Across Enemy Lines

Chapter 11

The room grew silent as my father stared down at his hands.

"Daddy, tell me about Liam Black."

"I'm gonna. Just tryin' to figure out where to start." He glanced up at me and let out an audible sigh.

"When I was a kid, our pack and the Dark Moon pack were close allies. We'd get together for barbecues and Christmas. Our packs were just close." Daddy started twisting his sheet around his finger.

"Liam was my best friend in the whole world. We growed up together. We went to the same school, played on the same football team, everything. That was until about junior year of high school. Liam was seventeen at the time and I had just turned eighteen. " He glanced up at me.

"Liam met this girl when him and his daddy went out to visit with another pack. He talked about her all the time. Told me about how she had the purtiest blue eyes he ever saw. Well, he invited her to the spring formal. I was excited for him because he was convinced she was gonna be his mate. He had staked his claim on her and everything." Daddy took a deep breath.

"Well, when him and that girl showed up to the dance my world stopped spinnin'. He was right. She did have the purtiest blue eyes in the wide world. He had brought my mate to the dance with him. She knowed it. I knowed it. So, I tried to do the honorable thing. I took my good buddy outside and told him. I saids, I'm sorry man but you brung my mate to the dance. Well, Liam wasn't haven't it. See, he was convinced that girl was his mate and I was just tryin' to steal her away. So… I challenged him for her. And well… I won the challenge." A single tear ran down my father's face and he brushed it off. "I didn't mean to hurt him that night but she was my mate and I had to fight for her. Well… we just wasn't the same after that. I took your momma home and me and Liam never spoke a word to each other until the other day." He stared down at his hands that were still twisting the now mangled sheet.

"Y'all stopped talking… over Momma?" I was confused.

"He stopped talking to ME over your momma. I wasn't mad at him about it… not until…" my father grew quiet.

"Until what?" Silence. "Daddy, until what?"

"Until Mary." My father whispered.

"Who's Mary?"

"Mary was the beta's youngest daughter."

"Who's beta?"

"My daddy's beta. Pete Greenwood."

"What happened to Mary?"

"Well, when Liam turned eighteen he wound up mated to her. She was a purty girl. Golden blonde hair and hazel green eyes. Real quiet."

"What happened to her?"

"Nobody knows. She went off with Liam and we never saw her again. Her momma and daddy never heard from her. We knew she had a little boy and a little girl. That was it. I'm pretty sure Liam kilt her." I rolled my eyes.

"Now Daddy, why in the world would he do that?"

"Because he resented her. He never wanted that girl. When he found out he was mated to her, he tore apart a classroom in the school. His daddy made him bring her back to their pack but he didn't want her. He wanted my Evie. She was Alpha of the Blue Moon's first born, she was an alpha female. Mary was a beta's youngest daughter. I reckon he felt like she wasn't good enough."

I sat quietly, while my father twisted his sheets.

"Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you hate Jared so much?" My father sighed.

"Little s**t looks just like Liam. I figured he was just like him, too."

"Daddy, no."

"Hell, Chloe Lynn, I know that now. That boy jumped in and fought with the best of us. I'm glad he was there today." I smiled at him.

"All right,little one, that's enough jawin' for one night. I need my beauty sleep." He kissed my forehead.

"Good night Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, little one."

I left his room closing the door softly behind me. Jared, Joey and Momma were still sitting in the hall.

"Chloe Lynn, when do you want to do the send off?" Joey asked. I looked up at him.

"We should ask Daddy." I turned to go back into the room.

"No. We're askin' you. Now, when are we doin' the send off?" Momma demanded. I turned around.

"The pack needs closure. We will burn them tonight. Gather everyone in the yard in twenty minutes. I know this isn't the best time but I need a snack." I grabbed Jared's hand and together we walked to the kitchen in silence. Jared sat me down at the bar and start going through the fridge looking for something for me to eat.

"Hey, Jared?"

"Yes, princess?"

"We don't know each other very well." He turned around holding cheese, bread and butter.

"No. I guess we don't." He started making grilled cheese.

"Tell me about your family." I probed. His back stiffened.

"What about my family?"

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Well, you know I have a sister."

"What?" I said, surprised.

"I heard you and your daddy talking."

"Oh."

"Why don't you just ask me, what you really want to ask me." He said sharply.

"What happened to your mother, Jared?" His eyes were like razors as they shot up to look at me.

"My mother died." He looked back down and continued flipping the grilled cheese over.

"How?" He slammed the spatula down, making me jump.

"What the f**k does it matter Chloe? Because your daddy saids my father killed her?" He spat.

"No! I just want to know your side! Your father's side!"

"My father loved my mother, dearly. She was his whole world. When I was eight years old my Mom and I were playing "hide and go seek" in the woods. Some rogues wondered onto our land. We tried to fight them off but we weren't strong enough. When my father found us, it was too late. She was gone. He beat me so bad I was out for days. He said I should have saved my mother and he was right. I should have fought harder, been stronger. I should have saved her. It should have been me, not her! He has hated my guts ever since. But did he kill my mother? No. He never laid a hand on her." He dropped the plate in front of me and went up stairs.