Healer For Alpha

Daddy’s Boy

As soon as the doctor leaves, I force myself to get out of bed and walk to take a shower because I know my mother wasn't playing around and will send my daddy to come get me. And if he finds out I stink this bad, he's not going to be happy.

When I get out of the bathroom, I get dressed and move to clean up a bit. Just as I'm finishing picking up my stuff, my door opens again and my daddy walks in, scrunching his nose as if it still stinks in here.

I don't let him ask questions, I just walk until I reach him and hug him.

"My baby," he says and hugs me tightly, "What's going on? Why are you so skinny and ugly? Why does it stink in here?"

"I got a virus," I lie, even though I know it's useless. I don't want him to worry, "Can we go home? And maybe stop by a pharmacy? I have to buy some things."

"Oh," he blurts out in confusion, "Okay... wait, are you sure you're okay?"

His worried eyes make me give up.

"No. I have to buy protein shakes and vitamins, apparently I'm malnourished or something," I admit and his face fills with panic, "But I'll be fine. You're going to take care of me now, right?"

"Oh, I will," he assures in a determined voice. We walk out of the hotel and the sunlight hurts my eyes like I’m a vampire, "What happened to my car?"

"It's still in Tallahide. I stole Laurie's because it was the closest," I lie and we get into what might be his new car.

"So, are you going to tell me why the hell you're malnourished? Are you under-eating? Or have you been eating pure junk food with Laurie? Or pushing yourself too much at the academy?"

Uhm, absolutely not. I can't remember the last time I exercised.

"Actually…” I think about it for a bit, this is the moment when I should tell him I’m not actually in the academy. But if I tell him the truth, I'll make him worry about Alex and I don't want that. My mom can deal with the worry and even do something about it, but my dad would just worry and I don't want that, "Yes to all of them. I guess."

The rest of the way to the pharmacy my dad keeps complaining about Laurie's horrible diet and how it's all Oliver’s fault. Nothing new there.

As soon as I walk into the pharmacy with the doctor's prescription, the two omegas working behind the counter give me heavy looks and one of them even shakes her head disapprovingly before handing me my stuff. If the doctor wanted to embarrass me, he succeeded.

"I'm going to cook you something delicious and healthy in just a moment," my dad says as soon as we enter the house, his voice sounds weird all of a sudden, "But give me a moment first, will you?"

"Dad? What is it?" I ask, taking a step to him as he tries to go up the stairs. He shakes his head and tries to keep walking, but I stop him.

My dad is the most beautiful omega alive, he's striking and gorgeous, he looks so much younger than he is and he's always perfectly dressed, every single day. I can't remember a day in my life where his hair hasn't been perfectly done, his clothes aren't cute or his face isn't shining bright. Not even on those lazy days where we did nothing but hang around the house.

But now he looks sad, a little unkempt and smaller than normal.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, honey. I just need a moment to myself, why don't you start on dessert?" he insists, trying to keep a smile on his face, but I can see his eyes turning red.

"Why did you get all sad like that?”

"I'm sorry," he tries to escape but once again I don't let him, so his tears start falling right in front of me, breaking every part of my heart because I've never seen him like this before, "I’m sorry, I just feel like such a failure..."

"No," I interrupt him, "You're not that. Stop apologizing, w-why would you say that? I..."

"Both my kids are stranded, my alpha is slowly losing it. I've tried so hard to make everything perfect and it clearly was all for nothing."

"When has my mom not been losing it?"

"Oh, baby," he laughs sadly, "She hasn't been well since you both left. We haven't been well. I need you and I need Alex. And I need my Lucy back. I don't know what to do anymore."

"But I'm not stranded..."

"You are. And now you're not even eating well? You’re malnourished? That’s not right, you love food. And you even got yourself a girlfriend and told f*****g Oliver instead of me," he spits. I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass, "I'm a failure."

"Of course you're not! Uncle Oli is just like one of us. You've always said that and it's true. He’s like my friend, but you're my daddy. I don't ever want to disappoint you, that's why I didn't tell you."

"I could never be disappointed in you, you're the light of my life," he says, making me feel even shittier.

"No, you would be. If you knew, you'd be so mad," I insist. My dad just looks at me.

"Why?"

"She's... she's not an omega," I admit and he looks confused, "She's not a beta either."

My father's eyes widen like saucers and he looks at me in complete shock.

"Is she an alpha?"

"f**k no," I laugh. Lunanci is the furthest thing from an alpha, she's so pretty and soft, "She has no designation at all. She's not even fully wolf. She's... actually, she's mostly human."

The disgust on his face is almost immediate and I close my eyes in stress. I knew he wasn't going to accept it.

"Then why do you like her at all?" he asks, completely disgusted and confused, "If she's... nothing, what is it that you're attracted to? I don't get it."

I swallow, trying to keep the sudden nausea down. I haven't eaten anything all day, I shouldn't have to feel nauseous, but it happens every time I think about her. About how she's not here anymore, even though she has been here, without me knowing.

"She's not 'nothing.' Her name is Lunanci and she's... she's... she's just..." I choke on my own saliva, "She's the most special person I've ever met. She's so brave and smart. When I'm with her I feel like I don't even have to use my brain because she does it for me. She's always making me feel better and healing me against my will but I kinda like it. She's a healer, you know? She’s like magic. I've been spending all day by her side for months and now that she's gone I feel like... like she left me out to die or something. So she's not nothing, dad. She's my best friend and I f*****g miss her."

My dad is looking at me differently now.

"And what happened? Why did she leave?" he asks in a soft voice, his hand on my arm to make me feel better.

"I told her to, because she's not a full wolf and she's not my mate so none of you would ever accept her," I start, trying to keep the venom out of my voice because it's not his fault. It's no one's fault but mine, "My wolf chose her as his mate, but the bond is one sided. I've been taking inhibitors to shut him up because I can't deal with this pain anymore."

"Wait, a bond?" he repeats, his eyes that were sad a second ago are suddenly shining so bright they dazzle me, "You have a bond with her?! Why didn't you start with that?!"

"Because it's one sided so it's f*****g bullshit anyway. I'm waiting for it to dissolve," I reply and get whacked in the arm, "What was that for?"

"Where is this girl?!"

"She found another alpha to keep her in Tallahide because she refuses to go back to her human city," I complain, my anger starting to rise just thinking about that.

"Well, go take her back!" my dad orders, I scoff, "So what if the bond is one sided? So what?! It still exists so you have to let it happen. You have to be with her."

"It's not that easy, it’s not like I… love her. It’s just my wolf."

"Oh, really? You don't love her? Then what was that about her leaving you to die?"

"Well, I only feel that way because she's my best friend."

"So you're okay with her living with this other alpha?"

"Of course I'm not!" I snap.

"Then go get her back.”

"For what, dad? So I can be with her for a while? And then feel even worse than I do now once it has to end for real?”

"Why would it have to end at all?" he asks. I roll my eyes, he’s such a romantic, "You're a good alpha, a good man, so cute and kind hearted, Lunanci would never leave you. She wouldn't be the smart girl you say she is if she does."

"But..."

"I don't have a bond with your mother,” he continues, “I've been with her for almost twenty-five years and I still love her just as strongly as I did when she came to ask for my hand in marriage after our first date. If she left me now I would be devastated, but that's the gamble you take when you love someone. You can't run way from your feelings, is that what I've taught you?"

"Well, no, but..."

"But?"

"But... but..." I don’t have anything to say, actually. Do I love Luna? As me, not my wolf? I mean, I know I love her as a friend... and to be honest I don't think loving her as a girlfriend would be any different. I already want her. And she wants me, "Maybe we should have had this conversation earlier because now I'm mad at her because she's been living with another guy. And I yelled at her, so she must be pretty mad too."

Knowing her, she's probably been sitting with her arms crossed all these days waiting for me to come back and apologize.

"I'm sure it's nothing a sincere apology won't fix."

"But she should apologize first."

"Whatever. Who apologizes first is your problem. What I care about is you and your wolf. And his bond to her. I want to talk to him and I want to talk to Lunanci to see if she's worthy to have you both."

"She is worthy, dad, so you better never make her feel like she's not just because she's human… I mean, part human."

"Well then, if she's that worthy, go get her back. There is nothing I want more in this life than for you and your brother to find love. Real love. A fated bond would be better, of course, but if not that, I at least want you to be with someone who makes you feel like you just described."

"So you think I should give it a chance? Even if my bond is one sided and could stay that way forever?"

"Yes."

"And you think I should go apologize to Lunanci even if she's possibly been with someone else?"

"Uh-huh."

Well, f**k. I guess I have to.