A Hidden Crown

Chapter 5: Love, Dad

Lyla

I woke up to the sound of a bird chirping on a nearby branch. I slowly opened my eyes, and the scent of dirt and clay hit my nostrils. Sitting up, I dusted off some of the dirt that was caked on my face. After running away from the party, I shifted to get further away from him. I could still feel the heat from his breath as it rumbled through my ear. He sounded pissed that I was his mate. Maybe that’s a good, I thought to myself. I could reject Michael and let him find his second mate.

Finding a second mate wasn’t as rare as it used to be. My wolf snarled as she paced back and forth in my head. Did you not hear him last night? I asked. She puffed and rolled her eyes. He’s going to be furious when he finds out I’ve had you all along. You know Michael has a bit of a temper. What if he doesn’t like how you look? She began to whimper. She didn’t want me to reject him. She wanted me to give him a chance.

I rolled my eyes, throwing a rock as far as I could.

Wolves have a strong connection with their mates. I couldn’t deny my wolf the chance to meet her mate. It’s always a struggle when you and your wolf aren’t on the same page. Your wolf could leave you if they were unhappy. I loved my wolf, but I wasn’t sure if he would. I’ve never seen a wolf like mine. We would have to spend a lot of time with Michael first. Her ears perked up, and she began to wag her tail at the thought.

My stomach became tight as I thought about my father. There was no way I would be able to keep my wolf a secret being Luna. I had to choose between my wolf, my father, and my mate. Screaming internally, I made up my mind. Sorry, Dad. I got up and gathered what pieces of clothing I could pick up and headed home.

When I made it back home, I was hit in the face by the scent of my mate. He must have sat here all night. There was also a letter sitting on the front porch. Did he leave this? As I picked up the letter, I caught an unfamiliar scent. Not giving the scent too much thought, I grabbed the spare key from under the mat, unlocked the door, and went inside.

My wolf started bringing images of Michael to the front of my mind, and I wanted her to stop. The thought of him made me feel jumpy. I didn’t like the consuming feeling he was already having over me.

My wolf and I didn’t talk to each other like I’ve heard other pack members do with their wolves. I’ve even heard them speak of their wolf by name. My wolf only spoke to me through facial expressions, emotions, and images. I remember asking her if she had a name or if I called her by her name would it make our bond stronger. She shook her head no and made me feel silly for asking. Sometimes her emotions could be so strong I would act them out as well. For example, if she were extremely upset, I would start crying.

I pulled myself away from my thoughts because I needed to get a grip on this spinning wheel I was on. When I threw the ripped-up clothes in the trash I heard a clunking sound. Oh, snap the letter. I went back to the trash can and dug the letter out. Once I opened it, tears burned my eyes when I noticed that the letter was from my dad.

The letter read:

“Hello, my beautiful daughter.

I hope that all is well. I’m sorry that I left in such a hurry, but I needed to keep you safe. The life that your father has been trying to keep you from living is starting to catch up with us. I know you don’t understand at the moment, but it is for the best that I keep them from finding you. I love you, my Little Glider. I will write to you again to let you know when and where we can meet up. Until then, keep your head down, out of sight, and out of mind. And for the love of peace, please don’t forget to take your medicine.

Love, Dad”

My dad left two weeks ago with no explanation, just said he needed to go, and he would explain his reasons when he had time. He kissed me on my forehead and walked out the door. This letter is confusing. It left me with more questions than answers. He didn’t tell me where he was or where he was going. Who was he running from? What life could I have possibly had?

His letter felt like an echo of another lie I’d been living. I knew I wasn’t like everyone else. I’d had my wolf all my life, which pushed me to shift earlier than normal. Most shifters got their wolves between eleven and fourteen and had their first shift at eighteen. After that, you were supposed to find your mate. That didn’t happen to me.

On my eleventh birthday, Alpha O’Ryan and Luna Addison announced I was wolf-less. My dad said no one could know I had my wolf. When I asked him why, he said he’d tell me when I was older. I’m twenty now and still don’t have an answer.

I could tell my wolf was feeling scared and anxious. My hands started to feel clammy. I felt my pupils dilate, and my breathing became faster.

Calm down, girl. Are you trying to send us into a panic attack? Think about mate. I told her.

It didn’t take long for my body to relax again. I know she wants us to go find Michael, but I’m not sure if that’s a clever idea. The way his wolf had growled at me last night frightened me. I shook the menacing growl out of my head and headed toward my room. I smelled like outside and was in desperate need of a shower.

Letting the steamy hot water run down the length of my body was calming. Just for a second, I didn’t want to think about how hectic my life was about to become. I washed quickly and got dressed. I put on a black T-shirt, blue jeans, a pair of shades, and a black visor. I styled my hair in my famous high puff ponytail with a few curls dangling in front of my face, then I put on the only piece of jewelry I wore, my watch.

The alarm went off, which meant it was time to take my medicine. I don’t remember when I started taking this green capsule. I assumed it must have been after my first shift. I didn’t like taking the pill at first. I would always feel drained and sleepy. Now I can take it without feeling like a walking zombie.

Checking the time, I still had time to go by the packhouse to help Ms. Susan, but I wouldn’t have time to gather some courage before running into Michael. So, I decided to go straight to the daycare.