The North

Chapter 15

A quick thank you to the two Beta readers that gave the first half of this chapter a read for me, I hope the second half was worth the wait!

What would you do if you found out something about you had been kept secret all your life?

Chapter 15
***

Before I saw the soft fabric of woollen trousers swishing around my father's bare feet, I could smell the sour scent of his worry. Alpha Hati might as well not have been there as Father sat on the edge of my bed and swept me into his embrace. The hug was crushing, painful, but I didn't care as I buried myself into his chest that vibrated with a comforting timbre. He kept me there until my breathing evened, pressing his cheek to mine.

"I thought I'd seen the last of this part of the castle." He pulled back and frowned at me, brushing sweat-damp strands of hair from my face. "Are you well now, my female?"

Ignoring the other gaze burning into my face, I smiled and straightened my shoulders. "Yes, whatever happened has passed now. I hope everyone wasn't too worried for me."

"Of course we were worried. So I must ask why I was accompanied here alone, and not my mate as well." A colder expression was turned on the Alpha, and I grabbed at my father's arm in fear he'd launch himself from the bed. "You have left Laoghaire quite upset ordering her to stay with the pups."

Alpha Hati remained firm and calm, assessing my father carefully. The two males were locked like that for what felt like an age but was only seconds, some agreement reached between them. The muscles in Father's arm relaxed, and Alpha Hati withdrew to find a chair so we were all near enough eye level. Equal.

"What your mate does or does not know remains to be seen, whereas I am certain you know something," Alpha Hati explained, his tone not harsh but the warning lingered. Don't lie. "I would not wish for her to find out anything you have been hiding in this manner. It is for you to discuss in private."

I had to swallow a growl at the audacity he had. My parents had no secrets between them. None that would cause the other great pain should it be found out at least. . .but that's not what my father's posture said. Head hanging low, he let out a great, heaving breath.

"We told you we don't know what happened to her in the hall from what you described. You said it could have been exhaustion."

Alpha Hati bowed his head. "Indeed. We are all in the dark as to why Eabha. . .fainted. I am talking about something else, something you've been hiding from her. I believe to spare her any hurt. Your scents are similar, but we both know hers is different."

"She is mine," Father said quickly, a growl to his voice as he made his stand, and my mouth nearly fell open.

Was Alpha Hati questioning my parentage?

He didn't argue with my father, but he didn't agree either. "Tell us what it is you know."

Slouched in defeat, Father turned his head to glance at me with dark glittering eyes. "I am so very sorry, Eabha. Maybe I haven't always made the right choices, but I always put you and your siblings first. My pups, and your mother, you are all my every breath."

My heart skipped a fearful beat and I grabbed his hand, insisting, "Nothing you could say could make you any less in my eyes."

He smiled and reached over to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing jaw before he drew away and stood to walk the space from the bed to the wall, and turning slowly back again.

"We had not planned to have another pup so soon after Mànas. You surprised us. Your mother had passed her time in season, and yet one day, her scent changed to tell us she was carrying a pup. You were our unexpected gift, and you were like any other young wolf. You played, you chewed at any ear or tail you could, you cried." He chuckled wistfully and shook his head. "Oh you cried. With lungs that carried for miles in the valleys and scared prey away for days. Your scent was a little sweeter than most wolves perhaps, and your eyes more soulful than they should have been when you'd yet stopped tripping over your tail, but you do take after me after all."