that he was doing.

But it wasn't the kid's fault either. And it would still be my sibling. Lincoln, Hannah, and I had all been perfectly normal children.

If we took the baby away from Dad, there's was no reason it wouldn't be a good person too. My dad had just lost his way and well, Mikey, I had no idea what happened to him. Dad had been exceptionally cruel to him as a child and Mikey had needed help that no one in the pack could have provided.

My dad let go of me and stood next to me, leaning on the railing and looking out at the pack lands. "I never thought I'd be a father again, Sawyer. This is all so much. I'm glad we will be expanding our family."

Oh no. He was either going to lay off me about finding a mate now or double down.

Crap!

I nodded, hoping I could draw the conversation away from myself and a mate. "I don't think I've met Angel. Who is she?"

He clapped me on the back. "I'll have to introduce you. But you have met her sister... Fiona."

I suppressed my growl. I hoped Angel was nothing like her sister. But given the circumstances, I'd guess she was just as eager and overjoyed to be picked by my father. I'd bet she was a snake like her sister.

Dad stood up straight. It wasn't like him to be so antsy. The news must've really rock him.

He tapped his foot on the deck. "Fiona, of course, is ecstatic for her sister. She feels pretty bad about what happened with you and she was hoping for a second chance."

He met my gaze and lifted a brow, letting me know he was doubling down.

Great!

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I don't know, Dad. She still just doesn't seem right for me. I don't have a good explanation other than that."

Maybe honesty would get me somewhere.

He mashed his lips together and nodded. "I understand. But at least consider it. The pregnancy is still new and you know things can happen. I know I can't be with her again. She's just not your mother. I want to make sure we have a strong alpha line, so it is going to rest on you to ensure that we do."

I didn't want to consider Fiona. Ever. I wanted to shut this down before it became an issue. "You don't think that would be weird?"

Dad lifted his brow. "How so?"

I shrugged as my mind raced. "Just Angel's baby will be my brother or sister, but then if Fiona and I had a kid, they'd also be cousins and uncles or aunts?"

Was that right? I wasn't even sure? It would be awkward, that I was sure of.

He chuckled as he rubbed at his jaw. "I guess I never thought of that. The family logistics would be a little interesting that way to say the least."

We stood in silence for a few moments, to where it was getting a little uncomfortable. I scraped the toe of my shoe along the wood planks.

Dad was the one to break the silence. "You've spent quite a bit of time down in the women's quarters this week. Have you found anyone?"

My stomach turned at the thought, but this was my out. I forced a smile, which made him laugh out loud.

It wasn't what Dad thought it was. There were a few girls in there whose brothers were one hundred percent on our side. The girls had helped make the introductions, and we'd been planning. I needed to figure out how to reach out to Lincoln and Sloane and soon.

Dad held his hands out like he needed an explanation. "Well, who is she? Tell me about her. Should we be thinking about moving her up to the house and into your room?"

I ran a hand through my hair. My skin crawled. No woman would be in my room again unless it was Sloane, but I had to play my part.

Think!

If one had to come to the house, who would be the best? The Brightens. Luke Brighten seemed to be the leader of his compound and his sister Ruby was feisty, too. "Her name is Ruby. I'm not sure if I'm ready to move her up into my room yet."

Dad narrowed his eyes, his smile slid from his face, and the vein by his temple throbbed.

I cleared my throat. "I still don't like that. We don't know who is feeding information to Lincoln. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to introduce anyone else into the house with everything going on. But I don't mind going there to visit her."

If she stayed there, it would give me all the opportunities to continue going to the prisoner compounds. My actions would never be questioned. I just hoped my dad went for it.

He made a face, and a grin slipped over his features. "You have already started mating with her then?"

Absolutely not!

I flushed. Heat crept over my cheeks, and my stomach turned just thinking about the implication. Sloane was the only woman I ever wanted to be with, but he couldn't know that. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

He laughed out loud. "I'll take that as a yes, then. Good." He drew in a deep breath and let it out. "You're probably right. It's not a good idea to bring someone else into the house. We have them in those houses under careful watch for a reason. I'm not sure we can trust them. Continue going there, if you don't mind."

A weight lifted off my chest, and I exhaled. "I don't mind."

My dad patted my shoulder before giving it a squeeze. "This is excellent news. I think I can sleep tonight, knowing that our bloodline is going to flourish in the coming months. Hopefully, you will have your own news to share soon, too."

I huffed out a laugh. "Maybe. Don't forget about Willa."

My dad's nose crinkled in disgust. "Ah yes. You do already have one child on the way, don't you?"

I choked on my words, so I nodded instead.

Dad let his hand slide off me to his side. "Hopefully a second sibling to join that one soon, then." He looked over his shoulder and his shoulders sagged as he blinked slowly.

He waved. "Tell Angel I'll be up in a few minutes."

I glanced over my shoulder in time to see Patrick nod and then disappear.

Dad rubbed at his eyes. "She doesn't like to sleep alone." He stood up straight and hit his palm on the rail. "Have a good night, Sawyer. I'll see you in the morning. We still need to discuss a few things."

I fought back a yawn. "Will do. Get some rest, Dad."

He mumbled something under his breath and then walked inside, letting the screen door clap against the frame on his way in.

"So that's really how it's going to be?" Fiona's shrill voice pierced the air as she shoved the screen door open so hard I was surprised it didn't fly off its hinges.

I didn't want to deal with her tantrum tonight.

She stuck both hands on her hips and jutted her chin out. "I'm not good enough for you?"

I rubbed the back of my neck and averted my gaze for a moment. "It's not that, Fiona. You are a perfectly lovely young woman. I just don't think we have a connection."

It took everything I had to get the words out.

She reached out for me, but I shrugged away, which made her pout. "I can do better. We can have a connection. Whatever you want, Sawyer. I'll do anything."

I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. Why couldn't she just take no for an answer? "I'm sorry. I wish it was different, but I don't think anything is going to work between us."

Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits and her chest heaved as she opened and closed her mouth like she was trying to decide what to say. She made a sound in the back of her throat that sounded like a muffled sob, and then stalked past me.

She said something under her breath that I couldn't make out. I was right about Fiona. She was a snake. And someone I was going to have to watch out for.

If she suspected I had a relationship with any of the women here, I didn't doubt she would try to ruin it in any way she could. She could never know about Sloane and Lincoln.

Luna only knew what she might do then.