Chapter 75: Chapter 75

By the time I stepped into the study room with my father walking in front of me, I could feel my throat and eyes burning. In those few minutes, I was suppressing the urge to scream out a litany of curses at the top of my lungs. Something was off, and I could not wrap my head around it.

The minute we sat down, my bottom sank into the familiar cushion, heels digging into the carpet, my mouth parted. My father sat across me, his folded hands resting on the mahogany desk. The sound of a clock ticking slowly grated my nerves, legs clamped together as I waited for him to start talking already.

He cleared his throat. "D-Do you want some tea?"

"No"

"So," I started, my fingers clasped together in my lap, teeth sinking in my bottom lip.

"So," He echoed and tilted his head slightly to the side, unabashedly observing and assessing me. "I am sure you have a reason to talk to me alone." My father said after a moment, eyes boring into my skin.

Suddenly I recalled the flashes of the dream from last night, dread curling in my belly. The more I thought about it, the more it made my nerves bunch together.

"D-Dad, I had the same dream again." I croaked, eyes clenching tight as I already imagined the reply he would have for me. "Are you sure you don't know anything about it?"

Lifting my head, I openly stared at him as he averted his eyes for a second, an edgy bob of his throat making me sit up. What was he hiding? And why? For a long time, that dream and everything related has been haunting me. I had no other choice but to tell my dad, who quickly dismissed it, saying I was making up things. Or it's a silly dream.

"About that..." He breathed, bringing his left hand up to his face and rubbing it all over. "It's not a dream. You were lost in the woods for a while, and that omega rescued you."

I cursed inwardly, but there wasn't much to say after hearing those words. My eyes stung, a low gasp escaping my lips as I let them sink in. All these years, he had been keeping this from me.

"W-Why?" I croaked, my chest tightening. "Why did you not tell me, dad? You made me believe I was crazy for making these things up."

A deep sigh fell out of my father's lips, shoulders sagging in defeat. "You were a pup back then, and I thought it was better for you to not think about that incident."

"So you decided to let me believe I was delusional instead", I spat, unable to lower my voice any longer, angry tears pooling in my eyes. "Is there anything else you have been hiding from me?"

He winced at my tone, shifting on the seat before letting out anguish filled sound. "R-Rose, do not do this now."

Tears slid down my eyes before I could wipe them, a strangled sound escaping my lips. "Does that mean my other dreams are true as well? I was chased out of my old pack and left all alone."

He shook his head, his teeth gritting together, "Why are you asking so many questions now? There is no use of knowing these..."

"Because I have been living a lie all these years!" I yelled, standing up, the legs of the chair scraping against the floor. Rage coiled in my belly, vision blurry with tears as I stared at my father. "Why did you not tell me anything?"

"I was trying to protect you. Please...try to understand, my dear." He tried to reach out, but I took a step back, hurt crossing his features at my movement.

Hardening my stance, I crossed my arms against my chest, eyes turning into slits. "I am not a pup anymore, and besides, I can protect myself. So, please tell me about my past, dad."

"Fine! Sit down then."

Slumping down on the chair, I bought my left hand up to my lips, intent on chewing on my thumb to settle the anxiety fluttering in my belly. Instead, I dropped the hand in my lap again, wringing my fingers together.

My father closed his eyes for a second or two, exhaling loudly before he met my stare. "Whatever you hear, I want you to know that your mother loves you as her own. Alright?"

I sucked a deep breath, stomach sinking as his words washed over me. "You are scaring me."

My father cleared his throat, ignoring my words and looking at the wall behind me. "During one of the hunting trips, I ended up getting hurt in another territory. One of the omegas, Renee, found me and nursed me back to health. We were true mates."

My mouth dropped open at that because all this time, I thought my mother was his mate. Sometimes people end up marrying other wolves when they don't find their mate.

"Their pack was sacred, consisting of powerful healers who are believed to be blessed by moon goddess." My mouth dropped open at the healers part, a ball forming in my throat that I was unable to swallow.

"It was a crime for them to take in mates from other packs. So Renee hid me in one of the abandoned cabins and came to see me every day. She knew I was married and had a pup, but we still fell in love during that. Even though she healed me, I did not want to leave her, so I stayed back."

A hollow sound escaped his mouth, lips twitching. "Someone found us in the cabin and threatened to kill me unless I leave quietly and forget about Renee." My father blinked back tears, wiping his eyes to the sleeves of his shirt. "We begged, pleaded, but they did not want us to be together, so I had no choice but to leave her behind."

"A few weeks later, I received a letter from Renee that she was pregnant with my daughter, Rose."

I froze, blood rushing to my ears and heart-pounding almost too loudly. For a second, I couldn't hear anything else but the sound of my bodily reactions, eyes blurring and refocusing as those words echoed inside my ears. My throat went dry, tongue numb as I tried to open my mouth to question him.

"I-N-No...Is this a joke?!" A tear slid down my cheek. "Dad! What are you saying?"

I shrank back so violently that my body stumbled, back colliding with the chair. Frank’s brow was furrowed, his expression slightly confused, and he clamped his mouth shut, exhaling loudly, guilt crossing his features. "It's true. I am so sorry, Rose."

Suddenly it all made sense. My mother's treatment towards me all these years, her favouritism and the way she mocked me for every single thing. I have been stupid trying to win her affection when she might be loathing me all these years.

A wet chuckle escaped my lips. "What about your wife?" I cringed. "Does she know?"

"Rose..."

"Answer me, please!"

He sighed. "Yes!

"Is that why she hates me?"

"She doesn't hate you", He weakly argued.

I scoffed, shaking my head at his apparent lies. No omega would be happy to raise their Alphas love child. My stepmother must have tried hard not to blurt it out all these years. Sniffling, I met his eyes again. "What happened after that? Where is my biological mother?"

"I went to see your mother after I received the letter, but it was difficult for her to get out. We wrote letters to each other, and I snuck in to see both of you secretly for years until someone attacked her pack. You were a pup at the time, and I did not hear about the news until very late. When I came to take you back, that's when that omega saved you."

My skin tingled, mouth opening and closing as I tried to inhale deeply. “So you don’t know what happened to my biological mother?”

He shook his head, wincing at my tone, “No. I tried to find out, but there was nothing left when I returned to that pack.”

“Rose,” My father tried again, reaching for my hand, and I fought the urge to flinch back again. Lines marred his face and his cheeks appeared sunken, a purple tinge underneath his eyes. He looked worn out and older than the last time I saw him.

Letting out a shaky exhale, I pulled back and tipped my head back, my eyes roaming around his face. “Does that mean you were aware of my healing powers all these years?”

“Y-Yes, I had my doubts because you were part me, but I saw you often get healed in a day or two.”

I huffed, a pleasant ache stuck to my limbs, and I didn’t have the strength to get mad at him again. Folding my hands together, I blinked at him.

“What else?”

“Huh?”

“Is there anything else you have been hiding from me, dad?”

He took a deep breath, shame filling his features while he simply swiped his tongue across the bottom lip. “Your mother is umm…sick. It’s her wolf. No one is able to detect the cause, so they do not know how to heal her.”

“Is that why you called me back?” I asked, lips set in a line, almost cringing at the embarrassment flashing across his features.

"I'm sorry."

"No. You are not, dad.” I deadpanned.

***