Theo's P.O.V
He apologizes again, voice cracking with desperation. "We didn't lead you on for nothing, it wasn't supposed to happen like this, but you weren't ready when the date got closer."
"I am ready!"
"You protect Damon too much Theo," Dad replies sadly as if the words hurt him as much as they hurt me, but there was no way that they could. "You've got your father's brain and my fight but you have a blindspot for Damon, you love him so much that you can't fault him nearly as much as he should be."
"Because he's good," I argue angrily. "He's not perfect, I know he's made mistakes and I know he's done many wrongs. But he is good, inside he is nothing but good. I wish you would see that behind it all he's just afraid and hurting."
"That may b-"
"And that is no excuse for keeping it to just days before!" I continue, my sparking fury carrying me on despite the way my eyes began to fill. "You left it to the last minute, l-let us chase our tails in vain and f-for what! T-That wasn't fair and you know it!"
My chest rises and falls rapidly, filling and releasing itself of quieted anger I'd buried when trying to comfort Damon, all of it coming out with the lid lifted and Damon safe from the backsplash of it all.
"Y-You lied to me and made a fool out of us! Left us i-in the blind and told Levi, now Damon doesn't e-even feel safe with his own family and I can't blame him." I huff out with a small sob. "I didn't t-think you'd ever do this to me... to us."
My short sniffs carry over the silence which follows, I push away the tears angry at their presence and keep the phone close. Close enough to hear the small sniffs that resounded in response on the other side, to hear two heartbeats that said that father was there as well.
I wasn't ready to face him yet.
"I-I'm sorry." He repeats, apologizing again knowing there was not much that could account for his actions besides words of apology. "I was scared like Aiden was... we w-were both so scared about h-how you'd react. We did this to you, w-we were the ones who... and then to t-take it all away. It scared us to death and I didn't want t-to face the worst possible scenario. You leaving, but that's exactly what happened and I ended up l-losing you just like I feared."
I listen with a busy mind, tying his reasons to his actions, trying to blend the two into a manageable mix but it was heard with my beating heart thumped in my ears, drowning out all and any thoughts as my mind fell victim to my clamorous emotions.
"I'm sorry Theo, I never meant to hurt you the way I did." He finishes sounding more ghostly that he did when we first spoke. "I-If you give me the chance, I'll make it up to you, I'll fix what I broke between us."
I nod gently against the phone, knowing he couldn't see it but unable to confirm it by words.
"Please come home." He begs after a moment longer. "Please, I miss you."
"I miss you too dad," I whisper and hear the ragged breath he releases from my admission. "W-We'll come back when we're ready when Damon is ready."
"...okay."
"And I will continue to protect him not because I'm his wolf, but because he's a part of me and if I don't see what other's can't then he'll have no one else." I finish with a bite to my tone that I reserved for Damon. "I may protect him too much, but I won't stop until he can protect himself."
With that I hang up the phone, setting it down with wide eyes before I clasp my hand over my mouth. Unable to comprehend that'd I'd just hung up on him if it were under any other circumstances, I would already be begging for forgiveness.
I smile gently at that, feeling slightly bold and strangely independent. That was a weird feeling, especially with the tears that still cascaded down my cheeks at the interaction. It'd been so long since I'd heard his voice, so long since I'd seen him.
I knew that they weren't my parents, not in the same manner that humans looked at familial relationships. But we chose to see it differently, in our family, I had parents who cared for me and helped me be the best wolf I could be for my human and siblings that made life away from Goddess' Resplendent Plains an exciting one.
It left room for pains like the one I felt now, left a greater space for pain than was necessary for a wolf. But I knew the feeling of having something so united and enduring was better than trying to do it on my own.
Wiping the tears away, I clear my mind of the waves of anger and pains, knowing it wouldn't fade until I was back home with them myself. I settle myself for a moment, breathing in through my nose before releasing it from my lips, trying to calm my racing mind for a later date, knowing I wouldn't leave until we fixed what we'd broken with Wilona.
And it was becoming amazing apparent that Wilona wouldn't try to fix it first, she was scared.
So we'd have to tug her to do it in a manner that would reach not only her heart but her soul and ripple through the bond in a manner that only a mate could.
Damon needed to be honest, with the truth and the whole truth the first chance he got. He needed to open himself for the human so he'd maybe feel a little better doing the same.
Damon - I call with a small smile as an idea comes to mind.
What happened? - He snaps immediately, sensing my distress within an instant.
The abundant, unwavering concern makes my smile wobble and my eyes full at the sound of his voice, his presence clear the moment I needed him.
Nothing bad, promise - I reply shakily, before turning the topic to where it needed to be. I have an idea and I think it'll give you the chance you need to fix things with Will.
This has to work.