Seth and Mom left soon after our conversation. When we had gone back inside, everyone else was up and Benjamin was making coffee on their wood burning stove. Lily made breakfast- some kind of oatmeal, and served it to the 4 of us who remained.
“Benjamin,” I start and he looks at me with his full attention. “If you’d like, do you think you could take me on a walk through the woods in a bit? It’s OK if not, though.” I quickly add, feeling slightly awkward asking my father to help me look for a place for my mate to mark me.
“I’d love to,” he tells me with a smile. “As long as you’re OK moving slowly. I’m not what I used to be.”
“Of course!” I tell him, brightly.
“What did happen?” my dad asks him, but Benjamin remains silent, continuing to eat his breakfast.
“It was the a
