“The world’s a stranger place than you’d ever dream, Mr. Bennett,” Will replied not unkindly. “Believe me, I know. But all things considered, I think you suspect what I’m here to talk about.”
It was still a little surreal to stand here with a man he knew from childhood stories, but he supposed that if he could get used to the idea of werewolves, having his great-uncle come back from the supposed dead wasn’t that odd. “Mathias, I’m guessing.”
Will nodded, but he didn’t immediately speak. It occurred to Ward that they were still standing outside the house, and this was one conversation they probably didn’t want to have in the open. “Please, come inside,” he said, gesturing toward the door.
“Thank you,” came the reply.
As Ward guided his guest into the house, he was more aware than ever that the man with him had more history here than he ever would. He couldn’t hope to guess how hard it must be for his great-uncle to revisit those memories. Nonetheless, Will didn’t show any further reaction to revisiting his family home. Ward didn’t know if he was disappointed or not. Maybe it would have made things easier, or less awkward? Then again, maybe not.
Fidgeting, Ward turned toward his great-uncle. “Would you like something to drink? Tea? A beer?”
“Thanks, no. I’m fine. I really just dropped by to talk, and I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
They sat together on the living room couch, and Ward wished he’d brought tea anyway, if only to have something to do with his hands. Thankfully, Will didn’t let the silence stretch for too long. “First of all, I’d like to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Ward repeated, puzzled. “Whatever for?”
“For giving me my friend back,” Will answered. “I’m sure Mathias explained the situation between the two of us, and our history. Recent developments— mostly rooted in the fact that I could never have romantic feelings toward him—hurt us both deeply, but since he met you, we’ve finally started to rebuild some of what was broken.”
Ward wasn’t sure what to say to that, but he decided that maybe honesty was the best policy. “I’m not sure I did much of anything. I simply ran into him. Literally.”
“Sometimes, that’s enough.” Will’s expression sobered. “Mathias tells me you think you’re a replacement for me.”
The sudden change in topic and atmosphere jarred Ward. It embarrassed him to have his personal affairs exposed like that, but he supposed he wasn’t surprised Mathias had gone to Will to pour out his troubles. Did that mean Will knew about Ward’s past with Peter? God, Ward hoped not.
As if guessing Ward’s thoughts, Will continued. “Mathias said that you had a bad experience, although he hasn’t given me the details. I won’t press, and anything you do from here on is completely your choice and your call. I just came to explain a few things—things that I wish I’d had someone explain tomewhen I was younger.”
“What things?” Ward asked, his voice trembling.
“You see, Mr. Bennett, werewolves and other such beings don’t think like we do. Mathias might look human, but he isn’t. I’m sure that at an intellectual level, you understand that, since you’ve seen him shift, but actually grasping what it means is harder. Sometimes, I still have trouble.”
Ward licked his lips nervously. “Is this about the mate thing?” Mathias had mentioned it during their last conversation, and Ward knew enough about wolves to read between the lines and understand what the concept meant for him and Mathias.
“Indeed. My guess is that you already know how wolves mate in the wild, so I won’t prolong this unnecessarily. Basically, many shifters and other such paranormal creatures take mates. Their advanced senses help them identify their other halves. It is as easy as scenting them, or looking at them for the first time.”
Ward scowled and opened his mouth to speak, but Will stopped him before he could utter a single word. “I know what you’re going to say. Does it mean anything if it’s just chemistry? Does he really want me or is it just his body telling him he does? They’re all questions I asked myself at one time, and for many years, I told myself I should have been more cautious. My mate, the father of my child, had left me despite all the promises we’d made to one another. It didn’t mean anything. Except it did. I still loved him, and he still loved me—for decades.”
Will sighed. “I suppose ours is not the best example, but what I’m trying to say... Werewolvesknow. It isn’t something we as humans can always rationalize. We experience it to some extent, but not like them.”
“Okay, fair enough,” Ward managed to cut in. “But how does that translate into Mathias loving you for so long?”
“It’s because Mathias isn’t only a werewolf. He’s half-Sidhe. I must admit I had my own doubts about your relationship when he first came to me, but then I understood... His magic is like another sense, and the similarities between the two of us confused it.” Much to Ward’s surprise, Will reached for his hand. “I know this is very odd for you, Mr. Bennett, but you have to consider... Mathias has been alone for a long time. He’s been alive longer than the entire Mulligan line existed. That sort of thing leaves a mark.”
Mathias had already told Ward about his age, but Ward had never taken the time to fully process it. Now that his great-uncle was explaining it, that seemed foolish and selfish.
Will released his hand and leaned against the back of the couch. “The last thing I want is to pressure you, but I understand how a human’s mind works. Mathias... He endures. It’s what he’s done for decades, for centuries. It’s what he knows. And at this point, I think his perception of time is a little warped. He decided to give you some room to breathe, like you asked, and while I respect that choice on his side and yours, it occurred to me that his patience might be counterproductive. I’m sorry for intervening in a private situation, but I do care about him, and you are after all, Karl’s grandson. So maybe I feel just a little bit entitled to do it.”
Will smiled, and a mix of discomfort and yearning twisted in Ward’s chest. There was something paternal and fond about the way Will was looking at him, and if not for the worm of jealousy still poisoning Ward’s heart, he’d have been inclined to crumple into the man’s embrace and sob on his shoulder. Instead, he said, “He loved you, you know. Grandfather. I’m not sure if Mathias told you, but Grandfather always regretted how things ended between the two of you.”
Will’s eyes widened and his breath caught. “He did?”
Ward nodded. “He told me so many things about you... I think, in my heart, I always wondered if he only cared about me because he couldn’t care about you, and maybe it fueled this thing with Mathias.” Shaking his head, Ward huffed. “But it’s not fair to his memory to say that now. I just... I wanted you to know, becausehewould’ve wanted you to know.”
Will swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in an obvious show of emotion. “What else did he tell you?”
Ward couldn’t resist that question, so he ended up recounting to Will stories of his grandfather and how he’d grown up. Sometimes, Will would laugh and reminisce along with those very same memories Ward only knew second-hand. It made Ward feel better, even if in a way, they were just avoiding the reason Will had come here to begin with.
He couldn’t avoid it forever, he realized. Will hadn’t given him any advice or any suggestion, and for that Ward was thankful, because in the end, this was his choice, and his heart. He had to try again, to really listen and give Mathias the chance to tell him what he’d been trying to say that day.