Page 79 of Shattered

Mackenzie sighed. Shit was about to get real. “For the family. I saw how Jace reacted when he saw Hayden—Bodhi’s reaction, too. It was like the pieces of their souls had finally healed, and I couldn’t allow Holly to fuck it up. She was planning on taking Hayden away, I knew it deep down, even if she didn’t say it—even if I didn’t say it out loud. The ugly bitch would’ve been vindictive enough to snatch happiness out of all of our hands. It would’ve broken Jace’s heart to have Hayden leave after being reunited with her. So, my unhappiness, in my mind, was payback for all the shit I’d put this family, hell, what I put you through, with your mother. Besides, both Hayden and Jace earned the right to some happiness after all the stuff they’d been through.”

Royce shook his head. “Holly was never going to leave.”

Sure, they knew the truth now, but all those years ago, he’d believed Holly. His gut told him what she’d do, and the thought of her leaving with Hayden... No, he did the right thing even if it was the wrong thing to do. He realized now; he should have called her bluff. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty.”

Royce growled. “Fucking Rafertys are so damn stubborn. News flash, dad. It’s your turn now. Hayden is an adult as am I. Both of us are mated, with children of our own. You no longer have to watch over or protect us.”

Mackenzie placed his cup on the table before leaning forward. “Let me ask you a question, son. You’re a father now, do you think you’ll ever stop protecting your children? Even when they’re adults?”

Royce was silent for a moment before he responded. “Point taken.”

Mackenzie nodded. “What I thought.”

“Hayden doesn’t blame you, dad. She never has. In her eyes, you were—and always will be—the man who kept her family together. Jace helped create Hayden, there is no denying that, but you helped raise her and loved her like she was one of your own. She wants you happy.”

“I’m happy,” he lied.

Royce snorted. “You’re miserable. We all can see you’re going through the motions. You gotta stop beating yourself up so much about shit that occurred in the past and you didn’t have a lot of control over. It’s behind us, and it no longer matters. We’ve moved on, now it’s your chance to do the same and find your happiness. Not all of them are like Marjorie or Holly nor are they your mate. Aurora is. Claim her.”

Mackenzie remained stoic, yet his son’s words hit home. He’d been taking everything on his shoulders. Did he really want to live the remainder of his life without Aurora and Abby?

“I know it’s scary as hell, dad, but all you have to do is willingly take the first step off, and I can guarantee you’ll fall into bliss.” Royce smirked, raising his gaze to meet Mackenzie’s. His son looked so much like Kalkin when they were young, it was scary. “I don’t expect an answer, and you don’t owe me one. You owe it to Aurora. Promise me you’ll think about everything we talked about?”

Mackenzie nodded, well aware their conversation was mostly just Royce talking and him listening. “When or how did you get so damn smart?”

“Not by hanging around the uncles. I only got my smarts when Charisma came into my life,” Royce said with a content smile.

Mackenzie could see and feel the happiness radiating from his boy, and for the first time the knot in his stomach when it came to his son, eased. “She’s a good woman. You’re both lucky to have each other.”

“She’d have to be, to deal with my dumb ass,” Royce grumbled.

“This is true.”

“Ready to head back to the courthouse then home?” Royce inquired after he downed the remaining coffee from his cup.

“Sounds like a plan,” Mackenzie said before he stood and disposed of his empty cup in the trash can.

The return walk to the courthouse was silent again, and it wasn’t until they reached Royce’s car that Mackenzie spoke up. “I’m proud of you, son.” Mackenzie placed a hand on Royce’s shoulder, the regret he had with his son was deep, and although this conversation was the step in the right direction, Mackenzie knew he had to give to his son also and so he did. “You turned out to be a helluva man. It brings me great happiness to be in your life, to see you become a husband and father. Most importantly, though, I’m not the type of man who wonders about the what if’s or if I could change my past except when it comes to you.”

Royce stepped forward, putting his arms around Mackenzie in a surprise hug. “Love you, dad.”

Mackenzie was taken aback by his son’s show of affection, but not so much as to not reciprocate the embrace. Holding tight to his boy, he whispered, “Love you, too, son.”

Chapter Eleven

Thanksgiving Day – First day of the full moon...

The trial lingered for Mackenzie. All of the bullshit Walker puked up—with Holly’s help—to discredit his niece, tore him up inside. Though Hayden had been in great spirits, and she’d proved her Raferty blood was laced with an extra helping of asshole, it still bothered him. He promised Royce he wouldn’t allow the darkness in, or feel as though he had to be responsible for everything, but shouldn’t he have? All anyone had to do was look at his family and see how fucked-up they really were.

“Hey, are you sure we made enough apple cake?”

Aurora’s question drew him from his musings. The night before they’d stayed up way longer than they should have prepping for Thanksgiving dinner. Together, they’d made five apple cakes and two pans of candied sweet potato casserole because Abby loved it. “I think so. We might have leftovers.”

She frowned. “I hope not. Apple cake doesn’t freeze well.”

Mackenzie chuckled. “I was teasing. It’ll be the first thing to go, just watch.” He wrapped his arm around her and inhaled.

The sweet, tantalizing scent of jasmine and honeysuckle shot straight to his groin. The first night of the full moon. Fuck. Things were about to get interesting for both of them. When he made arrangements with Aurora, he hadn’t thought about the full moon. Already the urge to bite her, had been overwhelming to say the least. Starting tonight, it would become worse. He never thought he’d be in this type of predicament. He could leave, spend the next three days with Liam after dinner and use the excuse of the boy’s first season, not avoiding her.

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