The Hybrid's Second Chance Mate

Daddy Dearest

Her dad was highly amused when she came stumbling out, hair dishevelled and all matted, makeup smeared all over her face and clad in a shirt that sailed past her knees which had passed as a nightgown before she'd climbed into bed. He stifled a smile as she tottered out, blinking her eyes as the harsh sunlight hit her, a headache pulsing between her eyes and an overwhelming desperate need for coffee and more coffee.

Her father Liam knew her well and handed her the mug carefully, keeping his fingers away from Kinley so that she didn't read his thoughts. While he knew about her power he didn't want his thoughts to be read by his daughter every time they touched. Some things deserved to remain private. He blushed just thinking about what his daughter may be able to take in. She however, grasped the coffee mug with a smile of thanks and plonked herself down onto the nearby dining chair, sipping the goodness and letting out a moan every so often as her dad joined her.

Kinley was not a morning person, especially after a night out. She relied heavily on caffeine to wake up as well as long showers. Sometimes it took three coffees before she could even maintain or initiate conversation.

"So what are you up to today" her father said with a smile and she looked up at him with a small grimace, nose wrinkled as she inhaled way too much coffee, spluttering as he reached over and patted her back.

"I will be looking for another job" she declared once he'd stopped. The second he'd reached over she'd thrown a block up to prevent herself from reading his thoughts or picking up on his emotions. It was something she'd only learned to do recently but goddamn it was useful.

"Oh Kinley" her father said looking upset now "don't tell me it's happened again" he growled, thumping his hand against the dining table and making their coffee mugs wobble dangerously. She hurried to calm him down.

"It's alright" she said gently "we both know it's better to walk away at the slightest hint of my employer thinking of making a move or using his position to his advantage. I'll find another job, I always do" she added and saw his brown eyes narrow in concern. This would be her third time looking for a job within two months but she didn't regret it. She'd rather walk away then have to fend off unwanted advances by her employer, particularly because it would end in them being injured rather than the other way around.

She saw her father run his hand through his reddish brown hair, looking highly frustrated but knowing it wasn't aimed at her.

"It's cause your so damn gorgeous" he finally choked out "just like your mother was Kinley, you remind me so much of her."

Kinley knew. She was envious of the relationship her father had had with her mother before she passed away from cancer. She'd been a witch and her father was a shifter, making Kinley a hybrid but funnily enough, she hadn't gotten the same powers her mother or father possessed but something else, she had the abilities of an empath. Fate could be quite cruel sometimes.

Kinley winked at him as he laughed. "Yep, my gorgeousness is a curse" she said with laughter in her eyes "men can't help but fall for these luscious curves and my intelligence. I'm like a siren to them" she joked and both of them laughed together as she sipped the remnants of her coffee.

"Ah girl, so feisty" he said with a grin "are you going to come to training?" he asked, placing his mug in the sink and resting both hands on his trim waistline as she considered. "I promise just as humans, if you wear gloves you won't be able to pickup on anyone's thoughts" he pointed out "although you putting a block up works quite well but you told me it's hard to maintain for very long" he muttered regretfully. Sometimes he wished he could help her more but he knew hardly anything about Kinley's powers and didn't exactly know how to help her as a result.

"Will Jessie be there" Kinley countered and saw her father's face droop slightly. The last time she'd attended training she'd broken the girl's nose for taunting her and calling her vile insults in regards to her weight. The fact that Jessie hadn't been her opponent hadn't stopped her from doing it either. It had earned her a week doing chores in the pack house but it had been more than worth it she thought remembering. It had taught Jessie not to underestimate her.

"Yes" Liam said quite reluctantly. He too remembered the last time he'd invited his daughter to training and was keen on the incident not repeating itself. Not because he disagreed with what she had done, Jessie had had it coming, but because he'd been chewed out by Jessie's father, the Alpha of the pack itself afterwards. It had taken a long time to calm Alpha Jack down that was for sure.

"I'll go but I won't hold back" Kinley warned him, placing the mug down in the sink and looking at it longingly. She could really use a second cup right now but training was waiting and she wanted to do that more. Besides she still had to shower and brush out her hair which was now resembling a rat's nest.

"I wouldn't expect you to" her father said easily. After all he'd trained Kinley since she was a little lassie and she'd grown up confident, strong and powerful, He was the strongest warrior in the pack but Kinley would have been a close second if she'd possessed a wolf instead of having to train like a basic human.

"Great" Kinley muttered heading upstairs as he waited patiently for her to come back down. Thank goodness for small mercies. Kinley never took long to get ready, in and out of the shower, basic trackpants and tank top on with sneakers and hair in a ponytail. She still looked gorgeous to him, her makeup wiped off and her face now au natural. One day some lucky guy was going to look at his baby girl and snatch her up. He got misty eyed at the thought, brushing a tear from his eye and facing his daughter who was bouncing up and down on the tips of her toes.

"Ready" she said.