Chapter 110

Iris

The salty breeze whips through my hair as Arthur carries Miles on his shoulders down the boardwalk. Miles squeals with delight, one of his little hands gripping Arthur’s hair while the other points at anything and everything—seagulls, pretty clouds, someone walking by with cotton candy.

The guilt gnaws at me even more now that I see them together.

I want to tell Arthur everything. About being a Willford. About being a werewolf. About this impossible reality I’ve found myself in, the reality that I still can’t quite believe myself. It still feels like a dream, like I’ll wake up at any moment and discover that none of it was real.

I want to tell him all of it.

But I made a promise to Caleb to keep our secret for just a little while longer, and I just can’t bring myself to betray the brother I’ve only just found. I’m caught between two worlds, two loyalties, and I hate it. It’s putting a damper on what should be joyous news.

I can’t help but wonder why Caleb feels so adamant about keeping the truth from Arthur. Is it that he doesn’t trust him after what happened with Selina? Or did Caleb not truth Arthur from the start? The two of them certainly don’t seem to have the best feelings toward each other.

“Look, Mommy! The ocean!” Miles points excitedly toward the waves crashing against the shore.

I force a smile. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Miles grins and kicks his feet, giggling excitedly. I know the one thing he misses the most about Bo’Arrocan is the beach. We lived right next to it when we were there, and we would go every day. I miss it, too; Ordan is beautiful, but has considerably fewer ocean views.

Arthur glances back at me, and there’s something in his eyes—a distance that wasn’t there before. He’s still upset about finding Caleb in my apartment, even if he’s trying to hide it for Miles’ sake. This time, I can’t even blame him. If I were in his position, seeing my mate with another, I’d be upset, too.

I wonder, for a moment, if I’ll soon feel the same level of jealousy he feels—once my wolf comes out. If it ever comes out.

The thought is still absurd to me. I have a wolf. I want to pinch myself again, but my arm is sore from doing it so much lately, so I restrain myself.

We make our way down to the beach, Arthur lowering Miles carefully to the sand. Our son immediately runs toward the water’s edge, then stops just short of the waves, laughing as they chase his feet.

“Don’t go too far,” I call out as I spread a blanket on the sand.

Arthur stands beside me for a moment, hands in his pockets, watching Miles. He’s smiling, but I can practically feel his tension radiating off him like heat.

“Want to look for seashells?” I ask, hoping to lighten the mood.

He nods, and we walk along the shoreline together hand-in-hand, keeping Miles in sight. Arthur’s palm is warm and comforting against mine, and I rub my thumb across his knuckles, hoping that the simple gesture will help soothe some of his tension.

Spotting something, I bend down to pick up a small conch shell, brushing sand from its pink interior.

“Pretty,” Arthur murmurs as I hold it up, but I can tell he’s not really looking at the shell.

My throat bobs. “Arthur, about Caleb—”

“You don’t have to explain,” he cuts me off, but there’s an edge to his words.

“I want to.” I stop walking and turn to face him. “He’s just… he took pity on me after what happened at the gala. He wants to help.”

Arthur’s jaw clenches. “And you trust this man you hardly know?”

The question makes my stomach twist painfully. Do I trust Caleb? My long-lost brother? The man who is helping me understand who I really am?

“I think he genuinely wants to help,” I say carefully. “We’re friends now.”

Arthur stares at me for a moment. “Willfords don’t do anything without an agenda,” he warns. “Selina taught me that.”

I bite my lip, remembering all too well the sort of hell Selina put us through. If the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, then maybe Caleb isn’t so different. But I want to believe he is—I want to believe that my family, my real, biological family, who I’ve finally found after more than two decades of believing I was a human orphan, only wants the best for me.

“Maybe he’s different,” I offer weakly.

Arthur studies my face for another long moment, then sighs. “If you trust him, I’ll try to as well. Just… be careful, okay? I’m just worried about you, that’s all. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Relief washes over me. He’s giving me space to make my own decisions, even if he doesn’t agree with them. I reach up, cupping his cheek.

“Thank you for trusting me,” I whisper, then rise on my tiptoes to press my lips to his.

He hesitates for just a moment before kissing me back, his arm sliding around my waist. His fingers gently dip into the soft flesh at my hip and draw me closer. I slip my tongue briefly into his mouth, swirling it around his before retreating. The motion makes him loose a low huff that rumbles against my mouth.

When we break apart, some of the tension has left his shoulders.

“Mommy! Daddy! Come help!” Miles calls from further down the beach, where he’s started building a sandcastle.

We spend the next hour helping Miles construct an elaborate castle complete with moats and towers. Arthur shows him how to pack the sand just right, while I hunt for shells and seaweed to decorate it. The awkwardness between us gradually fades as we focus on our son.

Later, we sit down on the blanket to watch the sunset. Miles curls up between us, exhausted from his building efforts. Arthur’s arm drapes across my shoulders, and I lean into him, breathing in his familiar scent.

As darkness falls, we pack up our things. Arthur scoops up a sleepy Miles, who immediately rests his head on his father’s shoulder. My heart swells at the sight, even as guilt continues to twist in my stomach.

Soon. I’ll tell him soon. I’ll give Caleb a couple more days, but then I’m telling Arthur everything whether Caleb likes it or not.

The drive to Arthur’s apartment is quiet—I agreed to spend the night with him, which excited Miles and, admittedly, me.

I stare out the window, watching the city lights blur past. Every day I keep this secret feels like another lie, another betrayal. But how can I choose between my mate and my brother?

When we arrive, I have to admit I’m sort of relieved to see the familiar facade of the apartment we once shared—the apartment we might share again soon. Clyde must be off tonight, because he’s not behind the security desk when we pass through the lobby with our things.

I make a mental note to visit him and Augustine tomorrow; it’s been a while since I’ve seen them.

“Now,” Arthur says as we step into the apartment, “before we get ready for bed, I have to show you two something.”

I follow with a furrowed brow as he leads us up the stairs, then down the hall to the guest room that Miles and I shared when we were staying here. He stops outside the door and turns to us with a grin.

“Ready for your surprise?”