Mask | ✓

5

"Your pack is small," were the first words that escaped Nixon's mouth when we left the hospital.

He wasn't wrong; the Howling Night was a smaller pack compared to others in the surrounding area, but I had deliberately chosen to take him to the less populated part today. There was still so much I didn't know about this man and while I knew that I couldn't keep him a secret from the pack members, that didn't mean that I wanted to take him to the heart of my pack when he just woke up. Plus, something told me that given who I was dealing with, it would end up badly. This was why I chose a small diner on the further out part of the land.

"It's small, but we're happy."

Were we though? Not really. I knew the pack wasn't happy, I knew they were worried, and I knew that I needed to find solutions quickly.

You can't do this right now, Tatum.

I shook my head and glanced over at Nixon whose eyes were examining the area. But rather than focusing on him, my eyes were focused on his hair. Or the mess he called hair on the top of his head. It was in dire need of attention and while I knew it wasn't the end of the world, it still made me want to make the man sit down and try to detangle the mess.

Nixon's eyes lit up once the diner came into view. His pace picked up as he hurried toward it, practically forgetting that I was there. I shook my head but matched his pace and quickly entered the restaurant. There weren't many people around which was what I was hoping for. Most people went to the restaurants closer to the center of the pack so I figured that this place, Rudy's Diner, wouldn't be too crowded.

Upon entry, we were quickly given a table and two menus. Nixon snatched his up and I watched as his eyes read over each word with fascination.

"Do you not have many restaurants in your pack?" I asked.

As if remembering that I was there, the fascinated glimmer left Nixon's eyes and he sat the menu down.

"The food we get comes from hunting. It keeps your body and skills sharp."

I opened my mouth to reply, but the approaching waitress caused me to pause.

"Hi, my name is Sonia, what can I get you?" The woman smiled at the two of us.

"I'll have the chicken salad and water," I told her before glancing at the man across from me. "Do you know what you want?"

Nixon didn't immediately respond. That same glimmer from before reappeared and his eyes scanned down the menu again until they finally came to a stop.

"The burger meal," he said. "I want the burger meal and water."

Sonia wrote down our orders and nodded. "If that's all you'd like then I'd be happy to take those menus off your hands!"

I gave her my menu without any issues. Nixon, on the other hand, stared down at the laminated item, glanced over at Sonia, then back down at the menu again. Clearly, he was not ready to give it up just yet.

"Would you like to keep it in case you want something else after you finish eating?" Sonia asked to which Nixon easily nodded at.

I just hoped that the man wouldn't try to go too overboard and order the whole restaurant. I was still the one paying for this after all.

Sonia left shortly after leaving Nixon and me alone once again. The menu remained glued to his hands, but I chose not to comment on it.

"As I said before, I have questions I'd like to ask you," I told Nixon after a few minutes had passed. "I'd like to—"

"I've decided to stay here for another day," Nixon interrupted me. "Of course, that means that I'll need better accommodations, but given how small your pack is, you should have plenty of open rooms, no?"

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

"That isn't something you can decide on your own," I told Nixon. "I know little about you as of right now and the only interactions I've had with you are of you fighting my hospital staff and yelling. Neither of which makes me want to allow you to stay in my pack."

Nixon raised an eyebrow. "You said you have questions so ask them."

What did he think I trying to do before?

I took a deep breath to calm myself down before beginning to speak. "I know that you're Nixon Hart of the Silver Night Pack and that you rule as Alpha along with your twin brother, but I also have questions regarding your reputation if you will. Many speak of violent crimes you have committed, including toward your own pack members, so I must ask, is there any truth to these claims?"

"Rumors follow all of us. Surely you know better to give into them, Alpha?" Nixon said, his eyes narrowed and his tone was laced with bitterness, but I held my ground.

I knew that the rumors could be a lie which was why I wanted to ask him firsthand. I knew that there was a chance that he also could lie, but his answer would help me understand what type of person he was.

"Of course, but I also know that not all rumors are based on lies. There are ones that actually hold the truth."

Nixon's eyes met mine. "I have never hurt my pack members just for the hell of it."

I nodded. "So the rumors regarding you killing your brother's mate, those are a lie?"

The menu fell against the table, Nixon's hands clenched tightly into fists, his eyes seemed to darken, and a smile took over his face.

"No, that's all true," he told me, not breaking eye contact. "I did kill him and I'd do it a million times again if I could."