you’re right. But she has dated. I haven’t stood in her way. If she chose someone new tomorrow, I’d accept that. Someone outside of the pack,” he growled. “There is only so much I can bear. I will step out of the way if she doesn’t want me—I will make myself—but…”
“I don’t think she’s the problem here. I think it’s you.”
Austin took a deep breath and pulled back out onto the street. “I have to say, you really took the long road to lecture me about my dating life.”
“We needed to clear the air about how you left the pack.”
“Were you worried that I’d come back one day?”
“When I didn’t hear you’d started a place of your own? Yes.”
Austin glanced over. “Truly?”
“It was always in the back of my head. You’re better than me. I knew that when you left. I see it now, as you piece together this territory.”
“You must have a poor impression of me if you thought I’d come back for your territory.”
“I run one of the largest, most profitable territories in the country. Like I said, most alphas of your stature never would’ve left. But this is better.” Kingsley gestured around him. “It’ll be bigger. With Jacinta Ironheart and all her power at the center, you’ll create something no one can penetrate. Or duplicate. You have the power without the drama.” He smiled a little. “You’ve always been lucky.”
Austin had heard people start to call her that. Apparently it had caught on if Kingsley was using it. Austin’s territory had given her a name, like they had him. Like they would an alpha.
“Lucky, sure.” Austin huffed before regaining his seriousness. “A territory no one can penetrate is the goal.”
“But first you need to tell her you’re interested. She is incredibly clueless about body language. Kace thought she was being coy. Turned out, she was completely uninterested in him.” Kingsley paused, grinning. “Too soon?”
Austin shook his head, wondering why the rage didn’t come. “I’m surprised she didn’t have to talk me down from that. She did the last time. I wasn’t in control.”
“When it comes to our mates, none of us are. If someone had said that to Earnessa, I would have killed him, and she wouldn’t have stopped me.”
“She’s not my mate.”
“That’s only because you’re too chickenshit to start the ball rolling.”
Austin turned toward town. “I was waiting to see…” He pressed his lips together. He hated the need he felt for his brother’s approval. “I wasn’t sure whether I was a danger to her. To this territory. When I lost control last week, it didn’t take long to figure out why. But…our father…”
“Our father was a miserable excuse for a shifter. Mother was young and dumb once, too. You know what that’s like. She chased the bad boy—the wild one who would never be tamed. Well, she got him. She may have kicked him out, but she loved him, Austin. Of course, she also hated him. It’s a tricky business, love and hate. Two sides of the same coin.
“But she saw her family in danger, her pack in danger, and she did what any great alpha would: she took action. You did the same thing. You reached a limit, and backed off to protect our family. I was never prouder than when you came to me the day after pulling back from killing me, and asked to learn. You’re nothing like Dad, Austin. I’ve known that ever since that day. So has Mom.”
Austin shook his head, looking out the windshield, his eyes glassy. He didn’t know what to say. It was the best string of words he’d probably ever heard in his life, and it meant everything coming from his brother.
“We thought you’d realize some sort of potential long before now, though,” Kingsley added softly.
Austin laughed, raw inside. He was quiet for a beat. “I wouldn’t be able to stand myself if I ever lifted a hand to Jess, not for any reason. Despite what you say, I’m still terrified I’ll lose my temper and turn into our father.”
“You’ve risen above him in all things, Austin. All things. You’ve tamed yourself, whereas he never tried. Besides, that woman would blast a hole in your head if you lifted a finger to her.”
“She’s too good for me. Too kind.”
“You’ve got that right. You’ve leveled up with her. I’ve read up on female gargoyles. It’s one of the rarest magics in the world. You’ll have a target on your back, too, you know. People will be jealous