“Because of me and your mother. Yes. You are absolutely correct.”
He cocked an eyebrow.
“And since you have been here all you have experienced is the war general, the strategist. It’s hurting you, yes?”
“Hurtingis a strong word.”
I highly doubted it. But as he wished… for now.
“Then let us state that it vexes you. Will that do?”
“It’s… better, yeah.”
I gestured at one of the metal benches lining the left side of the space. “Sit with me.” He moved to put his glass down on a nearby ledge. “No. Bring the glass.”
He grumbled, but did as I’d asked.
As I settled on the bench, he sat down beside me, albeit leaving two feet between us.
I turned on the bench to face him, ignoring the fact that he put his glass down behind him, instead of finally at least trying a single sip. I did the same and he relaxed a little.
“Truth be told, Lazriel, it grieves me that these are the circumstances under which you have been able to meet me. That it has been tainted by the likes ofPuritas,Halrow, these external threats. As such, I have been functioning as awar generalin my interactions with you. Because your safety is paramount. Safeguarding your life has taken precedence over father-son bonding time, on finally building a relationship that has so long been denied you.”
I took a moment, allowing that to sink in for him, before I continued on, “The last time I allowed my sentimentality as your father to win out over thewar general,it cost a great deal.”
“Last time?”
“When your mother and I made the decision for me to stay away when she was eight months pregnant with you, I didn’t take well to it. I broke the terms of our agreement.”
“You made contact, you mean? Came to see me?”
“Yes. It began with the day that you were born. I could hear the call of my own blood. I witnessed your birth. From the shadows, of course. Albeit, still on Vyrn Hollow Pack lands. I saw you take your first breath, saw your mother hold you and comfort you. I saw myson.”I shoved my hand through my hair. “After that, I kept coming back. Kept watching. Seeing you grow, seeing you play, learn to crawl, to walk, and even run, discovering your love for forest-green, your interest in adrenaline-fueled activities like climbing the trees and even swinging from them, riding a pack member’s motorcycle when you were barely tall enough to seat yourself upon it. Your first crushes—on a gentle girl a pack over, then the one on an older boy within your own pack.”
“And you never once spoke to me?”
“I did.”
He jolted. “Excuse me?What?”
“Your mother was away meeting with what was known back then as the Lupan Stabilization Unit. You were in the care of that fool, Strickland. While he was busy drinking and posturing to the pack, I saw you wander off in search of adventure. You weren’t alone. I saw you sense it. Not like a wolf, but like a vampire. It was the first indication that your vampiric nature was rising and would surface soon. But your reflexes were still only that of a young wolf, except for that initial sensing, and you were set upon by five pack members—the teenage children of a group of close-minded zealots that Rhyza was on the verge of removing from the pack altogether. They were on probation at the time. The group that attacked you was being led by the boy you liked. He’d noticed and he liked you too, but he couldn’taccept that, so he chose to lash out instead.” I grimaced. “And he did lash out that day. The five of them descended on you. So I intervened.”
He choked. “You attacked them?”
“I don’t harm children. Even severely misguided ones under the influence of fools and filth. I created a distraction, then spirited you away before they could even register it, let alone that there was a vampire in their midst.”
“I don’t remember you being there. I mean… the start of the attack you’re talking about… I kind of remember it. I remember Jesse being there and hating on me, but parts are missing.”
“That’s the result ofObliviscabeing performed.”
“You had a magic-wielder wipe my memory?”
“Your mother did. Unfortunately, with what transpired shortly thereafter, it had to be done in order to keep you safe. Before that, we spent several hours together.”
“Doing what?”
“Talking about your interests. Climbing trees and doing tricks. You shared a secret with me about your wolf turns never having hurt you, but needing to pretend to the pack during wolf runs so that they didn’t think you a freak—your word, not mine.”
“Shit,” he breathed. He pushed off the bench and started pacing. “I… can’t… I don’t…” He spun around, his eyes blazing gold with his wolf right at the surface. “Why did you make me forget that?Why?”
