“Don’t worry about it, Dad,” I said quickly, adjusting myself on the bed. He sat down beside me.
“What brings you here?” I asked, trying to look puzzled.
“I told you earlier we needed to talk about something important. Did you forget already?” His eyes locked onto mine, his tone serious.
“Oh, right. I remember now!” I forced a smile, trying to hide my unease. I couldn’t let him see how troubled I was by what Mona had said earlier.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, his voice softer now, as if he could sense something was off. His worried expression made it clear he wanted me to open up.
“I’m fine, Dad. Let’s just talk about why you’re here.”
“Alright, sweetheart.” He sighed. “Have you heard about the engagement between Alpha Derrick and Mona being postponed?”
“Yes, I heard about it when I was at the hospital. But why was it postponed so suddenly?”
“I was the one who asked for it,” he said calmly, surprising me. He seemed completely unfazed by what he was saying.
“What? Why, Dad? How did you do that?”
“I spoke with Alpha Derrick and requested the delay until Mona turns eighteen. I want her to go through her first shift with the family before getting engaged,” he explained, his tone even.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. So that was why the engagement was postponed-it was for Mona’s own good. “Did you tell Luna Catherine and Mona about this yet?”
“Not yet. Mona’s been gone all day, and her mother’s been avoiding me ever since she heard the news. She’s furious for no reason,” he said, shaking his head.
“Actually, Dad… Mona’s back. She was here just a few minutes ago.”
“Mona’s here?” He sounded surprised.
“Yes. Maybe she came in through the back door. I haven’t seen her since the afternoon either.”
“Really? Then I’ll go talk to her in her room.”
“You should,” I agreed. “And, Dad, you really need to tell Luna Catherine soon. You know how she is. She’ll be even more upset if she hears about the reason of the postponement from someone else.”
“I’ll talk to her in the morning. Thanks for the advice, my love.” He gave me a warm side hug.
“You’re welcome, Dad!” I smiled, feeling a bit lighter.
“Kimberly, there’s something else you need to know,” he said, his tone suddenly more serious. His eyes stayed locked on mine.
I felt my heart race. “W-what is it, Dad?” I stammered.
“Have you noticed any–?”
Before he could finish, the door flew open, and Luna Catherine stormed in. “What are you two whispering about?” she demanded.
Both my dad and I turned to look at her. She was furious, her gaze hard and sharp.
I bit my tongue, determined to stay out of it. I knew better than to engage with her.
“Am I not allowed to have a private conversation with my daughter?” My dad’s voice was tight with anger.
“You call this private? You left me alone in the living room for this?” She shot me a hostile glance, clearly blaming me for taking up his time.
I stayed quiet, refusing to get drawn into the argument.
Dad’s jaw clenched, but he kept his voice steady. “Catherine, what is it you want? Why are you doing this?”
“I need to talk to you. Right now.”
“Fine, then say whatever it is you need to say,” he replied, trying to keep his composure.
“Not here,” she snapped, looking around the room with disgust. “This place is suffocating. Let’s go to our room.”
My dad looked like he was on the verge of losing his temper, so I quickly grabbed his hand, trying to calm him down.
“Listen to her, Dad. We can finish our talk in the morning,” I whispered, hoping to defuse the tension.
He looked at me, his expression softening. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Dad. It’s okay. You can go.”
Luna Catherine watched us, her anger simmering just below the surface. She was clearly holding herself back from saying something nasty to me.
Dad stood up reluctantly, giving her one last glare before walking towards the door.
“You’re lucky I’m going with him. If I hadn’t, you would’ve regretted it,” Luna Catherine hissed at me before storming out.
I didn’t respond, refusing to let her get to me. I wouldn’t let her words affect me anymore.
Once they were both gone, I locked my door, ensuring I wouldn’t have any more unwanted visitors tonight. I needed peace, just for a while.
I lay down on my bed, but I couldn’t sleep. The events of the day weighed heavily on my mind. After a few minutes of tossing and turning, I got up and walked to my closet.
I pulled out the dress I had worn the night before. Holding it in my hands, I sighed. “How could this dress be part of two such different memories?” I whispered to myself.
I brought the fabric to my nose, hoping to catch a familiar scent, but all I could smell was the hospital.
Frustrated, I threw the dress to the ground. “This is driving me insane!” I muttered, thinking back to the mysterious man I had met the night before.
Why hadn’t I asked for his name? How could I be so careless?
“Who does he think he is, leaving me like that?” I growled, feeling the anger rise in my chest. “He probably thinks I’m just easy because I let my guard down.”
I sank back onto my bed, feeling both embarrassed and furious. “What if he was a spy from another pack? What if this ruins my father’s reputation?”
I buried my face in my hands, tears of frustration welling up in my eyes. “How could I be so stupid?”
“Who are you calling stupid?” a familiar voice suddenly whispered from the shadows of my closet.
I froze, my heart pounding, as I slowly turned toward the sound.