Page 6 of In Your Eyes
“Hey!” I straightened up in my chair. “I have an idea.”
“What’s that?” my father asked.
“I can shift and run over to the gathering. If I take the woods instead of the roads, I can cut the time in half.”
“Uh-huh,” my mother said, her tone disbelieving. “And what will you do when you get there?”
“What do you mean?”
My father elaborated for her. “You’ll arrive at the gathering in wolf form, which means you’ll have no clothes.”
“Oh, that’s okay.” I waved them off. “I don’t mind staying in wolf form.”
“Of course he doesn’t,” my mother said. She shook her head and walked over to the fridge.
“Of course you don’t,” my father said at the same time. Then he sighed. “Samuel, part of being a strong shifter is being a strong man.”
“I’m strong!” I hopped out of my chair. “I was the strongest wolf in my school, Dad. You know that!”
“Yes, I do.” He nodded. “But I said a strongman.”
At five foot eleven inches and 155 pounds, I wasn’t huge, but I was fit. I made sure to exercise and stay in shape.
“I don’t mean your body, Samuel,” my father said, apparently knowing where my thoughts had gone. “I’m talking about in here.” He tapped his chest. “You prefer being in your wolf form.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but he kept talking.
“I know it’s true. I’ve noticed you’re always the last to shift back after runs these days.”
He was right about the shifting, but it wasn’t because I wanted to stay in my wolf form. It was because my wolf form didn’t want to relinquish its hold on my body. I would have explained that to my father, but I didn’t know how to say it in a way that made sense.
“And I understand why you’re doing it.”
I looked at him and widened my eyes in surprise. He knew about how my wolf clung to my form? How I felt itchy if I went too long without shifting? Did that mean it was normal? Maybe it was an Alpha characteristic. Of course, then I’d have seen it in the writings I diligently studied….
“An Alpha’s job is to support the members so everyone can work together toward bettering the pack. To support them and elevate them, you have to know them. You’re uncomfortable talking with people, Samuel. Our pack included.”
Well, there was that too. I dipped my chin and focused on moving the crumbs on my plate around.
“That has always been your biggest challenge, and we’ve spent many years working on it,” my father said gently. “But you’re eighteen now, and it’s getting harder to explain to the pack.”
“They know?” I jerked my head up. “Who told them?”
“Nobody told them, but, son, they’re starting to notice.” My father dragged his fingers through his hair. “When you were a cub, it was different. They thought I was overprotective or you were shy. But now you’re a man and their presumptive Alpha, and they have no connection to you.”
“No connection? I’ve lived among them since I was born. I’ve dedicated my life to becoming the best Alpha they can have. How can they—”
“I know, Samuel.” My father reached across the table and took hold of my hand. “And if it came to a physical challenge, you’d win. You’d also best anyone, myself included, in a battle about pack history or shifter culture.”
“No, I wouldn’t. You’re the best—”
“You know more about our past and our rules. It won’t be long before you’re stronger than me. But there is more to leading than being the best physically and most knowledgeable intellectually.”
I knew that already, because he had been telling me the same thing for years. I didn’t fully agree with him, but I’d never say that out loud.
“Part of being a good Alpha is strength, but another is compassion and tenderness. We need to lead with a velvet hammer, not an iron fist.” He tapped his chest again. “You have to connect, Samuel. You have tofeelfor your pack.”
“I do,” I insisted. “I know everyone’s name, the ages of their children, where they work—”
