Page 5 of Secrets and Ruin

“It wasn’t your secret to give,” Heath said kindly, coming around my desk.

“Wasn’t it? If Landon had something terrible happen and asked me to keep it a secret, would you expect me to?” I searched his expression as he went to a knee in front of me.

The conflict was there as he tried to process the question and figure out his answer.

“Or Carey, though that’s different. She’s a minor.”

“Carey, yes. Landon…” Heath sighed heavily. “I think I would be emotionally angry but would logically understand that Landon is a grown man who can make his own choices, but… I’ve never been in that position.”

“See?”

“That means Niko may be dealing with the same thing, and once he talks to Dirk, he’ll cool off and things will be okay again.”

“I hope so, but hope is getting harder, Heath. It really is.”

“Life has been really hard on us recently, but we’ll get through it,” he murmured. He stood up, a hand stretched out, an offering of support I took before I even knew where it would lead me. “Want to do something to get your mind off it?”

“What’s your plan for today?”

“I’m going to do house visits for the pack,” he answered. “You can tag along if you think it’ll help you think of something else.”

“I would like that, actually.” Nodding, I got up, our fingers entwining as we left my office. Closing the door softly, I left my family troubles locked inside. So long as Niko intended on continuing to love and support Dirk, there was nothing else I felt like fighting about. In the end, that at least was a victory. I had to take it and let the rest lie for now.

“One step at a time, right?” I said as I went to the garage with Heath. “This was just step one.”

“That’s right, and you’re not walking alone.”

Leaning on his shoulder for a moment, I knew that.

“Who’s first?”

“Landon.”

If there was anyone in the state of Texas that was probably feeling worse than me, it would be that werewolf.

3

CHAPTER THREE

“At least Teagan could take Carey to school today,” I said as we drove towards Landon’s home. “I mean, he does most days, but it’s nice of him, and we should pay him more.”

“I agree he should be paid more, but his time driving kids to school is going to be over sooner rather than later. She’ll be getting her provisional driver’s license in about a month. Thanks for doing all of that stuff with her learner license with me. It would never have gotten done without you. With her and Benjamin both being able to drive, they can haul Arlo around until his probation is over.” Heath grinned at me. “Maybe I should find some way to backpay you for teaching Carey.”

“I couldn’t help but remember how I felt getting my first car and driving on my own, so there was no way I was going to make her wait longer than necessary,” I said, smiling a little. Those hours behind the wheel, getting her to driver’s ed classes, studying the book… It had all been one of the most miserable experiences of my life, but I knew life would be better once Carey had the freedom to drive herself to school or the movies. She was planning on volunteering over the summer or picking up a summer job to give her some experience working, and I knew Heath and I would be too busy to drive her back and forth for those sorts of things. While it was terrifying to think of her driving places alone, I knew it was worth it.

“You’re going to put a tracker on whatever car we buy her, right?” I asked softly.

“Obviously,” Heath said without missing a beat, not shocked at all by my suggestion. “We’re not going to stalk my daughter, though.”

“No, of course not.” I couldn’t stop a laugh. “We won’t let Landon have access to it. It’s only in case she’s in danger, you know?”

“I do,” he said, clearing his throat as we both faced the reality of the situation.

Carey deserved to have a normal life, regardless of what dangers the world held. To drive a car, to have a job, to grow up. On the other hand, being human didn’t stop her from being his daughter or my future stepdaughter.

We always worried about Carey’s safety. We always worried about Dirk’s. And Oliver’s. We worried about each other. We also worried about ourselves because dying wasn’t conducive to planning a wedding that almost no one wanted to happen.

Nothing had really happened since I had invited the werecats to my state to talk, but things just seemed to get heavier, regardless. The growing silence between me and my father, the head of the family, was part of it. So was the trip Dirk was taking to Germany.

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