“Always questions. Never stops.”
“You followed me, man. You didn’t have to.”
He grunted. “Making sure you don’t die. You’re stupid. You die easy. Get lost in woods. Freeze to death. Should have let you.”
I almost smiled, but I didn’t want him to think I was mocking him. “I can handle myself.”
“You were shot. Try and handle better.”
“When did you know? How did you know?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Okay.” Then, “Where are they?”
“Who?”
“The people in the photograph. Your parents.”
He stepped into the room, shoulders hunched as if he were trying to make himself small. “Gone. Gone.”
I nodded slowly. “I know what that’s like.”
He glanced at me and then away. He looked like he was struggling with something. I wondered what it was like, being in his head. If he felt untethered and lost in a storm of violet rage.
And then he said, “Thomas,” and my heart stuttered in my chest. “Thomas Bennett.”
“Yeah,” I said hoarsely. “That’s… yeah. My dad. I know, man. Right? I know what it’s like. To have them be gone.”
He shook his head. “Not that. He told me. Alpha. Thomas. About wolves. About witches. Magic and monsters.”
The room swayed around me as my vision doubled. “What?”
His nostrils flared. “He came here. When I was a kid. Told me things.”
“How?” I asked, and it was blue. All of this. This house. This place. His words. Everything was blue.
“His father. Alpha.”
“Abel.” My grandfather.
He nodded. “Thomas said he put me here. Hid me away. Gave me away. I hate him. He’s dead, and I’m happy he’s dead. I don’t have to kill him.”
“I didn’t know.”
Gavin glanced at me before looking down at his bare feet. “Secrets. Everything is secrets.”
That I knew.
And then Gavin said, “I looked for him. After. In Green Creek. Years after.”
I took a step back, a buzzing sound in my ears. I felt unmoored, anchorless and floating away. “When?”
He must have heard the thunderous beat of my heart, the tangy sting of sweat on my skin. He looked at me miserably, and I never wanted to see that expression on his face again. His anger I could deal with. His wrath I could take. This was too much.
He said, “He was already dead. I didn’t know. With others. Omegas. Went to Green Creek.” His hands flexed, blood smeared on his palm though the wound had already healed. “You were… gone. With your brothers. And
Gordo.” This last was said with a sneer. “The others remained. Omega took girl. Jessie. Tried to use her. Ox came. Not a wolf. But still an Alpha. He asked a question.”