Chapter 38 - What Duty Demands
1172 Words
Stephanie knocked lightly on the wooden door before pushing it open.
The room smelled faintly of leather and fresh air drifting through the half-open window. Timothy lay stretched across his bed, staring up at the ceiling with his arms spread wide, as if he had simply collapsed there and never bothered to move again.
For a moment she stood in the doorway watching him.
Her brother looked exhausted.
Not physically—Timothy was one of the strongest warriors in the pack—but emotionally, as though something had drained all the strength from him.
Stephanie stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind her.
Although she had recently been allowed to leave her room and even receive visitors, her punishment was not fully lifted yet. Officially she was still under house arrest.
But no one had said she couldn’t visit her brother.
Timothy turned his head slightly when he heard her footsteps.
He gave her a faint smile.
“So,” he said quietly, “she told you.”
Stephanie walked to the bed and sat down beside him.
“Yes,” she said softly. “She did.”
Timothy looked back at the ceiling.
“I didn’t know it was you,” Stephanie added after a moment. “Not until today.”
Timothy nodded slowly.
“That makes two of us.”
Silence settled between them.
Being twins had always meant something strange and almost unexplainable for them. They could sense each other’s moods long before words were spoken.
Even now, Stephanie could feel the heavy weight pressing down on her brother’s thoughts.
Timothy sighed.
“If I had told Father,” he said quietly, “he would have married us immediately.”
Stephanie nodded.
“That’s true.”
Her voice carried no judgment.
“Which would have been the worst possible duty for Melissa.”
Timothy suddenly sat up.
“I’m not Father.”
Stephanie looked at him carefully.
She didn’t want to hurt him.
But she also refused to lie.
“You’re more like him than you think,” she said gently.
Timothy’s expression hardened slightly.
“Our father is loyal,” she continued. “He is fair. Honest. The best Beta our Alpha could ask for.”
Timothy waited.
“But,” Stephanie finished softly, “he’s also rigid.”
Timothy frowned.
“He doesn’t tolerate disobedience.”
Timothy turned toward her.
“Where are you going with this?”
Stephanie stood up slowly and walked toward the window.
Outside, the courtyard was quiet. A few young wolves trained near the far wall while others carried supplies between buildings.
“I’m not defending Melissa,” Stephanie said finally.
Timothy watched her back.
“But if we’re being honest,” she continued, “the moment you learned she was afraid, you told her you would release her.”
Timothy clenched his jaw.
“That was the right thing to do.”
“Was it?”
Timothy didn’t answer.
Stephanie turned toward him.
“You didn’t ask whether her fear was justified.”
Timothy looked away.
“You didn’t ask what she was truly afraid of.”
Stephanie crossed her arms.
“Or maybe,” she added quietly, “she just wanted someone to tell her that her fear was wrong.”
Timothy stared at the floor.
The words struck deeper than he expected.
Because somewhere inside, he knew Stephanie was right.
He had reacted instantly.
Angrily.
The moment Melissa had admitted she feared the future that awaited her as the Beta’s wife.
His pride had taken over.
His temper had made the decision for both of them.
Stephanie stepped closer again.
“You decided everything for her.”
Timothy’s voice was low.
“She said she was afraid.”
“Yes.”
“So I released her.”
Stephanie sighed.
“You rejected her.”
Timothy looked up sharply.
“That’s not the same thing.”
Stephanie didn’t respond immediately.
Instead she sat down beside him again.
“Melissa wants to become a healer,” she said quietly.
Timothy blinked.
“What?”
“A doctor.”
Timothy stared at her.
“That takes years of training.”
“Yes.”
Stephanie nodded.
“And a great deal of time.”
Silence returned.
Timothy rubbed his face with his hands.
“Why didn’t she tell me that?”
Stephanie looked at him gently.
“Maybe she thought you wouldn’t understand.”
Timothy felt anger stir inside his chest again.
“I would have listened.”
“Would you?”
He opened his mouth to answer.
But no words came.
Stephanie placed her hand on his shoulder.
“If the future Beta wants a wife who will stay home and raise heirs,” she said softly, “then maybe you really should let her go.”
Timothy closed his eyes.
The words struck like a blade.
Because they forced him to confront something he had been avoiding.
Duty.
The word had guided his entire life.
He had trained since childhood to become the next Beta.
To stand beside the Alpha.
To lead the warriors.
To protect the pack.
There had never been room for personal dreams in that path.
And yet…
Melissa had her own.
Stephanie stood up slowly.
“I’m not saying she’s right,” she said gently.
“I’m saying she deserves the chance to choose.”
Timothy remained silent.
Stephanie walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she paused.
“You love her,” she said quietly.
Timothy didn’t move.
“And if you truly love her,” Stephanie added, “you won’t make her choose between you and her dream.”
The door closed softly behind her.
Timothy sat motionless on the bed.
The room suddenly felt very large.
Very empty.
He leaned forward and buried his face in his hands.
For the first time since the argument with Melissa, he allowed himself to remember the look in her eyes that day.
Fear.
But not of him.
Fear of losing something important.
Her future.
Her purpose.
Timothy exhaled slowly.
The truth was simple.
He had never asked.
He had only assumed.
And in his anger…
He had made the decision for her.
The same way his father would have done.
Timothy let out a quiet laugh that carried no humor.
Stephanie had been right about that.
Outside the window the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the courtyard.
Timothy stood up and walked toward the window.
Below him the pack continued its daily life.
Training.
Working.
Preparing for evening meals.
Life moved forward without hesitation.
But inside Timothy something had shifted.
For the first time in his life…
Duty no longer felt simple.
Because loving someone meant something far more difficult than obedience.
It meant letting them walk a path that might lead them away from you.
And Timothy did not yet know whether he was strong enough to do that.
He stood there for a long time, watching the fading light.
Trying to decide what kind of man he truly wanted to be.
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