Alliance of Shadows: NEIL

Family Dinner Revelations

“May we interrupt,” I heard Clara ask.

My face heated up, and I turned away from her sly look to glare at the stove. “There’s nothing to interrupt, Clara. We were, um, just talking.”

Right, like she was going to buy that flimsy excuse, I thought dryly.

“Henry, darling,” she cooed, her voice dripping with a light, teasing air. “In the four years I’ve known him, I had no idea your son could be so utterly considerate. Izzy, sweetie, isn’t he a gentleman?”

There it was. The expression of doubt I was waiting for had been disguised as a joking taunt. She wasn’t looking for her niece to join the fun, but for confirmation that I had been treating the girl well.

“How was work,” I asked as we made our way to the table. As I dug into the food, the realization that I had never actually tried her cooking hit me, but I wasn’t expecting the explosion of flavour. I groaned in ecstasy as the Alfredo-covered noodles seemed to melt in my mouth. The sauce was cooked to perfection, and the herbs she’d used didn’t take from the delightful taste. Instead, they blended seamlessly into a savory, enjoyable dish.

“Do you like it?” Izaria asked nervously.

It was better than good, way better. I grinned at her from across the table as I ate another forkful of pasta while she pushed her food around her plate. The moaning and groaning I was doing as I ate was not planned nor was it faked. It really was some of the best damn pasta I’d ever eaten. “Nope, you are never leaving me. This food is amazing, Izzy.”

“Yes, it certainly is delicious, dear.” Clara laughed softly, taking a sip of her wine. My stepmother glanced at me, appreciation shining in her eyes. She'd only known me for a few short years, but it didn't matter.

Having spent most of my childhood motherless, and after treating her poorly over the time she’d been with my father, I suddenly found myself craving her approval in a sick, sucker-for-punishment kind of way. I wanted her praise, but I didn’t want to get too close to her. I needed her guidance, but could I afford to further humble myself? Maybe, then again, maybe not.

My father laughed, smirking as though he knew something I didn’t. “He should eat with us more often, right, Izzy? He wouldn't be so surprised about your cooking skills if he knew that some of the leftovers he’s eaten over the last while were meals you made.”

“That’s true,” Izaria returned, braking into a full-on laugh… until she glanced over at me. When she noticed me staring, I saw the fear in her eyes. I saw the deeply rooted seed of deception left by those who had a hand in making her feel less than she was. “I’m sorry," she finally whispered.

I wanted to tear apart her mother and stepfather for how they forced her into a timidity that really didn’t suit her. She had a brassy boldness to her, one that didn’t go unnoticed by me, but it was hidden behind layers of emotional and mental blocks and torment. To make them beg me for mercy that would never come.

Gently, I forced her to look at me. “You don’t need be afraid to laugh, so don’t do that again and stop apologizing for something out of your control. Now, let’s not let this heavenly dinner go to waste.”

To my knowledge, she was a Human. Which meant that she wasn't able to understand why I was being so attentive to her needs at the moment.

Clara cleared her throat, watching my reaction as she spoke. “Izaria, honey, why did you do that?”

“My stepfather,” was all she said, but it was enough. After what we had found out, separately and through eavesdropping, it was all she needed to say for me and Clara to understand her behaviour.

Yet, the words burned, messing with my calm. A calm that only the Mate bond could provide.

“May I be excused,” Izzy asked, pushing her plate to the side. She'd barely eaten, and that irritated me to no end.

Pushing the plate under her nose once more, I picked up the fork and held it out to her, “No. You have to eat at least half of what’s on your plate. If I have to feed you myself, I will, but you are going to eat, Izaria.”

Dad looked ready to tell me off, but Clara stopped him. “Don’t you dare, Henry. He’s just concerned about her wellbeing. Aren’t you, Neil?”

Opening the family link to only accept her, I sent her a message. ‘Phil called, didn’t he?’

When she nodded, I let out a relieved breath. “I absolutely am concerned after that appointment the other day.”

“We have a lot to work on, but you are not alone, sweetheart. Not anymore. You’re safe here with your Auntie, darling girl,” Clara said, reaching over to take Izaria’s hand. She turned her green eyes to me. “Neil, did you grab her medication?”

I nodded slowly before answering "We picked it up the same day Phil prescribed it. I make sure she takes it at the same time every day."

"Good," she replied. “Izzy, you need to listen to Neil and communicate properly so he can help you. While Henry and I work, he’s in charge of your care, understand?”

“Yes, Aunt Clara,” Izaria answered.

In a sudden flash of clarity, I suddenly understood the implications of her words. Relief washed over me in waves. No way this was real, right? This whole situation was a dream, and I would soon wake up to the same old life of long days and even longer nights. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would help my kitten get better, and I would stop at nothing to get it done. No matter how long it took, I was determined to make her happy.

Nodding, I grinned at Clara. “Since I'm a nationally registered fitness trainer, I can help her get ready for the Phys. Ed. portion of her testing if you like. It’s usually a timed obstacle course, so I’d say three months of training should be enough.”

There was a stretch of quiet, broken only by the scrape of silverware on fine China. My father loudly sipped his wine, waiting and watching as I interacted with the two women who, at first, had been the bane of my existence. As I finished the last of my food, tempted to literally lick the plate clean, I noted the approval, pride, and hope shining in my father’s eyes.

Just the week before, he'd been looking at me with complete indifference and wondering where he’d gone wrong. Except, it wasn’t his fault. My life consisted of choices I had made, words I had said, and actions I had taken. Nothing in that mix had anything to do with dad’s ability to raise me. I just hadn’t been ready to take responsibility for my own faults… Until now.

The difference in the before and after between father and son was a good improvement. One I hoped to keep building on.

I was enjoying this new beginning. It happened by happy accident – at least, that’s what I felt. Deep down, I knew that the Goddess had taken pity on my lost soul, granting my wolf spirit the half of himself he’d been crying for. His will and mine were finally aligning, finally showing as more than just man and wolf inhabiting the same body.

Reflecting on his behavior since Izaria’s arrival, I noticed something else. King, the name of my spirit, had been practically restless and ignoring me. He had been going through the motions of sleep, but I could feel his constant agitation and yearning to find our Mate. He often took over my body without warning, shifting me from my Human form to a wolf through a painstaking process just to release some of his pent-up energy. Our connection felt strained, as if he was pushing me away while demanding I fulfill his need.

When I say he had been "taking over," I mean he truly took over. I transitioned from my Human form, shifting into a wolf through a painstaking process. King had full control, pushing me aside as if I were merely a passenger in my own body. The transformation was intense, both physically and mentally, and left no doubt that he was in charge.

At one point, I was surprised he didn’t try to end it all himself. Our Lady of the Hunt would never allow that to happen, though. She’d allow the Human in me to die, but not the spirit of one of her precious wolves.

Now that Izaria had arrived and the connection was created, King seemed settled. Not stoic, not defensive, not trying to kill me from the inside out. Just... settled.

The brutal, undeniable truth that he and I were one, that having her near not only did me some good, but it also helped him become more at ease with life as a whole. The clarity I got from it was astoundingly beneficial.

‘Neil,’ my father called my name through the mind-link we shared. ‘Explain this to me. Clara won’t say much about it without getting emotional.’

‘They abused her, Dad. Her own mother and her stepfather,’ I replied, maintaining our silent conversation. ‘Name-calling, manipulation, treating her like a real-life Cinderella – the works. I’m trying, Dad.’

The slight smile that tugged at his lips told me he knew I was being openly honest for the first time in a long time. ‘I can see that, ya damned páiste gránna.’

Okay, that made me wish I paid better attention to Leif when he was trying to teach me the language a few years ago.