The Man Who Called Me Daughter
992 Words
Three knocks.
Mara stared at the door.
Her heart pounded so violently that she could barely hear the rain anymore.
Open the door, Mara.
The man’s voice came again.
“I’ve been looking for my daughter for twenty-two years.”
Daughter.
The word tore through her.
Mara looked at Lucian.
For the first time since she had arrived at Blackthorn Manor, the Alpha looked afraid.
Not angry.
Not cold.
Afraid.
“Who is he?” Mara whispered.
Lucian didn’t answer.
“Lucian.”
His jaw tightened.
“Mara, step away from the door.”
“Who is he?”
“Please.”
That single word stopped her.
Lucian Blackthorn didn’t say please.
Ever.
Mara swallowed hard.
Then another voice came from the other side.
“My little moon.”
Mara froze.
A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes.
She stumbled backward.
A memory flashed.
Fire.
Screaming.
A pair of arms holding her tightly.
A man’s voice whispering against her hair.
Run, little moon. Don’t look back.
Mara gasped.
“No…”
Lucian caught her before she fell.
His arms wrapped around her waist.
The moment his skin touched hers, another memory struck.
A man stood beneath a silver moon.
He was tall.
Broad-shouldered.
His eyes were the same strange shade of gray she had seen every time she looked into the mirror.
And in his arms was a little girl.
Mara.
She was crying.
The man kissed her forehead.
“I will find you,” he whispered.
Then everything burned.
Mara screamed.
Lucian held her tighter.
“Mara!”
She pushed him away.
“Don’t touch me!”
He immediately released her.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I remember him.”
Lucian went completely still.
“You do?”
“He was holding me.”
Her voice broke.
“He called me little moon.”
Kael exchanged a worried glance with Lucian.
Mara noticed.
“You know him.”
Neither man answered.
Her fear turned into anger.
“You know him!”
Lucian looked toward the door.
“Yes.”
Mara’s chest tightened.
“Who is he?”
Lucian’s eyes met hers.
“Your father.”
The world seemed to stop.
Mara laughed.
It wasn’t a happy laugh.
It was the kind of laugh people made when something hurt too much to cry.
“My father?”
She wiped her tears with trembling fingers.
“My father is standing outside that door?”
Lucian nodded.
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
“Mara”
“No!”
She backed away.
“I was told my parents were dead.”
“They were.”
Mara stared at him.
“Then how can he be my father?”
Silence.
Lucian looked toward Kael.
Kael slowly shook his head.
Mara’s stomach dropped.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Before Lucian could answer, the door opened.
Not because anyone touched it.
It opened by itself.
Cold air rushed into the room.
Every candle went out.
A man stepped inside.
Mara couldn’t breathe.
He looked exactly like the man from her memory.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
His face was older now, carved by years of pain.
But those eyes…
Those eyes were hers.
He stared at Mara.
His lips trembled.
“Moon…”
Mara couldn’t move.
The man took one step toward her.
Lucian immediately stepped between them.
“Stay back.”
The man’s expression hardened.
“You don’t get to stand between me and my daughter.”
Lucian’s eyes flashed gold.
“You lost the right to call her that.”
The man’s face twisted with rage.
“And your family stole twenty-two years from me.”
Mara’s heart cracked.
“Stop.”
Both men looked at her.
She stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Her voice shook.
“I don’t care who you are.”
She looked at the stranger.
“If you’re really my father…”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Tell me my name.”
The man’s expression broke.
“Mara Vale.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
He went silent.
“You said you were looking for your daughter for twenty-two years.”
Mara pointed at herself.
“So tell me who she really is.”
The man stared at her for a long moment.
Then he whispered,
“Your name isn’t Mara Vale.”
Mara’s blood turned cold.
He stepped closer.
“Your real name is Mara…”
A sudden howl ripped through the manor.
The windows shattered.
Kael drew his sword.
Lucian grabbed Mara and pulled her behind him.
Outside, hundreds of wolves began howling.
The stranger looked toward the darkness.
His face changed.
“They found her.
Lucian’s voice became deadly.
“Who?
The man looked directly at Mara.
“The ones who killed your mother.”
Mara’s breath caught.
“They’re here for me?
“No.”
He shook his head.
“They’re here because you’re the last one left.
A wolf crashed through the broken window.
Then another.
Then another.
Black wolves flooded the courtyard.
Lucian shifted instantly.
A massive black wolf stood where the Alpha had been.
Mara stared.
The wolf turned toward her.
And for one impossible second, Mara heard his voice inside her head.
Mate.
Her knees nearly gave out.
But before she could process it, her father screamed.
“RUN!
Mara turned.
A black wolf stood directly behind her.
Its eyes glowed silver.
It wasn’t attacking.
It was staring at the pendant around her neck.
Then it bowed its head.
Every wolf outside followed.
One by one.
Hundreds of wolves lowered themselves before Mara.
The room fell silent.
Mara looked at Lucian.
Then at the wolves.
Then at the pendant.
It began to glow.
Her father’s voice trembled.
“They’re not bowing to you because you’re an Alpha.”
Mara’s heart pounded.
“Then why?
He looked at her with tears in his eyes.
“Because you’re their queen.”
And somewhere deep inside Mara’s chest, something ancient opened its eyes.
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