Rising: The Priestess of Infinata and The Alphine

Chapter Nine - Homecoming: Back in the Hinterlands.

Iris's POV

"Atchoo!" Lina and I were lounging in the backseat, chatting quietly as William navigated the winding roads, when I let out a sudden sneeze, and Lina pounced on the opportunity to tease me.

"Ah-ah, looks like you've got one of those lover boys thinking about you!" she joked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "Oh, come off it, you're being superstitious. And you and I both know there's no such thing as a 'lover boy'."

Lina raised an eyebrow, her grin still plastered on her face. "Really, are you so sure about that?"

My heart skipped a beat as I wondered where she was going with this. "Wait, wait! Hope you're not referring to Adrian?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant despite the flutter in my chest.

Lina's grin grew wider. "I didn't say a word, girlfriend, but since you mentioned Adrian's name, it seems you're the one who can't get him off your mind."

I felt my face heat up, and I playfully swatted at Lina. "Lina!"

"With the way you described the ki...uhh," she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper as she glanced at William, who was focused on driving. " The kiss, it didn't seem like something you'd forget so easily."

I felt my face grow even hotter as Lina's words hung in the air. "Shut up, Lina!" I whispered, trying to laugh off the embarrassment.

Lina just grinned and winked at me. "Oh, I think there's a lot I could tell, that's if you want me to the get to the juicy details!"

Lina and I were giggling and chatting, having a girls' talk, when William suddenly faked a cough, clearing his throat with a loud "uhhuh!!"

We both turned to look at him, and our chatter died down. Lina smiled mischievously and whispered, "I think someone's trying to tell us to keep it down."

The familiar sights and sounds wrapped around me like a warm hug, as we drove into the Hinterlands, my pack's territory. It felt like I'd been away for years, not just a week. My father had been worried sick about me after the attempted assassination incident, so he had arranged for me to come home for the weekend.

William's eyes met ours in the rearview mirror, a hint of a smile on his face. "Lina, we're at your destination," he said, his voice neutral.

Lina grinned and said, "Thanks, William!" She alighted from the vehicle, waving goodbye as she walked away.

As we drove off, I watched Lina disappear from view. William's fake cough had effectively ended our gossip session, but I knew Lina would pick up where we left off soon enough.

Before long, we pulled up to the Alpha's quarters, my home.

As I stepped out of the car, my heart swelled with emotion. My dad, beaming with warmth, hurried towards me. "Look who's here, my little princess!" he exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "Dad, we've talked about this. I'll be 18 in a few months. I think I've outgrown that pet name."

My dad chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "No matter how old you get, you'll always be my little princess."

I playfully protested, "Dad!" but he just smiled and enveloped me in a tight hug.

"I was so worried about you," he whispered, his voice filled with relief. "I was about to come to Colorado myself, but that would have meant the entire pack would have had to come with me. I had no choice but to send for you."

As my dad observed me, his brow furrowed with concern. "Hope you're not hurt anywhere," he asked, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.

His beta, Clayton, approached us and began to whisper something in my dad's ear. I watched as my dad's expression change, but before he could respond, I subtly shook my head to indicate that I was fine.

My dad turned to me, a warm smile on his face. "Alright, my princess, I have a meeting to attend to in my chambers. Why don't you freshen up and join me for lunch later?"

I hesitated, even though I had missed him so much "Dad, I wish I could have lunch with you, but my training schedule falls on today, and I must have missed out quite a lot during the past week. I need to do some catching up."

My dad chuckled, his eyes twinkling with pride. "Oh, looks like my little princess is a hard worker. Don't forget to check on me before leaving, I'll be in my chambers."

"I will Dad" I said with smile and left for my room.

As I stepped into my old room, the familiarity of the space enveloped me. I quickly freshened up, changing into a new set of clothes and tying my hair into a ponytail. Feeling revitalized, I headed downstairs, where my trainer was already waiting.

"Please excuse me for a minute," I said, as I approached him. "I need to check on my dad before we leave."

My trainer nodded understandingly, and I hurried towards my dad's chambers. As I climbed the steep, tedious stairs, I couldn't help but wonder why these chambers hadn't been renovated since the reign of the first Alpha King. It was as if time had stood still here, preserving the memories and traditions of our ancestors. The isolation of this part of the house was palpable, and I was already exhausted when I reached the top of the stairs.

I'll be

As I approached the door to my dad's chambers, I could hear the sound of snarling and growling. I cautiously pushed open the door, and what I saw made my blood run cold.

My heart sank as I realized that my father, the Alpha, was fighting off Heiviles. Hepwas overwhelmed, his body battered and bruised as he struggled to fend off the Heiviles. But what caught my attention was the High Seer wolf sitting on my father's throne, his jaw resting on his hand as he watched the scene unfold. His expression was one of indifference, as if he didn't care about what was going on before him. I'll

I felt a surge of anger and frustration, but I knew I had to think clearly. I contemplated joining my father to fight off the Heiviles, but I quickly realized that I would only be a burden. I'm not able to transform yet, and I couldn't risk putting my father in greater danger.

After a moment's hesitation, I decided to slip away and call for help. But as I turned to leave, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Why was the High Seer wolf just sitting there, watching my father struggle for his life? Did he have something to gain from our pack's downfall? I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on getting help, but the image of the High Seer's indifferent expression lingered in my mind.

As I slipped away to call for help, a loud, anguished growl pierced the air. My heart skipped a beat. I froze, my mind racing. That sound...it couldn't be. My father's defeat?

I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. I couldn't move, couldn't think. All I could do was stand there, frozen in horror, as the reality of the situation sunk in. My father, the Alpha, the strongest wolf in our pack, was...was...I couldn't bring myself to think it.

I forced myself to move, to run, to get help. But my legs felt like lead, my feet heavy with grief. I stumbled, fell, and scrambled to my feet again. I didn't care about the pain, about the bruises. All I cared about was getting help, saving my father...but it might already be too late.

Tears blurred my vision, but I didn't dare slow down. I burst through doors, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I had to find someone, anyone. My father's life depended on it.