Kaleb wasn't happy. For some reason, the idea of it seemed to piss him off. As soon as Al walked into the room, Kaleb's expression changed. Al could feel the Alpha's frustration rippling in the air. 

Al cleared his throat and opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. His body was still shaky and he wanted to blame his muteness on his recent transformation, but he knew that wasn't it. The truth was that he just didn't know what to say. There wasn't any easy answer. There were no magic words that would make Kaleb ok with it. 

"Hello, Albert," he said. 

Al winced a little. He was only called Albert when he was in trouble. Kaleb liked to use his full name to make him feel like a child. "Hi," he said, crossing his arms defensively over his chest. They were in Kaleb's study, just the two of them. Kaleb had asked for only Al to come, which made this whole situation that much more uncomfortable. 

Kaleb had always held Al's respect as both an Alpha and a father figure. The guy was so damned brave and strong. He'd been through so much in his life and still came out the other side. Being in the Alpha's study, one-on-one, Al was reminded of the immense admiration he harbored. Which is what made this conversation so difficult. 

"Sit down, kid," Kaleb said. He leaned forward where he was sitting behind his desk. 

He obeyed, coming to sit in the slightly uncomfortable wooden chair positioned immediately in front of the ornate desk. Kaleb watched him. Al had never found Kaleb's gaze to be particularly intimidating, but for some reason, his eyes were unusually fierce. 

"Lion spoke to me," Kaleb said as he readjusted the placement of his pen, straightening it where it sat on a short stack of papers. That one motion seemed peculiar to Al. Maybe Kaleb was also nervous about this conversation? The idea seemed impossible at first, but once it appeared, it was difficult to get out of Al's mind. 

"What did he say?" Al asked. "Specifically." 

"He told me that you and Adelaide had shifted," Kaleb replied, "and didn't go into much detail beyond that."

Adelaide. He was using her full name, too. Equally unusual. Kaleb was staring at Al as if he were waiting for Al to deny it, to lie and say that no, they hadn't shifted the night before. It would make life easier, wouldn't it? Because clearly, for whatever reason, Kaleb didn't approve. 

Al's throat closed up again. He found his eyes glued to the striking scars on Kaleb's arms. He hesitantly nodded. 

"So it's true, then," Kaleb said, sighing and leaning back in his chair. 

"Y-yeah," Al said, still not meeting Kaleb's eyes. 

There was a stretch of uncomfortable silence. Finally, Al looked up to try to tell what Kaleb was thinking or why he hadn't said anything to fill the space. He hadn't been expecting to find clear judgment on his Alpha's face. 

"Did you two know before this?" Kaleb asked. 

"We only found out a few days ago. It wasn't supposed to be a secret," Al said. 

"But it was," Kaleb said harshly. 

The judgment was starting to rub Al the wrong way. He didn't feel like he deserved this. It wasn't like being mated to Addy was a conscious decision. It was as close to fate as they'd ever get. Sure, they didn't immediately announce it to the whole Pack, but were they supposed to? It had still been so new and uncertain. 

More importantly, sharing their truth with each other and each other alone had been special. 

"What were we supposed to do? We didn't even know what was happening, so how were we supposed to let you know?" Al said sharply. 

"'By the way, pretty sure Addy and I are mates,'" Kaleb offered. 

"I didn't know!" Al shouted. 

Kaleb stared at him. If he was surprised at the outburst, he didn't let it show on his face. "You're a smart kid, Albert. I find it hard to believe that you didn't know," he said. 

Al scowled. "I didn't know for sure." 

Kaleb was quiet. "This is a big deal. I needed to know as Alpha." 

"As Alpha or as her father?" Al asked. 

This time, the surprise did show. "I'm the Alpha, Albert. You understand what that means? It means I have a responsibility to secure the future of this Pack and-" 

"Stop being so condescending, Kaleb," Albert growled. "You yourself just said that I was smart, so how on earth do you think I don't know what this means? Do you think that was easy for me?" 

"Yes, I do," Kaleb said. 

Rage exploded in Al, the sort he hadn't quite felt before. Something in him was different. Maybe it was the transformation, maybe it was Addy...but he didn't want to fight it. Kaleb was suddenly no longer the man he looked up to. He was the man who stood between him and Addy. "I spent last night screaming! No, not even last night. I meant well into this morning! Do you want to know why? Do you want to know why my body tore itself to pieces? Why I writhed in between human and wolf for hours?" 

Kaleb stood with his hands in fists. Al stood, too, his arms swinging wildly. "It's because I'm mated to your daughter. I love Addy more than life itself, and you're a goddamn liar if you tell me you didn't know that. I would put myself through that as many times as I have to in order to be with her. Does that not mean anything to you?"

"Al," Kaleb attempted. 

But he wasn't done. He'd spent his life being quiet, good, listening to the people around him and doing what they wanted. It was just because he wanted to be loved. He wanted Kaleb and Kaia and Cole to look at him as a part of their family because he'd never really been a part of one. It had always just been Lion and Al, and that had left a gaping vacancy. He'd become someone he wasn't sure he really liked because of it. And it was like suddenly his eyes had opened. 

"Tell me, then. Tell me how you think Addy and I being together would hurt this Pack. Because I'm listening!"

"It's not just about the Pack," Kaleb said. His anger seemed to be fizzling out. Now, he just seemed exhausted. But Al still felt a fire in his veins. 

"Then tell me what this is! Stop lying to me. Don't pretend like it's about you being Alpha. Don't look me in the eye and act like I'm a naive kid because I'm not."

"You're basically siblings. You grew up together," Kaleb said. 

"Oh, come on," Al said, rolling his eyes. "Are you serious? Are you trying to tell me that if you knew Kaia when you were younger, you wouldn't have loved her? You would try to fight your mate bond?"

"It's not the same," Kaleb argued. 

"But it is. How can't you see that?" Al said. "I've loved Addy for a long time. Just because we knew each other before we realized we were mated doesn't invalidate that fact. So if it's not about the Pack and it's not about us beings siblings, then what is it, Kaleb? Why do you hate this so much? What possible reason could you have for that grim look you have on your face? Because at this point, I'm-"

"It's because it's you." 

Al stopped mid-sentence. His voice was gone for good this time. He'd never been so suddenly broken before. He could see the guilt and regret in Kaleb's face, but it was too late. Al didn't wait. He couldn't stand to be in the room any longer. 

As he ripped the door open and sprinted down the hallway, he realized how heartbreakingly weightless he felt. He had spent his whole life caring, trying, striving for something. And yet here he was. Kaleb had told him that the reason he didn't want the two of them to be mated was because of Al. Because it was him. 

He wasn't good enough. Hearing Kaleb say as much only made it clearer, confirming what he'd suspected. Addy was so much more than he was; she was stronger, braver, better. He didn't deserve her. And why had he thought he did? Because they'd grown up together? Because some weird spark happened when they touched? 

It ached. For a single beat, Al had opened his heart to the possibility. Kaleb was right. He was a naive kid who just wanted someone to love him, no matter what the cost. 

It hurt more now because he'd let himself hope. He heard Kaleb yelling for him to stop, but he didn't listen. It was too late. 

Al was floating, so hurt that he could do nothing but shut down and let the current carry him.