“What kind of shitty advice is that?” O’Neill snapped. “How long am I supposed to wait? A day? A week? It’s already been twenty fucking years?” He paused, his throat tightening. “Besides, she’s not my woman.”
She’d never been his. Not even that one night they’d spent together. The glimpse he’d gotten into her mind had proved that.
“Right.” Winchester rolled his eyes. “Point is, going after her now, given her current mood, is gonna blow up in your face. Give her time.”
O’Neill hesitated, scrubbing his palms down his face. Winchester was right. From the rage on her face, and the bite to her words, Muriel wasn’t ready to talk. Plus, he could use some time himself, time to digest what she’d said...time to come to terms with the ugly possibility that he’d discovered and lost hisavasastoin the same breath. Emotions wouldn’t diffuse the coming conversation. And the secrets between them could wait another hour or two.
He knew where to find her, after all. She’d be sitting beside Samuel’s bed.
“Fine.” He took a deep breath and a long step back.
Without a word, Wolf pivoted and stalked to his vehicle. Winchester followed, taking the passenger seat again.
“You coming?” Winchester asked, his gaze steady on O’Neill’s face.
Wolf fired the engine, but rather than hitting reverse, he waited. The dude’s entire posture, from stiff shoulders to rigid spine to glacial face screamed inhospitable, but he didn’t leave O’Neill behind.
O’Neill hesitated, then walked over to climb into the back of the cart. The bastard probably didn’t want him talking to Muriel without his presence. But if the two warriors were willing to let him sit, then he’d take the ride. At least he wouldn’t have to find his own way to theTaounaha’squarters.
Silence fell as they headed to the old section. Frozen in the back seat, feeling like the slightest movement might shatter him into a billion pieces and nobody would be able to piece himback together, O’Neill focused on the gray walls sliding past. He concentrated on his breathing.
In.
Out.
In out.
He felt like a bubble, one about to burst. About to dissolve. Like he was on the cusp of losing himself, losing his identity, losing what made him O’Neill. One name. One person. Alone. No wife. Noanvaat. No family. Always alone. As the elder gods had intended.
Except...if Daniel had been hisavasasto...that changed everything. Even though it shouldn’t. Even though the youngling was already dead. Even though he was still alone...it still changed everything...somehow.
“Did you know?” Wolf asked, his voice gritty, full of crumbling ice.
O’Neill almost ignored the question. But he had questions. And Wolf might have the answers. At least some of the answers.
“No.” He looked at the back of Wolf’s head, with its single thick braid. “Did you?”
“No.”
“Do you believe her?”
The shoulders in front of him bunched and the vehicle swerved. Wolf’s voice tightened. “Muriel does not lie.”
Which meant what? That Wolf believed her? That he thought O’Neill was the youngling’s father? “You never guessed I was Daniel’s father?”
“You weren’t.” The denial shot from the front seat. “Samuel was the youngling’s father in all ways that mattered.” He glanced in the rearview mirror before adding more quietly. “We did not know you and Muriel were a ...thing...”
Yeah, no shit. No one knew. Muriel had been determined to hide their involvement, sneaking around with him, avoidingpublic places, avoiding public displays of affection. When he’d balked at all the secrecy, she’d told him she wanted to avoid confrontation with her brother. With her family. And he’d been so fucking crazy about her, he’d given in.
“She left for WSU immediately after graduation,” Wolf continued.“When she announced her pregnancy, everyone assumed some asshole at the university was responsible.”
Some asshole…O’Neill grimaced, knowing the insult was meant for him.
“Daniel looked nothing like me.” The comment came out more like a protest, than an observation.
“No, he didn’t. Although…” Wolf’s shoulders rolled.
“What.” O’Neill leaned forward. Obviously, the dude had more to say.
