When the food is heated, we go into the dining room and eat together. Aries, Cassie, and Quinn on one side of the table and me and Cam on the other. He drops down onto the seat beside me and starts diving in to his food. It feels very domestic to have him near me while we eat. I haven’t felt like this since my dad was alive and we’d sit together at this very table eating as a family. It didn’t matter that there was an entire pack around us, the three of us were a unit and I loved those moments.
I eat slowly while my mind goes over Cam telling me how my dad was part of the rescue team. I shouldn’t have been as shocked as I was to hear it. Dad was a great male. Always helping others. And when Titus started Hayden’s Home, it was so fitting. Dad would have loved it.
My food starts to blur as memories of him wash over me. A light touch on my thigh causes me to lift my head. Cam watches me with a small smile. I quickly swipe the tears away and focus back on my food. How Cam knew what I needed, I’m not sure. I’m grateful he did.
We make small talk about nothing really. The things I’d love to talk about, I can’t out in the open.
Aries leans back in his seat with Quinn on his lap. I send him a quick message with my mind, asking if we can talk when everyone is done. He nods. It’s minutes later we’re climbing the stairs to my bedroom where it’s still warded. I should have done that years ago. I never discussed secrets out in the open, though. I had huge things I kept to myself, sure, but they were never talked about aloud.
With the door closed, I face Aries and steel my features. I can’t have him seeing me as a child anymore. He has known me my entire life but that doesn’t mean I haven’t grown up.
“I want to be on the team,” I tell him.
“Whit, whatever Cam told you, it’s dangerous what we do. And it’s not just missions we go on. We train almost every week. We move as one. That doesn’t come from pure instincts. It’s a lot of time to put in.” I expected the pushback and can work with it.
“Cam told me what I needed to know. Yes, it’s dangerous but did you forget I’m more than a shifter?”
“No, I could never.”
“Then you’re well aware I’m immortal. If anything, I’m more likely to come out of any mission unharmed. I’d be an asset. I can use magic and it’s strong. I don’t have the same as the royal family, but I’m still valuable to have on the team. I can shift, which you know, and my wolf is just as big as the rest of yours. I’m not a liability, Aries, and I wish you’d see me for the male I’ve become.”
He steps up to me and clasps my shoulders. “It’s not about any of that, Whit. I know how powerful you are. But seeing you out there, putting you at risk, that’s not an easy thing for me to do. Not after losing your dad. He was so vital to the team. One of our original members. I feel like I owe it to him to make sure you’re safe at all times.”
“I can take care of myself.”
Aries sighs. “You can.” He pauses as he watches me.
“If you don’t let me join, I’m just going to show up wherever you are. You think I won’t notice Sawyer, Sevan, and Camden sneaking away? Plus, what if Dalia needs Sevan home to help with Foster? He’s still young.” Sevan and Dalia’s son is almost six months old. Granted, he’s growing fast, but I’m sure Dalia prefers to have Sevan home rather than out there risking his life.
“Dalia is well aware of what we do. She understands how important our work is.”
“Aries, I don’t want to argue with you. I respect you as my alpha, but I want to do this. If I could help save even one life, I want to. And to stay at home knowing all of you are out there on a mission… That won’t sit well with me. How can I sit idly by when I could be helping?”