Page 67 of Seen Knot Heard

“Great idea.” I grab my mug, the coffee now cold, and take a sip. “Text me the links, and I’ll work from the product descriptions.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I step away from the table as I pull it out. A check of the name on the screen has me grinding my teeth.

Looks like my dad finally returned from his business trip.

Bracing myself, I swipe to answer. “Hey, Dad.”

Behind me, my bondmates come to attention.

“What the hell have you done?” His voice cracks through the speaker, sharp with accusation. “Police? And why is Child Welfare saying Sadie’s home is an unfit environment?”

“Because it is.” I struggle to keep my voice down, not wanting to wake up the girls. “She’s not fit to be a parent, and it’s time you stop pretending she is.”

“And you think you are?” Dad scoffs. “Spare me the white knight routine, Blake. We both know this is just another one of your ploys to tarnish our family name.”

Blood pounds in my ears, my grip tightening on the phone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nathaniel and Dominic go still, their attention zeroing in on me.

“I’m not the one tarnishing anything,” I grind out. “Sadie’s addiction has spiraled out of control, and you’ve enabled it for years. Quinn was in real danger, Dad. I did what was necessary to keep her safe.”

“By involving the authorities? Airing our dirty laundry for all the world to see?” He makes a disgusted noise. “This is a family matter. It should have stayed in the family.”

“How’s that worked out for us so far?” I pace the length of the dining room, the scent of Nathaniel’s leather and clove pheromones mingling with Dominic’s citrus musk, trying to steady the rage coiling in my gut. “Sweeping things under the rug, pretending everything’s fine while Sadie drinks herself into oblivion and neglects her daughter?”

“We should have handled it ourselves,” Dad insists, but a hint of uncertainty leaks into his tone. “If Mrs. Reynolds wasn’t up to the task, I could have hired a second staff member to help. Your sister will get clean for Quinn. She just needs help.”

“Quinn doesn’t need more nannies. She needs to get sober.” I let out a humorless laugh. “Face it, Dad. Sadie doesn’t want to change, and keeping Quinn with her will never change that. I’m not letting my niece pay the price for Sadie’s mistakes anymore.”

Silence stretches across the line, broken only by the harsh rasp of my father’s breathing. I can picture him now, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed to slits. The same stubborn expression I’ve seen in the mirror a thousand times.

“You think you’re so much better than the rest of us,” he says at last, the words dripping with venom. “But you’re not. You’re a self-righteous prick who gets off on playing hero.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, stealing the air from my lungs. I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out because, deep down, I wonder if he’s right. If I’m doing this more for myself than for Quinn.

Nathaniel’s hand settles on my shoulder, warm and solid, and Dominic moves to my other side, his presence offering silent support. Their scents envelop me, soothing the jagged edges of my temper.

“I’m doing what’s best for Quinn,” I say, my voice rough but steady. “If that makes me the bad guy in your eyes, so be it. I’m not backing down. Not this time.”

Before he can respond, I end the call, my hand trembling as I lower the phone.

Nathaniel squeezes my shoulder, his touch grounding me. “You’re doing the right thing. Quinn’s lucky to have you in her corner.”

Dominic hums in agreement. “Don’t let him mess with your head about this. You’re what’s best for Quinn.”

A lump forms in my throat, my chest aching. I haven’t heard hate like that from my dad since I told him I planned to form a pack with Nathaniel and the others.

He had worked hard to build up the Harris pack, to make a name for himself in the construction world. When I left, he took it as a spit in his face. I didn’t want the empire he created, and Sadie was in no position to inherit the business.

Once he retires, he’ll either have to sell it off or appoint one of the other Harris pack members to fill his shoes. But it will never be the same as passing it on to his blood son. My decision to choose a different pack over the one I was born into will always stand between us.

Nathaniel nuzzles my cheek. “You going to be all right?”

“Yeah.” I rub a hand over my beard. “Just…processing.”

Dominic presses a fresh mug of hot coffee into my hands. “We’re with you. No matter what.”

“I know.” And I do. This pack, this family we’ve built…it’s everything. “I just hate that it came to this.”

“Your father’s a stubborn bastard, but so are you,” Nathaniel says. “And you’re fighting for something that actually matters.”

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