Page 69 of Wolf Touched

Guilty.

“What?” Lucy asked breathlessly as she turned to him as well. “I mean, you wanted to leave later for the store, but we needed supplies, and nothing was going on, so I didn’t think—”

“Faith asked me to occupy you all, so Skylar wouldn’t get distracted during her training.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “They didn’t give me specifics but mentioned that their tactics would be alarming. However,that was the only way to get Skylar to learn control, and I needed to get as many of you to leave with me as I could. I didn’t know they would threaten Raffe.”

“They’recoven. Of course they’re going to use a person’s vulnerabilities against them.” Raffe stood as still as a statue next to me. “What did you expect from the wordalarming?”

“I … I don’t know.” Fane huffed and jutted out his chin. “And I didn’t ask. You all came here, putting my family in danger, so I’ll do whatever is needed to protect us.”

Octavia gasped. “Fane, you can’t mean that. Skylar is—”

“Just stop.” Fane slashed out his hand. “I know what you’re going to say, but is she really? I don’t even know her, nor did I have the choice whether I wanted to or not.”

My lungs stopped working. I selfishly hadn’t put myself in his shoes. We’d arrived here with Raffe on the brink of death and Dave not doing well, and I hadn’t considered how my presence would affect him.

Grabbing Fane by the arm, Dru seethed, “What do you mean you don’t know her? We talk about her often.”

“Yeah, you two talk about a baby you gave up and how you wish things could be different. She’s the child you long for and want to know.” Fane’s nose wrinkled. “I never said I didn’t know about her, but her presence had always hovered over our family, stealing the happiness from the holidays, and even in my own moments of happiness, her absence affects us. It’s like you gave up the wrong child.”

Lucy gasped, and a hand went to her chest. Guilt weighed on me.

I’d always wanted to know why my parents didn’t want me. I’d assumed it was because of my power, and Octavia had confirmed my worst fear. Learning I had a brother had caught me off guard. But maybe he and I had similarissues stemming from opposite sides of that situation. I feared I was the child they’d never wanted, and he’d grown up wondering if they would’ve preferred to keep me instead.

“Spare me the dramatics. Your choice not to tell us had nothing to do with them giving her up and everything to do with your character as a person,” Raffe snarled.

We were ganging up on Fane, and it didn’t feel right, not after what he’d said. I stepped closer to Raffe, allowing our arms to brush, and linked with everyone.I understand you’re all upset. I am, too, but maybe give him a break. We’ve all made mistakes, and no one asked him if he was okay with us coming here.

She’s right.Lucy lowered her head.I can’t imagine how I’d feel if my mom disappeared and came back with a bunch of supernaturals. He even mentioned in the car ride that he’d never been around our kind.

“Look, I see now that I made a mistake.” Fane bumped his head against the wall. “And it won’t happen again.”

“You’re damn right it won’t happen again.” Keith stepped closer to us. “If any of my pack members get hurt, it won’t just be the coven members who’ll feel my wrath.”

“If you can forgive me for what I did, then surely you can get past what Fane did.” Dave cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.

Josie cut her eyes to him and shook her head. “Ignore him.”

She wasn’t thrilled with Dave’s interjection, and if he were my mate, I wouldn’t be either.

The only person who wasn’t losing their mind was Adam, who kept watch by the window. He was the most rational one of us, which we desperately needed right now.

Raffe’s anger spiked again. “Oh, I want him dead. He’s the reason Skylar got kidnapped by those crazies.The only reason I’m leaving him alone is because he means something to Josie, but one more step out of line—especially if it involves Skylar—and I won’t hesitate again.”

All of this fighting among ourselves was getting us nowhere, and there was only one way to handle it. “Everyone makes mistakes, and Fane is right. We should have made sure that Dru and Fane were okay with us coming here and especially staying. We are putting them at risk because we all know Olwyn won’t give up searching for us.”

I turned to Fane and noticed he and Lucy were staring at one another again. Something was going on between them.

Wanting to make things as right as possible, I inhaled. “Fane, would you like us to leave?”

“Skylar, no.” Octavia clasped her hands. “You’re our daughter, and you need protection. We won’t make the same mistake again.”

I couldn’t believe how quickly my heart had thawed toward my biological parents. When I’d first met Octavia and learned who she was, I couldn’t have imagined being okay with her presence, yet within days, I’d come to care for Dru, Octavia, and even Fane. “I appreciate the offer.” I smiled sadly, hoping they understood I wasn’t trying to snub them, but rather, I wanted a relationship with my brother, one that incorporated respect. “But this is Fane’s home too, and he needs to be comfortable with us.”

Dru sighed and nodded. “I get that and respect it.”

“But do I have a choice?” Fane arched a brow, staring Raffe down.

Fair. This was the safest place for us. We didn’t have to worry about our limited funds, and the area had beenprivate property for years. Raffe wouldn’t want us to leave even though the coven members nearby had soured it all.

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