MIA’S POV
I stood at the entrance of my father’s room, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear my own thoughts. This was it. The moment I had been dreading, yet longing for, all at once.
Sean had finally put me down, but his warmth still lingered on my skin. The brothers stood behind me, watching silently, but I barely noticed them.
Would he accept me?
Would he look at me and see a daughter? Or just some stranger who happened to share his blood?
I took a deep breath, pushing past the lump in my throat, and stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns casting shadows along the walls. The air smelled of herbs and something faintly metallic-probably from all the treatments he’d been given.
And there he was.
Sitting upright, his face pale but strong, his piercing eyes locked onto mine the moment I walked in.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat.
This was the first time I was seeing him awake. Really seeing him.
He had my brother’s sharp jawline, the same powerful aura that made people instinctively submit, but… there was something softer in his eyes. Something that made my chest ache.
I hesitated, palms clammy, unsure what to do.
Should I speak first? Should I bow? Should I-
“Mia.”
My name.
His voice was hoarse but warm, filled with something I couldn’t quite place.
I gulped, stepping closer. “Are you… okay?”
Stupid. Of course, he’s not okay. He just woke up from a coma, for goddess’ sake!
But he smiled-actually smiled-as if my question wasn’t ridiculous at all.
“I’m fine,” he said, his gaze never leaving me. “Because of you.”
My stomach twisted.
I opened my mouth, then closed it, then opened it again-like an idiot.
What was I supposed to say to that?
“You… don’t hate me?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
His eyes widened slightly, then softened, something sad and gentle settling into his expression.
“Hate you?” he murmured, as if the very idea was unthinkable.
I braced myself. For disappointment. For rejection.
But then-
“You’re my daughter.” His voice was firm, yet tender, full of something I never expected-pride.
My breath hitched.
I felt my legs weaken, my fingers curling into the fabric of my dress as I tried to hold myself together.
He… accepted me?
I had spent so long believing I was unwanted, unloved, that hearing those words made something tighten painfully in my chest.
He reached out slowly, almost hesitant, as if afraid I’d flinch away.
But I didn’t.
My father’s arms wrapped around me, strong yet trembling slightly. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and real, a rhythm I had never known but had always craved.
His grip tightened, and for a moment, I let myself sink into it, let myself believe this was real-that I was no longer just the lost girl who had been abandoned by fate.
Then his voice broke through the silence, filled with something raw, something that made my chest ache.
“I should have been there for you.” His words shook, regret dripping from every syllable.
I pulled back slightly, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. His eyes held so much pain, so much sorrow, I felt it in my bones.
“You were just a little girl,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against my cheek, as if he couldn’t believe I was standing here in front of him. “My little princess… alone in this world. I should have protected you.”
Something cracked inside me.
I had spent my entire life wishing someone would say that. That someone would acknowledge how much I had suffered. That I had been alone, scared, and unwanted.
And now, here he was. Saying exactly what I had needed to hear for so long.
“I failed you, Mia,” his voice wavered. “I failed you as a father… and I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I need to ask for it anyway.”
I swallowed hard, my throat burning as I fought back another wave of emotion.
“You were just a baby,” he continued, his fingers gripping my hands like he was afraid I’d disappear. “I was supposed to be there, to watch you grow, to protect you from every pain in this world. But I wasn’t. And I will never forgive myself for that.”
His shoulders shook, his face twisting in anguish. “You look just like her,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Your mother… I wish I could ask for her forgiveness too. But I’ll never get that chance.”
His eyes were haunted, filled with ghosts of the past.
And for the first time, I saw him not as a powerful alpha, not as the father I never knew-but as a man who had lost so much and carried the weight of it every single day.
I couldn’t stand it.
I threw my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest. He stiffened for a moment, as if startled, before wrapping me in the kind of hug I had only dreamed of.
“I forgive you,” I whispered, my voice muffled against his shirt.
His breath hitched, and I felt his whole body shudder at my words.
I pulled back slightly, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. “But you can’t leave me again.” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. “I don’t care about the past, I just-”
I inhaled sharply, trying to push past the lump in my throat.
“I just always wanted a father who loved me.”
His expression crumbled, and I saw something shift in his eyes-something deep, unshakable.
“I’m here now,” he vowed, his hands cupping my face with unwavering determination. “And I swear on everything, I will never leave you again, my little princess.”
A sob escaped me, and I broke down completely, clutching onto him like my life depended on it.
“Daddy,” I whispered.
The word felt foreign, strange on my tongue. But when his arms tightened around me, I felt like I won the world and got the bestest gift that I could ever get.
He had promised to introduce me to the entire pack once he got better, and instead of fear, I felt anticipation. He spoke of my mother, telling me stories I had never heard before, painting a picture of a woman who was kind, fierce, and deeply loved.
I soaked up every word, but when I mentioned her death, a shadow passed over his face. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might cry.
I didn’t press him.
There was more to the story, I could tell. But right now, I was happy.
I left his room with a smile tugging at my lips and found Daisy waiting for me. The moment she saw me, her eyes widened, and she rushed forward, throwing her arms around me.
“You’re smiling,” she gasped dramatically. “Mia, did you hit your head?”
I let out a soft laugh, wrapping my arms around her just as tightly.
“My father-he accepted me, Daisy,” I murmured, my throat still tight with emotion. “He… he called me his little princess.”
Daisy squealed, pulling me back just enough to cup my face. “That’s amazing! I knew he would, Mia. You’re his daughter-his only daughter. There’s no way he wouldn’t love you.”
I nodded, the reality finally sinking in. This was real. I had a family.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them.
The brothers.
They stood at a distance, watching me, hesitant. Their usual arrogance was gone. Their powerful, towering forms looked… off.
I frowned.
Daisy noticed and turned, groaning the moment she saw them. “Ugh, they’re here. Want me to hex them?”
I almost laughed at the idea, but my amusement vanished when I took a closer look at them.
Something was wrong.
Their faces were drawn, tense, as if they had been through hell and back. Their postures weren’t cocky or confident like usual. Instead, they stood rigid, like they were waiting for a punishment they knew they deserved.
My gaze flickered to Nathan, who looked the worst. His eyes were hollow, rimmed with exhaustion, and his usual playfulness was gone.
Xavier’s jaw clenched, his hands fisting at his sides as if he was struggling to stay still.
Rolex had his head slightly bowed, a rare sight, his usual smirk absent.
Sean, who was always the most composed, looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
I had never seen them like this before.
They had come to congratulate me-I knew that much.
But instead of walking to them, I turned away.
Ignoring them.
They didn’t deserve my happiness. Not yet.
Daisy pulled me closer, glaring at them like a protective sister. “Good. Let them suffer a little.”