Page 24 of Moon Destiny

Okay, that probably sounded stupid. My apartment was just fine. But I was a grown woman with a life and responsibilities. I hadn’t chosen to become a werewolf, and I wasn’t going to let Hugh Dalton dictate my future.

He sat back, and his eyes lightened a bit. Not as much as they had when he’d gripped my arms and said he couldn’t lose me. No, this was more subtle—and somehow I knew I was looking at Hugh the Alpha and not Hugh the man who’d worried for my safety. Did he always run so hot and cold? The flip flopping was jarring. My stomach clenched as I braced for a repeat of last night, when he’d forced me to drop my gaze.

Instead, he asked, “Did you read anything about fated mates last night?”

After years of reporting, I knew he’d changed the subject on purpose. “Yes.” For some reason, my stomach fluttered. Why was he asking me this?

He looked away, his brow furrowing. “I thought this would be easier,” he muttered.

The fluttering in my stomach increased, a thousand butterflies flapping their wings.

“We’re fated for each other,” he said tightly. “You and I.”

For a second, I could only stare at him while my brain attempted to arrange his words into something that made sense. When he merely continued staring back at me, I rasped, “That’s not possible.” The book said fated mates were inseparable. That it was physically painful for them to be apart. “You— You’re lying.”

Bright anger flared in his eyes. “I assure, I am not. I’ve never been so certain of anything in my life.”

“But…I don’t know anything about you.” As his declaration sank in, heat climbed up my back. “You’re Alex’s father.” A horrifying thought popped into my head. “Oh god, did you know this before you bit me?”

He glanced toward the hallway that connected our room to the main dining area. “Keep your voice down.”

I gripped the table and leaned forward. “Just answer the question!” I said in a loud whisper.

He clenched his jaw. “I didn’t know. I suspected it as soon as I tasted your blood, but I didn’t know for sure until you were deep in the fever.”

“Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

“Do you really have to ask me that? As you pointed out, Alex was my son.” Pain flashed in his eyes.

A corresponding ache shot through my heart, swiftly followed by mortification. I couldn’t be tied to my deceased boyfriend’s father. Another sudden thought cropped up. “How old are you?”

There was the barest hesitation. “Eighty-seven.”

I gasped. I didn’t even have to scramble to do the math. There were exactly sixty years between us. And it was weird that he looked so youthful when he was pushing ninety. My brain didn’t accept it.

An older woman in a black apron bustled from the hallway and offered an apologetic smile as she stopped at our table. “Apologies for the delay. We’re swamped today because a couple of big tour buses came in.” She pulled a pencil from her graying bun and held it over a thick notepad. “What can I get you guys?”

Hugh gathered our menus and placed them on the edge of the table. He ordered without even glancing at me. “Pastitsio for me. Same for the lady.”

Okay, maybe he was exactly as old as he looked.

The server tucked the menus under her arm. “The pasta is already baked so it’ll only be a minute. Can I get you anything to drink besides water? Our bar is open.”

“Wine,” I said before Hugh could order for me again. “Anything red. You can bring the whole bottle.”

She nodded. “And for you, sir?”

“I’m fine with water, thank you.” He waited until she was out of earshot before telling me, “It’ll take more than a bottle of wine to get you drunk.”

“Metabolism again?”

“Yes. It’s also unwise to imbibe with rogues in the area. Alcohol will mute your senses.”

Imbibe. Now I was going to be analyzing his vocabulary, listening for words no one used anymore. Except octogenarians. We had another mini staring contest, during which I mentally conceded he had a point. But I didn’t want to tell him that.

I lifted my chin. “Are you asking me not to drink or are you telling me? Because you should know, I don’t like being told what to do.”

Something moved in his eyes.

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