Kate’s POV
It was cold, or maybe that was just me, the evening sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the Bloodmoon Pack’s territory which meant the warmth of the day was beginning to fade, so maybe I could explain that feeling away but the trembling of my fingers was not easily explained away.
I walked slowly, towards the pack house with each of my steps heavier than the last, I wanted to delay going in but it was too cold outside and freezing to death would not change the tangled mess of thoughts or emotions swirling around like leaves in a bad storm from crowding my mind.
Alpha Damien-my father although it had been so long since he had been a father to me-had sent for me earlier that day.
He said he wanted to talk, about things that had been left unsaid for far too long. At least that was what his message had said.
It had been too vague for me to put my thought on anything, but I knew what was coming.
After everything that had happened, his plans to betray our pack nland oust Dimitri with the help of the rogues, after the Council had taken him away and stripped him of his title, locking him and Kayden in a prison.
The uprising to free him by a few radical members of his pack had been put down before it even started by Alpha Magnus so he knew he had no hope and no where to run to me except me so I knew this conversation was inevitable.
Yet, despite knowing, I wasn’t sure that I was ready.
How could I ever be ready to see the man who had scorned and abused me for most of my life, never once protecting me from the harsh words of his mate or her daughter.
The pack house loomed ahead, and I walked into it opening the door.
One of the beta’s in the kitchen was waiting for me, she had a worried look on her face
” Are you ok Luna” she asked, I jerked and stared at her
” I’m fine. Is the aloha around” I asked and she nodded
” Yes he is ”
” Ok, I’ll take his supper to him” I offered and she nodded handing me the tray she held.
I walked to his room our room now and I opened the door.
He stood there imposing as always, his back exposed showing bunched muscles that flexed as he pulled on his shirt and turned
” Leave the tray” he mumbled and I laughed
” You need to learn to say thank you more” I mumbled and he looked up, a small smile forming on his lips that he immediately struggled to hide
I walked to him and dropped the tray, he took my hand and drew me into his embrace kissing me softly.
” You’re cold”
” I was outside” I mumbled and he frowned
” Why so late”
” I needed to get away from the noise”
” Was it the letter ” he asked and I sighed, there was no hiding it from him
” My father wants to see me” his arms tightened around me, he had seen my back, the things done to me by my father and his family.
” Do you want to see him” he asked me and I shrugged
” I don’t know ”
” Then don’t” he mumbled, I smiled and looked away and he sighed
” If you must go, I’ll go with you” he offered, I nodded to him kissing his cheek
” Thank you”. I gesture to the food
” Eat ”
We left the next morning, I wanted it done and over with once and for all.
We arrived at the council prison, it looked a little too big its large wooden structure casting an imposing figure.
As I approached, it memories of my childhood assaulted me a time when going to my father had been a think of joy.
Before everything had changed. Before my father had changed.
I hesitated at the entrance, my hand hovering over the door handle, a part of me wanted to turn around and walk away, to avoid the confrontation I knew was coming.
Dimitri’s hand held my arms
” We can always leave ” he muttered.
He may have been right but I couldn’t.
I had to face this head on whether I was ready or not.
” I’m ready” I said taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The hallway was quiet only a line guard who looked desperately in need of rest.
The air was filled with an uneasy stillness.
I walked through the corridors, fingers clutched together, my footsteps echoing off the walls, even as I barely heard Dimitri’s.
” I’m here for Alpha Damien” I mumbled to the guard, he looked me over and nodded
” Wait here” he offered and walked away leaving the door was slightly open, so I could see the flicker of candlelight within.
Soon he came back and gestured for me alone to follow him.
Dimitri growled low in his throat and I held his hand
” No ” I pleaded with him and he hissed
” I’ll be back” I offered, he stilled displeased but he nodded.
Steeling myself I followed the guard to the door he showed me.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a few candles placed around the room. My father sat behind a simple desk, but for the fact that it was made of plain wood and not oak, it would have felt like we were back home
He looked old, his once-powerful figure now slumped and weary. He looked up as I entered, his eyes-once filled authority and command-now seemed dimmer and lost.
“Kate,” he said, his voice rough and tired.
“It’s not much but please, sit.”
He gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
I hesitated for a moment before crossing the room and sitting down.
The silence between us was thick, filled with the unspoken words that had been building for years. Finally, he spoke.
“I’ve been a fool,” he began, his voice low.
“A blind, greedy fool.”
I didn’t respond, not right away.
What could I say to that? It was the truth, plain and simple. He had been a fool-driven by greed, by ambition, by a need to prove himself that had ultimately led to his downfall. And in the process, he had pushed away those who should have mattered most well not really he had just pushed me away. I had not mattered.
” I don’t know what you want me to say ” I mumbled
He took a deep breath, as if gathering the strength to continue.
“I owe you an apology, Kate. More than that, I owe you the truth.”
I looked at him, my emotions were no kong swirling like a storm.
I wanted to be angry, to lash out at him for all the pain he had caused. But I also wanted to understand. To know why.
“The truth?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“What truth, Father?”
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. The lines etched into his skin seemed deeper than I remembered,
“I let my greed consume me,” he said finally.
” I think we’ve established that” I muttered and he smiled warily
“After your mother passed nothing seemed to matter anymore and then I met Jane”
” She helped me feel alive, I wanted to succeed for her and Celine, to secure our family’s place among the packs. But in doing so, I lost sight of what truly mattered. I lost sight of you.”
I swallowed hard, the pain of his words hitting me like a physical blow.
“You pushed me away, your daughter whom you should have loved like your life” I said, my voice trembling.
“You let her-let them-treat me like I was nothing. You called me a half breed. Was that to secure your packs place as well because I wasn’t important ” I asked
His eyes closed briefly, and when he opened them again, they were filled with regret, I wasn’t sure if it was real or because he wanted something from me and I frankly did not care
“I was wrong, Kate. I see that now. ” He whispered
I wanted to shout at him, to tell him that it was too late, that his apologies couldn’t undo the years of pain he had caused but the words caught in my throat.
I swallowed looking away, staring at the open window
“Why now?” I asked, my voice barely audible even to me
“Why apologize now, after everything?”
“Because I’ve lost everything,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet desperation.
“The Council has taken my title, my pack. They’ve confined your mother and sister.” My heart stung, it was about them again
“I realized that none of it mattered. Not without my family. Not without you.”he said urgently reaching to grab my hand and I pulled away from him.
” Or you’ve realized you need my help. You want me to protect your family and get you out. Even now the only reason you called me here was for them” I said softly and he shook his head
” Kate that’s not it” I rose from the chair
“I don’t know if I can forgive you,” I said, my voice trembling.
“You hurt me, Father. You let them hurt me. And now you expect me to just… forgive you, forgive them” I croaked
“I don’t expect that. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I needed you to know that I was sorry, truly sorry, for everything.” He mumbled
Maybe I was being paranoid but I did not believe him one bit.
“I don’t hate you,” I said finally, my voice barely more than a whisper.
“You’re my father. I could never hate you. But I don’t think I can ever forgive you, either.”
He didn’t respond right away, and when he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with resignation.
“I understand, Kate. I do. And I don’t blame you.”
I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatening to fall.
“I wish things could have been different,” I said, my voice cracking.
“I wish you had seen me, really seen me before it was too late.”
His head bowed, and for the first time in my life, I saw my father the great Alpha of our pack, my hero all my life truly vulnerable.
“I wish I had , Kate,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I wish I had too.”
My father looked up at me, his eyes filled with a quiet plea, but I couldn’t give him what he wanted. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
My legs were trembling beneath me as I turned and walked out of the room, the weight of our conversation pressing down on me with every step.
Had I been wrong not to forgive him, was I too harsh.
Questions swirled in my brain like an unending gong I made my way through the silent halls of the pack prison back to my mate , a mixture of relief and sadness, pulling me in different directions.
He was waiting for me like he always did, my knight in black fur, I walked up to him entering into his embrace, he drew me closer
” Are you ok” he asked and I nodded pushing my face into his chest
” I’m fine I mumbled ”
He sighed cuddling me closer to him, and dragging me with him outside, the cool evening air hit me, and I shuddered slightly clearing my mind just a little, looking up at the sky,
” Where is the sun” I grumbled and Dimitri laughed
” It will be out soon, mo graihe ”
” Will you go to see him again” he asked
” Do you want me to” I asked back, I could feel him weighing his answer before he replied
” I’ll do anything you want me to ” he said and I smiled, he was a changing man, and I loved him for it .
” No I don’t think I will, I’ve done what I needed to” I replied.
His apology may have been sincere or it may have been a lie but it didn’t change the years of pain, or feelings of abandonment I had carried with me.
” Good, I don’t like you coming here” he muttered satisfied and I laughed
” Then why did not you say so” he stopped me looking me dead in the eyes
” I will never do anything you don’t want to do. ” He replied softly, smiling I leaned on the balls of my feet and kisses him gently
We had just arrived at the pack house when a beta rushed up to us panting heavily like he had been running for too long.
” She’s escaped “