Chapter 81
Chapter 81: Theo
It was a rough night, but I finally fell asleep around four in the morning. I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep,
but having A in the room across the hall made it
er
scent was all over me, eithe,stead of worse. It didn’t hurt that her
They let me sleep in because it was almost noon when I finally regained consciousness. I pulled myself
out of bed. When I opened the bedroom door, a strange smell wafted up from downstairs. It wasn’t a
bad smell. It was kind of pleasant but still strange.
I slipped into theundry room when I got downstairs and grabbed a shirt before heading to the kitchen.
A was at the stove, adding some kind of nt to a pot.
?Seemed to get more gorgeous every time I
saw her. I shook my head, pushing away the thoughts that invaded my mind.
“What’s all this?” I asked, going to the counter where an array of foliage wasid out.
She paused for a minute, looking out the back window where we could see my father sitting in his ch
in the back.
“Hopefully, something that will help,” she said.
I didn’t think she managed to get much sleep after the night’s events. But she was entirely focused on
her current task, so I didn’t want to interrupt that. I left her to her project and went out to sit with my
dad.
I faltered slightly when I got a better look at him. Most of his joints. were visibly swollen. His knees and
ankles were twice their normal size. The knuckles of his hands and his wrists were now prominent
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features. It would take time for them to return to a point where they at least looked normal. But the pain
would still be there for him.
I took the seat next to him, not speaking.
“I’m sorry, son,” he said after a time. “I wanted to make it right for you. I had to go into the woods. I had
to make it right.”
His mind was always muddled after these episodes. He wouldn’t make much sense today. I reached up
and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“It’s okay, Dad,” I assured him. “It’ll all be okay.”
It wasn’t long before A came out to us, holding a jar that released the same scent from the kitchen.
She knelt down by my father and rested a hand on his. His face seemed to light up at seeing her.
“Alpha,” she said softly, “I think I can help with the pain, but I need to massage this into your skin. Is
that okay?”
“I’m so d you came back,” he said. I didn’t think he registered A’s question. “I was scared when
you left the pack. But you came back.”
She looked at me. I nodded to let her know she could do whatever she needed. She poured a small
portion of the oily contents of the jar into her palm. Rubbing her hands together briefly, she took Dad’s
hand and massaged his swollen joints. I watched as she took her time, making sure to spend time on
each individual area.
Dad slowly began to rx. I could see the relief A was giving him as she continued her
ministrations. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed. He had fallen asleep. But she continued.
“What are you using?” I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb him.
“It’s an old homeopathic remedy,” she replied softly. “There’s ginger,
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green tea, and a mixture of willow bark, Boswellia, and cat’s w. I found the Boswellia and cat’s w
growing not too far from here around an old, dpidated shed. I wasn’t sure I was right, so I’ve been
researching to make sure.”
I moved down to the ground, holding my hand out. A filled my palm, and I started working on his
other hand.
“Where did you learn to do this?”
“My father.” She smiled gently as she moved on to Dad’s knee. “My grandmother was an osteopath. A
healer. She taught my dad. He taught me. I’ve been thinking about him a lottely.”
”
“I should have done more,” Dad said suddenly, causing both our heads to snap in his direction. “I
promised Jack I’d protect you. I should have taken you in. But we were afraid that would draw attention.
I couldn’t draw attention to you. No one can know. He made me promise.”
I looked at A. She had a pained and confused expression.
“Dad, what are you talking about?” I probed gently. “What did you promise Jack?”
“I should have just taken you in,” he continued. “I stayed away,
but he
watching from afar, watching but not knowing. And you suffered. The goddess is punishing me,
punishing my family, for that mistake. I should have been a better Alpha.”
“Dad…”
“You are a wonderful Alpha,” A said.
His gaze moved to the trees, but he didn’t seem to be seeing anything anymore. His expression was
far away.
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“I deserve this pain. The goddess has inflicted me with this,” he whispered. “But don’t punish my son.
Please, goddess, this wasn’t his fault.”
“Why are you being punished?” I asked, hoping to reach him.
“They were the oldest. The goddess’s favorites,” he mumbled. “I failed the Blessed One. I thought I
would put her in danger. Too many eyes on me. Too many eyes. I made a mistake. Forgive me.”
He was rambling, but these weren’t random, meaningless thoughts. He was talking about A and her
family. Alpha Harden was right. He did know something about her family. I turned to A again.
Concern filled her eyes. Did she know what he meant?
I gently gripped my father’s shoulder. “Dad,” I urged.
He seemed to snap out of whatever nightmare or delusion he was experiencing. He looked at me, and I
saw the man I had known my whole life in his eyes.
“Come on, Dad,” I said. “Why don’t we get you inside for a rest.”
He nodded and allowed me to help him from his chair and into the house. I settled him into his recliner,
and he dozed off almost immediately. I had so many questions for him. But it would be a while before
he would be healthy enough to handle that.
But there was something deeper going on. My father’s attachment to A had an exnation, and I
needed to figure out what that was. Especially if he felt he was being punished for something involving
her and her family.