Chapter 51
David's POV
The question hung in the air between us. I'd been wrestling with it during the entire drive home, turning the options over in my mind like a Rubik's cube with no easy solution.
"I don't think we should," I said finally. "Not yet."
"What?" Elena's eyes widened in surprise. "David, this changes everything! If Jackson is one of us, that means Ellie could—" She stopped herself, but we both knew what she meant. Ellie could have a future with him. A real future, without the complications of a mixed relationship.
"I know." I caught Elena's hands in mine, needing her to understand. "Believe me, I know. But think about what we're dealing with here. Jackson has gone to extraordinary lengths to hide his nature. That means there's a compelling reason—maybe danger, maybe family politics, maybe something we can't even imagine. If we tell Ellie, and she lets something slip, even accidentally..."
Understanding dawned in Elena's eyes. "We could expose him to whatever he's hiding from."
"Exactly." My grip tightened slightly. "As fellow werewolves, we have a responsibility to respect his choice to remain hidden. He'll reveal himself to Ellie when he's ready, when he judges it's safe. Until then, we need to let him make that decision."
Elena nodded slowly, though I could see the conflict in her expression. "That's very principled of you." A pause. "But there's another reason you don't want to tell her, isn't there?"
I felt heat creep up my neck. Trust Elena to see through me.
"Maybe," I admitted. "Look, you saw that photo. You saw how Ellie looks at him. She's... she's falling for him, Elena. And if she knew he was one of us, if she knew there were no obstacles..." I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm not ready to lose our daughter yet. She just started college. I'm not prepared to help plan a bonding ceremony by Thanksgiving."
A laugh escaped Elena despite the serious nature of our conversation. "You're being selfish."
"I know." I smiled ruefully. "But can you blame me? She's been ours for eighteen years. I'd like a few more before some young werewolf sweeps her off her feet."
"Even if that young werewolf is clearly devoted to her? Even if he's been protecting her and caring for her without expecting anything in return?"
"Especially then," I said, only half-joking. "Those are exactly the kind who'll steal your daughter's heart before you can blink."
Elena was quiet for several moments, her fingers absently playing with her wedding ring. Then she stood, moving to the fireplace where our family photos lined the mantle. She picked up one from a few years ago—Ellie and Lucas as teenagers, grinning at the camera during some school event, back when their future seemed so certain.
"We thought she'd end up with Lucas," Elena said softly. "We were so sure."
"We were wrong to be sure about anything." I joined her, looking at the photo over her shoulder. "Ellie needed to make her own choice. And she chose to walk away from Lucas when he proved unworthy of her trust."
"She was heartbroken."
"She was. But she survived. She grew stronger." I wrapped an arm around Elena's shoulders. "And now she's opening her heart again, this time to someone who seems to genuinely care about her wellbeing. That's growth. That's healthy."
Elena leaned into me. "So we keep Jackson's secret, even from Ellie."
"For now. If I sense any danger to her, any threat at all, I'll reevaluate." I pressed a kiss to my wife's temple. "And in the meantime, we can work on helping Ellie refine her ability to sense other werewolves. Natural skill-building, nothing obvious."
"Sneaky." But Elena was smiling. "And if Jackson decides to reveal himself?"
"Then we support our daughter in whatever she chooses." I guided us back to the couch. "But Elena, I want to be clear about something. This decision—to keep quiet—it's not just about giving ourselves more time with Ellie. It's also about respecting Jackson's autonomy and protecting him from whatever he's hiding from. Those are valid, important reasons."
"I know." Elena picked up her tea, found it had gone cold, and set it down again. "You're right. We can't interfere. But David? What if Ellie gets hurt again?"
"Then we'll be here, just like before. But I don't think Jackson is another Lucas." My voice held certainty. "The way he looked at her, the way he maneuvered to spend time with her while giving her the choice to refuse—that's someone who values her agency. That's someone worth taking a chance on."
Elena's phone buzzed on the coffee table. She reached for it, and her face softened as she read the screen. "It's from Ellie."
I leaned over to read the message: Mom, I said yes to Jackson's performance invitation! The Martinez family project—it's a great opportunity. Also, Dad was acting weird today, but in a sweet, overprotective way. I kind of loved it.
Elena and I exchanged a long look, countless unspoken thoughts passing between us in the way only long-married couples could manage.
"She's happy," Elena murmured.
"She is." I pulled out my own phone to respond to Ellie, keeping my message light and supportive. As I typed, I felt Elena watching me.
"No second thoughts?" she asked.
"About keeping Jackson's secret?" I hit send and pocketed my phone. "No. We're doing the right thing. Jackson will tell Ellie when he's ready, and that honesty will mean more coming from him than from us."
"And if he never tells her?"
"He will." My tone held conviction. "A relationship built on concealing something that fundamental can't last. Jackson knows that. When he's certain it's safe, when he trusts that Ellie can accept him fully, he'll tell her. And then..." I smiled. "Then we'll probably be planning that bonding ceremony after all."
Elena laughed softly, the sound releasing some of the tension that had built up over our conversation. "You know Ellie will be furious when she finds out we knew all along."
"Probably. But she'll understand eventually." I pulled Elena close. "We're not lying to her. We're just... giving Jackson the space to handle this in his own time."
"Selective honesty."
"Parental discretion."
Our daughter was finding her way, discovering happiness again after heartbreak. And somewhere in the background, a young werewolf was carefully, patiently, building something real with her—even if Ellie didn't know the full truth yet.
Take good care of her, Jackson Wilson, I thought. And when you're ready to show her who you really are, I hope you know what a gift you've found.