Page 138 of Alpha Theo

My brows shoot up. “Really?”

Dad shakes his head.

“Okay,” I sigh. “Then why are you here, Dad? Is it about what happened the other day?”

“Yes.”

Fuck. My heart sinks. He wouldn’t punish Brooke for what she said in my defense, would he? A long pause settles between us as we keep walking up the trail and I wait for him to go on. When he doesn’t, though, my nerves get the best of me and I speak up again.

“Look, that whole thing was my fault, not Brooke’s. If you’re gonna…”

“No,” Dad cuts me off, shaking his head. He looks over at me for the first time since we started walking on this trail. “It was my fault.”

“What?” I stop short, furrowing my brow.

Dad heaves a sigh, stopping and turning to face me. “You heard me.”

Did I, though?I couldn’t have heard that correctly.

“Listen, son, I might not have appreciated the way Brooke spoke to me the other day, but afterwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about what she said. I…” he trails off, raking a hand through his hair. “I had no idea you were so involved with the squad lately. I mean, you’d told me about some of it, but I guess I just wasn’t really listening.”

I shove my hands in the pockets of my gym shorts. “Yeah, I’ve been trying to tell you. To show you…”

Dad holds up a hand, shaking his head. “Let me finish.”

I swallow hard, biting my tongue. Even when it seems like he’s apologizing, he won’t let me get a word in edgewise.

Dad shifts his feet, looking profoundly uncomfortable. “I think what bothered me the most about what she said was that I’ve been blaming you for the past. Is that… do you feel that way?”

Damn,I can’t remember the last time my dad and I had a real talk like this, if ever. I’m not equipped to handle these types of emotionally-charged conversations. I’ve never been very good at confronting my feelings or laying it all out there- and even though I swore I’d stop bailing when things got hard, there’s a small part of me that wants to right now.

I stare down at the dirt, kicking at a rock. “Yeah, Dad. I mean ever since Mom died, it’s like you…” I swallow hard, my voice low. “It’s like you never forgave me.”

My father takes a step toward me, setting a hand on my shoulder. I look up and my eyes meet his- and for the first time, it feels like he’s really looking at me. Really seeing me.

“Did you think I blamed you?” he asks, his voice gravelly.

My throat’s tight- I can’t get words out. I just nod.

Dad heaves a sigh, shaking his head. “Theo, I never blamed you. I blamed myself. I was just so angry at the world after your mom was taken from me, and…” he trails off and shakes his head again, harder. “Damnit I never meant to make you feel that way. I just didn’t know what to do, raising two kids. Your mom was always the patient one, and it just seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn’t get through to you. And I think after a while, I just gave up trying.”

My eyes sting with the threat of tears. This is too raw, too real. So many years overdue.

I’ve never seen the kind of vulnerability in my dad’s eyes that I’m seeing right now, as he parts his lips to speak again. “I think it took that little girl putting me in my place for me to realize that I’ve never been much of a father to you,” he says hoarsely. “I failed you.”

I shake my head. “You didn’t fail me. You just… expected more from me than I could ever give.” I chew on the inside of my cheek, staring at the ground again. “I didn’t do myself any favors, either. I mean, mom’s accident might not have been my fault, but everything I did after that was. I just went through the fucking motions, bailed whenever things got hard. Didn’t take anything seriously.”

“But you are now.”

My eyes fly up to meet his.

“I asked around about the security system, heard how sophisticated it was and that it was all your idea. And to do that on top of everything else you do to help manage the squad… it’s impressive, son. You deserve a lot of credit for all you’ve been able to accomplish here.”

Damn. I’m not sure my dad has ever delivered a compliment like that to me. I’m stunned- all I can do is stare at him, frozen in place.

He draws a breath, eyes still trained on me. “That kind of initiative is something that’ll make you a great alpha. Brooke was right about that, too. And to go toe to toe with her alpha and say the things that she said, well…” he chuckles softly, shaking his head. “That girl must really care about you. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I don’t think I need to tell you that she’s a good one. A keeper.”

My lips tip up into a smile. “Yeah, she is.”

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