Family Matters
Astimepassed,Mathiasand Ward fell into a routine. Mathias spent most of his mornings and afternoons with the Lone Wolf Pack. His medical attentions weren’t always necessary, but he enjoyed getting to know the adult Jessie and befriending Will all over again, without the added burden of the sexual attraction. Jessie’s pregnancy was progressing nicely, his blood pressure stabilized by Mathias’s magic. It was likely that any day now, the twins would decide it was time to make their entry into the world.
Things were more slow going on the Ward front. Mathias had not forgotten the promise he’d made to Saul. He wanted to blame it for dragging his feet with breaching the topic with Ward, but the truth was that once he came by Ward’s place—every evening like clockwork—they always avoided the proverbial werewolf in the room. It wasn’t that they didn’t speak about Mathias’s nature. Mathias refused to shy away from his mate and more than once, he’d come to the house in shifted form. He’d also explained how his magic worked and even showed Ward a handful of smaller spells. Ward still had moments when he could barely shake off his shock and disbelief, and more than once, he’d asked Mathias to shift for him on purpose, but his painting seemed to channel that confusion into more creative avenues. He’d also understood and easily agreed with Mathias’s plea to keep everything he’d learned a secret.
Despite all this, Mathias had yet to reveal the truth about where he went during the day. They also hadn’t approached the topic of Ward’s ex, or anything in the human’s past that he might have been uncomfortable with.
They were tiptoeing around one another, and for Mathias, that was fine. His werewolf instincts screamed at him to claim the man, but in his heart, he knew that was not what Ward needed.
As it turned out, there were some things that Ward simply deserved to know, and Mathias was strikingly reminded of that a week and a half into their little not quite dating. They went out for a walk throughout the property, ironically heading in the general direction of the Lone Wolf Pack’s home. Mathias wasn’t alarmed. He was too happy that his mate was holding his hand to think about that. And then, Ward sat down at the base of a tree and let out a contemplative sigh. “Did I ever tell you why I came here?”
“Very little,” Mathias replied as he joined his mate. He hadn’t mentioned much of his reasons for the move ever since that first day, when Mathias had been a wolf.
“This was my grandfather’s family home. He was among the few people who provided genuine support when I came out.” He laughed lightly and leaned against Mathias’s shoulder. “It’s an old story. He used to say I reminded him a lot of his brother. I thought I could find some of the acceptance he gave me, to chase away what happened in New York—which I’m sure you figured out. I’m not quite there, but... It’s so strange. Sometimes, that life seems ages ago.”
Mathias’s heart clenched. Ward was being honest, so Mathias couldn’t shy away from the truth either. In his heart, he knew the real reason why he was hesitating, but he hoped that after the time they’d spent together, his mate would understand.
Swallowing nervously, Mathias braced himself for what would undoubtedly be a difficult conversation. “I have a confession to make,” he said. “Or rather, there’s something I haven’t told you.”
Ward tensed and pulled away. In the darkness of twilight, his eyes shone with a distrust that pained Mathias. “What is it?”
“It’s about your great-uncle.”
The shock that filled Ward’s face was almost gratifying to see. Obviously, his mate had been expecting anything but that. “What?”
“Your grandfather’s brother,” Mathias elaborated. “I know him. He’s a dear friend. Well, he’s actually the reason why I came here to begin with. He needed my help with something very important, and I’ve known him and his son for many years.”
“Wait, back up.” Ward lifted his hands and took a deep breath. “Are you telling me my great-uncle Will is still alive, and here, in Willow Cove? How is that possible? And... He has a son? Grandad told me his brother was gay.”
“It’s... complicated.” Mathias licked his lips, unsure how to proceed. “I’m not sure how much your grandfather ever knew about what happened then, but my guess is that it probably wasn’t much. The truth is that some fifty years ago, your great-uncle fell in love with a werewolf.”
Ward gaped at him. “You’re joking.”
Mathias shook his head. “They met and fell in love. It was a difficult time for gay couples, as I’m sure you know. They had to hide.” And how remarkable it was that Mathias could actually say all this while only feeling regret that his friend had to suffer so much. “It’s a long story, but eventually, they made plans to run away together.”
“Why do I get the feeling it didn’t work out?” Ward asked in a trembling voice.
“Because it didn’t. Dean’s father... Your great-uncle’s mate—Dean—had a very strict family. His father was the Alpha of their pack, and well... Imagine that period’s homophobia, coupled with werewolf nature. Unpleasant result.”
Ward’s breath caught. “Did they kill him?”
“They forced him to marry someone else, threatening Will’s life. It was quite horrible. They were separated before Dean could even explain, and for decades, Will thought his mate had abandoned him. And then... There was Jessie.”
“Jessie? Is that his wife?”
Mathias blinked in confusion, before realizing the unisex name and his earlier mentioning of Will having a son had made Ward draw the wrong conclusion. “No. His son. You see, when Will left Willow Cove, he was pregnant. Turns out werewolf men can impregnate humans even in homosexual intercourse.”
“Okay, I know that has to be some sort of joke.” Ward shook his head adamantly. “It’s just not possible. I can accept magic and you shape-shifting, but humans are humans. Pregnancy doesn’t work like that.”
“Believe me, he was just as surprised. It’s how he and I met. He was confused and on the run. I found him trembling and afraid, masquerading as a pregnant woman and trying to cross the border into Canada. I ended up helping him throughout the rest of his pregnancy and then, for a while, with raising Jessie.”
Something in his tone must have given Ward a hint regarding Mathias’s past with Will. “You were in love with him, weren’t you?”
This was what Mathias had feared, and it was far too soon in their relationship to deal with it. “I suppose I was, in a way,” he nonetheless admitted. “He’s very much like you.”
It was completely the wrong thing to say, and Mathias knew it that very same moment. Ward was on his feet and stalking away before Mathias’s brain could even process the full extent of his “fuck, you’re an idiot” train of thought.
Mathias scrambled after his mate, hating himself for hurting Ward like this. “Wait, Ward, please.”