Chapter 54: Chapter 54

“Once again, Axel, that’s some very underwhelming work from you.” Travis’s unimpressed expression doesn’t betray any emotion at seeing his long lost son while Millan does his best not to betray the myriad of sentiments hitting him like a punch to the gut.

There, so close, stands his father, the one who banished him, who made him believe he wasn’t enough, made him believe he was defective.

A freak.

But still, some part of him still wants this man’s acceptance, this man’s love.

He had hoped that after all this time, after all Millan's been through, Travis would have lost some of his arrogance, that he wouldn’t intimidate Millan as much.

But under his father’s judging red eyes, Millan feels twelve all over again.

Even without Clifford’s strong hold, he doesn’t think he could move, stuck between wanting to run away as fast as possible and sticking a knife through his father’s stone-cold heart.

There’s an undeniable tightness to Axel’s jaw when he answers Travis.

“I completed my end of the bargain, Travis. Here’s your son, you can do with him as you please just as long as you hold up your part of the deal.”

Travis ignores Axel in favor of smiling at Millan. There’s nothing warm about that smile. Millan still recognizes it very much even with the years that separated them.

Experience has shown that something fairly hurtful comes right after that smile.

“Well, Millan, I must say, you’re tougher than I thought. I really thought you’d be dead already.”

There’s no pride in his father’s voice- only annoyance- like Millan purposefully put a wrench to Travis’s plans by not dying.

“Sorry about that.” Millan says in a sarcastic and more confident tone than he feels.

Travis laughs, but there’s no humor in it. He takes a step forward and Millan jerks back, out of sheer instinct, but the alpha behind him doesn’t let up.

“Still the disrespectful, mouthy omega you were years ago, I see.” His father is towering over him and Millan has to force himself not to give the signal just yet.

He still needs to know, needs to understand why his father hates him so much.

It’s like scratching a scab even though nothing good will come off of it.

*****

Weston is going crazy.

They have to wait for Millan's signal, he promised his Fated Mate he’d wait for the signal.

But seeing him cornered like this, feeling how scared he is, Weston doesn’t think he’ll be able to wait much longer.

He keeps thinking of all the awful things the man towering over his mate has done and all he wants to do is rip this man apart until there’s nothing left to recognize.

When Travis advances and Millan tries to jerk back, Weston takes an instinctive step forward.

Jace’s arm is the only thing keeping him from pouncing and Weston knows it won’t keep him away for much longer.

Damn it.

Millan is completely stuck between a bulky alpha and his father.

Why doesn’t he give the signal already?

*****

“Why? Why do you want me dead? You didn’t have to see me ever again; I was already banished. Why go through all this trouble just to kill me? Do you hate me that much?”

Millan hates how small he sounds.

“Millan, to hate someone, you have to care for them. I don’t hate you; I despise you. You disgust me.”

Millan's confusion must have shown because his father laughs again, that awful ominous laugh that makes shivers run down Millan's spine.

“Stella didn’t tell you much, did she?”

Millan's eyes widen. How did he know that he talked to Stella?

“Yes, I know Stella is on Blayne Territory.” Travis smirks, “It’s an offense I won’t take lightly, trust me. Now I’m guessing she didn’t tell you about the day you were born?”

Millan swallows, trying to regain his composure.

“I know that she’s my real mother. I know you thought I was an alpha at first.” Millan tries to infuse confidence in his words, but there’s a glint in his father’s eyes that worries him.

“I didn’t THINK you were an alpha, Millan. You WERE an alpha.”

Millan frowns, “What do you mean?”

“You had a knot and you smelled like an alpha, but you were submissive, responded to Alpha Commands and your smell changed to one of an omega’s eventually. For a while, you were both alpha and omega. I had no use for an alpha son, one who’d try to take over my place. But an omega… I could probably arrange a marriage, make a deal with another pack. So, I had your knot removed. Not that it was a loss since it wasn’t functioning anyway and you had completely turned into an omega already, but still, I don’t want to take any risk. “

Millan's heart is pounding in his chest and his mouth goes dry.

He was as much an alpha as he was an omega.

He really IS a freak.

“I was told you’d be a normal omega.” Travis laughs again and shakes his head, “Normal omega my ass. There’s nothing normal about you, Millan, even you have to know that. You became a defiant werewolf, not omega and not alpha. A freak.”

Millan closes his eyes, trying to clear his mind.

“When you started to disobey Alpha Commands, people started to talk. Saying you’d take my place as the pack leader even though you’re an omega. Well, I can’t have that, can I?”

Millan opens his eyes again.

So that is why. That’s why his father wants to kill him. That’s why he banished him.

Because he is threatened.

(Flashback)

“So, can you tell right before?”

“Right before someone decides to shift, you mean?”

Millan nods.

Amir takes another sip of his second coffee before answering.

Millan is on his third cup of tea and they’ve been at it for two hours already. Millan is enthralled by Amir’s knowledge on body language, he could do this all day.

He’s been telling Millan about knowing when someone lies, when they feel nervous, when they’re aggressive or prone to anger.

All information Millan wishes he could have had years ago.

“Number of ways.” Amir says, “As for any reading in body language, you have to look for multiple telltales all combining together. Just one isn’t usually enough.”

Millan nods to show he’s following, Amir continues.

“If you see blading combined with hair bristles, I’d say you’re in trouble.”

“What’s blading?”

“It’s the term for protecting your vital organs before engaging in a fight. The person will want to present their side instead of their front, so they will put a leg slightly in front of the other unconsciously. It’s also a big tell for a werewolf preparing to shift since we’re most vulnerable at that exact moment. It’s instinctual.”

“And hair bristling?”

“Right before we shift, you’ve probably noticed it on yourself too, goosebumps and the likes.”

“Yeah, but you can’t see someone else’s goosebumps…”

“Of course not, but the hair at the back of the neck rises up, and that’s visible if you know where to look.”

(End of Flashback)

Millan sees it.

The bristle of hair at the nape of his father’s neck as he’s bringing one foot in front of the other.

He’s going to shift.

Millan raises one leg and kicks his father in the chest. Travis stumbles backwards in surprise, giving enough time for Millan to look towards Weston’s hiding spot and nod twice- the signal for them to intervene.

Then everything happens so fast.

He hears Weston’s growl before he sees him running as he shifts to his imposing wolf form, leading a dozen werewolves behind him.

Shock makes Clifford release his grip and Millan with now his free hands.

Travis growls threateningly then glares at Millan right before shifting into his gray muscular wolf form.

Millan doesn’t have time to shift and he knows it’s hopeless to run.

It’s too late.

He barely has time to get a hand on the concealed knife in his sleeve before his father jumps and placates him to the ground.

Millan struggles but he’s too small. He can’t help the yelp of pain escaping his lips as sharp teeth dig into his neck.

He feels the blood running down his shoulder and struggles again to get free, only managing to drive his father’s teeth deeper into his skin.

His vision becomes blurry and he tries to call for Weston, but his voice gets stuck in his throat and the world goes black.