Gavriel grinned at his commander's chastisement. "I forget how long ago it was, but a fierce bear shifting warrior changed the name of his line from Ursarr to McKenzie to honor his murdered mate."
"Meryn Ursarr. Nope. I don't like it." Meryn shook her head.
Aiden eyed his friend. "One of these days we need to sit down and document everything you know about my family." Gavriel gave a lazy, one-shoulder shrug.
Ellie watched as her mate's eyes followed the conversation around the table. His friends were doing everything they could to make this seem more normal for him, and she was very grateful.
Magnus turned to Grant. "Son, I understand if you are reluctant to share your past, but I would like to know what happened. The Fenrirsons are still in charge of an extremely large pack in the Pacific Northwest. I never gave them much thought before, but knowing how they treated one of their own, I am concerned for the pack and the expansive territory they control."
"Why didn't you go to the Alpha?" Adora asked softly.
Grant snorted angrily. "My father was the Alpha; he's the one that made me leave."
"Tell us what happened." Demetrio placed a supportive hand on Grant shoulder.
Grant's eyes dropped back down to his hands. He began to fidget and twist his fingers in what Ellie had come to recognize as a calming habit for him. "Growing up, I wasn't like the other boys. My father encouraged rough play, dominance challenges, fights, you name it. I never saw the need. To me, a pack meant family."
Demetrio nodded. "That makes sense, Grant."
Grant looked at the older shifter in surprise. "It does?"
"Of course. Since you are Alpha Born, your inner wolf saw no point in fighting because he knew he would win. Fighting would only lead to injured pack members, which would have been unacceptable to him."
Grant blinked and collapsed back in his chair. "So I wasn't broken?"
"Good gods, son, no! Is that what you've thought all these years?" Deme
trio asked.
Grant nodded. "I liked spending time with my mother. She's the one who taught me how to knit. My father caught me practicing and said I was too weak to live. My mother defended me, but he ordered her from the room. He said I had two choices. Leave on my own and never return, or bury my mother. I left that night."
"That sonofabitch!" Declan exploded.
"He threatened his own mate?" Meryn asked.
Grant shook his head. "I don't think they are mates. She was just the strongest female in the pack."
"What happened to you after that?" Demetrio asked.
"I was on my own for a long time, maybe five, ten years. It's kinda blurry. Then I fell in with some natural wolves. I lived with them for another twenty years. I would sneak into human settlements and listen in to their meeting about wolf hunts so I could keep the pack safe.
"Eventually, hunters got them, even the pups. I was drifting and grieving when I overheard a couple of witches that were camped out while gathering plants. They were talking about Noctem Falls needing new warriors. So I shifted back to human for the first time in nearly twenty-five years and made my way here." He chuckled. "Learning how to walk on two legs again was interesting. Everyone thought I was drunk. But by the time I reached the city, I had built up enough muscle to pass the warrior test."
Declan exchanged looks with Adriel and held up his hand. "Wait a minute. You were only fifty years old when you joined the Eta Unit?"
Grant thought about it a moment. "There about, yeah."
Adriel looked pale. "You were so quiet and mature when you arrived. I never questioned your age."
Grant rubbed the back of his neck. "I hadn't learned how to talk again by the time I got here."
Ellie watched as her friend cuffed the back of Declan's head. Kari was fuming. "You did not even notice that your friend could not speak?"
Declan rubbed his head. "I just thought he was quiet." He looked over at Grant, his face a mask of sorrow. "I am so sorry."
Grant shook his head, grinning. "Don't be. Your constant yammering had me speaking again in no time. I swear you never shut up."
"So this Alpha Born thing is because of his family line?" Meryn asked.