Hours passed, the dull pumping of the engine was the only thing heard for miles, aside from his father’s frustrating attempt at singing.  He could carry a tune about as well as a fish could fly.  Even worse, when he wasn’t driving he would snore louder than the engine.  If there was a level in hell, Alex had found it.  But, aside from his father’s incessant annoyances Alex was lost in thought.  He worried that he’d said something to Cynthia that pissed her off.  For whatever reason, his mind kept drifting back to the bear from last night.

Shit, I hope she’s okay.

Just stop thinking about it.  She’s fine.  She’s a big girl who can take care of herself.  Still, part of him yearned to return home to make sure she was okay. 

“I’m sure she’s fine,” his father said, snapping himself from his snoring.

How did he know what I was thinking about?

“We’ve all left loved ones before, and Cynthia is no dummy.  She can take care of herself,” he continued.

“Is that how you felt about mom?” Alex asked, although he regretted bringing up his mother when his father never seemed interested in talking about her.

He pondered his answer for just long enough that Alex started to become uncomfortable.

“I loved your mother,” he said, “and I would have done anything to keep her safe.”

Alex exhaled, not realizing he’d been holding his breath.

“You never talk about her,” Alex said, “Hell the first real photo I saw of mom was only last night and Miss Bannon was the one that showed it to me, not you.”

“I’m always thinking about her.” he replied, “I know I could share more about her but it’s hard.”

That’s not an answer.

“What was she like?” Alex asked.

His father glanced at him and laughed. “Why are you bringing this up now?  Did that old photo really have you wondering?”

“Why?  Because we have another 4 hour drive ahead of us and I don’t know anything about my own mother,” Alex said.

His father sighed and stared straight at the road ahead.  As the truck snaked through the mountains the old dog talked as though he were alone.

“She was the prettiest thing I’d ever set my eyes on,” he started, “Jacob and I were crazy about her from the second we both laid eyes on her.  The three of us grew up together in the pack; we knew each other better than we knew ourselves.”  He laughed.  It was an honest laugh and one Alex rarely got to see.  It was full of memories and it showed him another side of his father.  “Jacob was my best friend, and Connor’s father.  He held a torch for that woman like you wouldn’t believe.  But she never had eyes for him.  When she and I got hitched, the pack alpha knew I was the one to take over.  After I was given the title Jacob got pissed off and ran to start his own pack.  Had a lot of followers, too; but they’re all back in the fold with us now, just like before. All those years of fighting seem so pointless, but if I were in his position, I might have done the same thing myself. Your mother was special to us both, I’m not sure I could have sat by and watched my best friend take both her and the title of Alpha.”

What the hell?

“So you and mom made the pack split. All that fighting between the two packs was because of you two?” 

“In a round-about way, yes,” he laughed again, with sorrow in his eyes. “Did I ever tell you the story about one of our old pack members that got on your mother’s bad side?  He fled for the hills when she heard him bad mouth the food she made.  She chased him out with cleaver!  I tell you, I never saw somebody run so fast.”

Alex laughed as a tear welled up in his eye.  He’d never felt his father being so tender before.

“I can see that same fire in your girl Cynthia,” he said, “she’s got a passion in her that she can’t hide.  And, whenever I see you two together I’m glad that you two found each other.”

Just choke it back.  He can’t see you cry.  You’re a big man and there’s no reason to start crying about some overly emotional moment.

“You know,” he continued, “you’re starting to look the part of an alpha yourself.  I’ve watched you grow stronger since the bear attacks a few months ago.”

“If I’m going to be the one to protect Cynthia, I need to be strong.  All the fights up till now have shown that to me,” Alex replied.

“Good,” his father said, reaching over to pat Alex on the shoulder with his massive hand, “I think you’ll make a great leader someday.”

“You really think I would want to lead?” Alex asked even though he didn’t really care to know the answer at all.  Sure, he wanted to lead before Connor came along but he couldn’t imagine doing a better job. 

“What made you stick around?  You could’ve just left that night you snuck into Connor’s truck.”

“Cynthia,” Alex replied, “I couldn’t think of travelling without her.  I was about to say my goodbye’s to Tess that night, but when I saw her and Connor lying in each other’s arms I just lost interest in leaving.”

“The sign of a good man,” his father added, “bring it here!”  His father tried to lean over into a hug but Alex threw a hand up to fight against it.  Marcus was stronger than he looked.  An odd feeling rushed over Alex with his father’s arms wrapped around him.  He’d never felt pride from his father before.

“Let’s get this over with so we can get you home to that woman of yours,” his father said.  He started to sing in a deep voice.