The decision
1397 Words
(Greyson)
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady my nerves. It wasn’t working. My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I stood in front of the office doors, Jaxon and Mason right beside me. This was going to be a battle, and we all knew it.
Father wasn’t going to make this easy.
“Are we really doing this?” Jaxon muttered under his breath, shifting from foot to foot. “Because I have a feeling this is about to turn into a shitstorm.”
I rolled my eyes. “What, you scared now?”
Jaxon shot me a glare. “Hell no. I just don’t feel like getting into a screaming match today.”
Mason sighed and pushed the doors open before either of us could say anything else.
Father was going through some documents, his eyes lifting when he heard us enter. He was a stubborn bastard when he wanted to be. So, I know that it would take a lot to get him to agree.
He leaned back in his chair, setting the papers down, and crossed his arms. “What do you three want?”
I swallowed hard but stood my ground. “We need to talk.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. “Then talk.”
Jaxon shot me a look that basically screamed you do it, so I stepped forward. “It’s about Christian.”
That got his attention real quick. His whole posture stiffened, and his jaw tightened. “What about him?”
I took another deep breath. “We want to follow him to college.”
Silence.
It stretched out between us like a blade, sharp and dangerous.
Then, Father laughed. It wasn’t a happy laugh. It was the kind of laugh that meant we were about to be told exactly how stupid we were.
“That’s not happening,” he said, shaking his head. “Absolutely not.”
Jaxon let out a frustrated groan. “Why not? He’s our mate! He’s running from us, and we can’t just let him go.”
Father’s eyes darkened. “You think running after him like a bunch of lost pups is the answer?”
“We’re not running after him,” I argued, trying to keep my voice calm. “We’re making sure he’s safe. He doesn’t have his wolf, Father. He’s vulnerable.”
“He’s strong enough,” Father snapped. “If he wants to leave, let him.”
That pissed me off.
“How can you say that?” I shouted, stepping closer. “He’s our mate! We’re supposed to protect him, be there for him. But you want us to just sit here and do nothing while he walks away?”
Father stood up then, his presence intimidating. He wasn’t just our father. He was the Alpha King. And when he wanted to, he could make you feel it.
“You think I don’t understand what you’re feeling?” he growled. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to have a mate push you away?”
I clenched my jaw. “Then why are you stopping us?”
“Because you’re acting like fools,” he snapped. “You’re not thinking. You’re letting your emotions control you.”
Mason, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. “And you’re acting like you don’t care. But we know you do. So why won’t you help us?”
Father’s expression shifted for just a second. A small c***k in the armor.
Then the doors behind us opened again, and we all turned as Dad walked in.
If Father was fire, Dad was water. Calm, steady, and always trying to smooth things over.
“What’s going on?” he asked, looking between all of us.
Jaxon answered first. “Father’s trying to stop us from going after Christian.”
Dad’s brows furrowed as he turned to Father. “Jacob?”
Father sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “They want to drop everything and follow Christian to college. I told them no.”
Dad’s lips pressed together like he was trying to find the right words. “Maybe we should talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about Arlo,” Father said. “They have responsibilities here. They can’t just run off.”
I had had enough.
“It’s not running off,” I snapped. “It’s making sure our mate doesn’t slip away from us forever. What part of that don’t you f*****g get?”
Father’s expression darkened. “Watch your tone, Greyson.”
“No,” I growled. “I’m sick of this s**t. You keep acting like we should just let him go. Like we shouldn’t fight for him. Why? Why won’t you let us do this?”
Father’s fists clenched. “Because I know what happens when you chase after someone who doesn’t want to be caught.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
I knew he was talking about Dad.
I had heard the stories of how he used to put up with Dad's brothers and parents. They wanted to take Dad away from him and took every chance they got to interfere with their bond.
But father didn't back down, and because of that, he got into some huge s**t with dad, which landed him in hot waters.
I could see the pain in Father’s eyes, but I wasn’t backing down. I wasn’t him, and Christian wasn’t Dad.
“That’s not the same thing,” I said, my voice firm but not as sharp as before. “You were fighting against people who wanted to break your bond. We’re fighting to keep ours.”
Father’s jaw tightened. “And what if he doesn’t want to be kept?”
That question hit harder than I wanted to admit.
Mason sighed, stepping forward. “He does. He’s just scared, Father. He doesn't have his wolf. He’s not pushing us away because he doesn’t want us. He’s doing it because he thinks he’s not enough. You know what that feels like, don’t you?”
Father’s eyes flashed with something unreadable before he looked away.
Dad sighed, rubbing his temples like he had a headache. “Jacob,” he said softly. “They’re not asking to abandon their duties. They’re asking for a chance to help their mate. Don’t you think they deserve that?”
Father was quiet for a long time. Too long.
Jaxon was getting impatient. “Look, we’re going whether you agree or not,” he said stubbornly. “So you can either help us or stay in our way.”
Father’s gaze snapped to him, full of warning. “Watch it, Jaxon.”
Jaxon rolled his eyes but stayed quiet.
I exhaled slowly. “Father, please. Just think about it. You know what it’s like to fight for your mate. Don’t stop us from doing the same.”
Father stared at me, his face unreadable. Then, finally, he let out a long breath and sat back down. “And what if he never comes around? What if you waste years of your life chasing someone who will never accept you?”
“Then at least we’ll know we did everything we could,” I said simply. “We won’t regret it.”
Dad smiled slightly at that.
Father looked at him, and something passed between them. Some unspoken conversation that only they understood.
Then, Father sighed. “If I let you do this, you don’t slack on your training. You keep up with your responsibilities. And if Christian wants space, you give it to him.”
Jaxon grinned. “Does that mean—”
“Yes,” Father grumbled. “You can go.”
Mason let out a relieved breath. Jaxon punched the air.
I just stared at Father, feeling something heavy settle in my chest. “Thank you,” I said quietly.
He didn’t look at me when he spoke. “Don’t make me regret this.”
Dad smiled at us before stepping over to Father and placing a hand on his shoulder. “You did the right thing, Jacob.”
Father huffed but didn’t argue.
I turned to my brothers, my heart racing. “Let’s get ready.”
Christian wasn’t going to know what hit him.
And this time, we weren’t letting him go.
- Writer
