out.â
âIâm sorry.â Reaching out, he took her hand again, stroking her skin with his thumb.
A pang lanced her soul, but Nickâs hand wrapped around hers soothed it. âItâs all right. Iâve had centuries to make peace with their deaths. Tarron got me and Adrian out, and has been taking care of us ever since. Well, mostly me these days. Sometimes I think he takes his role of substitute father a bit too seriously,â she said to lighten the conversation.
âLet him. Family is everything, and at least he loves you.â
Something in his tone made her wonder, and she decided to probe a little. âWhat about your family? I was introduced to your daughter and her mate when your team stayed at thestronghold. Then I met your brother at the party, but I donât know much about them.â
He sucked in a breath. âSelene and I are just getting to know each other again after many years apart. Things were rocky at first, but I think mating with Zan has really grounded her. Theyâre madly in love and Iâm reaping some of the benefits of her softened attitude.â
âWhy did you and Selene spend time apart?â She shook her head. âFrom your expression Iâd say thatâs upsetting to you. Iâm sorry.â
âItâs all right. Itâs a long story, but the short version is that when Selene was eleven years old I made a mistake and broke Pack law. As a result, my brother, Damien, who you met at the party, took Selene from me and cast me out of our Pack.â
âThatâs terrible,â she said quietly. Her brain couldnât wrap itself around the thought of being rejected by her own family. The sorrow of such an act would probably kill her.
His hand squeezed hers. âThe horror I recently suffered at Carterâs hands doesnât begin to compare to losing my child. Only the hope that we might know each other someday, that she might forgive me, kept me going. It seems weâre finally finding each other again.â
âIâm so glad. And Damien?â
His jaw clenched. âHeâs an asshole. The bastard can rot in hell for all I care.â
This might not be a good time to mention the intense longing on Damienâs face as heâd observed Nick at the party. That his eyes had been filled with regret. Maybe once she and Nick were better acquainted, heâd be ready to hear it.
He went on before she could form a response. âWe never had any other siblings, and our parents are dead also. My father was murdered by hunters thirty-five years ago, just before I met my mate, and my mother died of grief soon after.â
Mate? What effing mate?
She cleared her throat. âIâm so sorry to hear that.â
âThank you. It was a terrible time for the clan. My father was the Alpha, and was beloved by almost everyone. Damien took his place and there were the usual challenges to his leadership before he settled in.â He paused. âWhy are you looking at me like that?â
She stopped walking and leaned her back against a tree, studying him. âYou mentioned a mate. Am I going to find myself on the business end of some alpha bitchâs teeth and claws?â
He shook his head. âThat mistake I mentioned before, the one that got me ousted from my Pack? My mate was killed as a resultâby Carter Darrow. He saw an opportunity to come after me recently, and you know the rest.â
âNot entirely, but I wonât press you.â
âI appreciate that. Iâm sure Iâll tell you the whole story one day, but not today.â
âIâm sorry about your mate,â she said sincerely. âWhat was her name, if you donât mind my asking?â
His lips curved up just a bit, and his expression was fond. âJennifer. A name as sweet and simple as the woman. I wasnât looking for a mate, and one day she visited from a neighboring Pack. It was like being