Wolf-less Omega Luna novel Chapter 65

Alana’s POV

“Dad?” I was choking on the words. “Is that…is…that really…you?”

“It’s me, Alana,” he said with equal loads of emotion.

I don’t think I ever cried this much in years. The tears burst out of me like they had been held back for years but by a thin line of thread. 

I didn’t need any more confirmation. I felt it. His warmth. His love. I saw it in his eyes. It was in there. It was him. My Dad.

The tears were bittersweet and I shed them as a million questions revolved around my head.

“I thought… I lost you,” I said amidst the tears. My words were rudimentary, but they felt like heavy blocks in my throat.

“You never did Alana, baby. You never did.”

I cried. And cried. Till my eyes were sore. Till my throat was desert-dry. Till my body was numb. And then I finally stopped, and I sat, staring at my dad.

He was older. His once bright blue oceanic eyes were a bit duller, I guess it was the aging. His bulky frame wasn’t as bulky as it was anymore. He probably stopped fighting. His hair was still reddish-brown hair was still a bit shiny. But the way he sat there lazily and stared back at me, he looked almost …sad. 

“Mom,” I whispered, but it was loud enough that he heard.

He shook his head slowly like he had no more strength in him. That’s when I knew that what Britney said had to be true. But why Axel? As mad as I was with him, I still needed to hear from him.

“What happened, Dad.”

“She was badly hurt from the attack that separated us three. The pain from losing you added to it significantly. I tried to reassure her that you were safe, that I could feel you, but she lost hope.” His voice was breaking. “I tried to tell her that I was there with her, every step of the way, but she lost hope. She’s gone. And she went painfully.”

If I had more tears left to cry, I would have broken down again for my mom. But I couldn’t. I was too sore. Too weak. In too much pain.

“Why are you here, Dad? What happened?”

Never in a million years would I have imagined that my dad would be in a dungeon when I saw him for the first time in ten years. He was the best person I knew. Loyal to a fault, and he loved my mom with every fiber of his being.

What could have led to this?

“Derek, the alpha. You remember him? He was almost a man when you left,” my dad chuckled weakly.

I didn’t understand. “What?”

“He wanted to enact revenge on the pack that he felt caused our downfall. He asked me to join him. I was grieving the loss of your mom and I blamed them for her death. I wanted revenge.” His eyes shifted from mine, head bent, as though he was ashamed of his actions.

I, on the other hand, saw bravery, that he found it in him to tell me what truly happened.

“But when I found out that the pack he wanted to attack had been the one who took you in and sheltered you. I couldn’t do it,” he shook his head sorrowfully. “I couldn’t.”

“And you backed out.”

“He threatened you. Derek said he had eyes on you. Said he saw you himself. He said you looked just like your mom. Said you were happy. You owned your pack.” A visible shiver coursed through me. “He promised not to hurt you if I joined him, but then I found that it wasn’t entirely the other Alpha’s fault. Derek was to be blamed more. I told him I wouldn’t do it and he locked me up here.”

“You did the right thing, Dad. That’s what any noble person would have done.” If I were closer to him, I would have squeezed his arm for support, but I could only offer my words.

“Did I, though?” He asked as his fatherly eyes met mine again. “He threatened you and I still refused to help. What if he had hurt you?”

“You did the right thing, Dad. And he didn’t hurt me. If he had tried, I could have protected myself. I’m an adult now.”

He nodded in understanding. “But he has you now. And you have silver chains on your hand while I sit here helplessly and watch.”

“It doesn't hurt that much,” I lied. He looked at me knowingly but nodded anyway.

His words were playing a loop in my head. “It wasn’t entirely the other Alpha’s fault either.” What did he mean by that? Was Axel truly innocent of what Britney had accused him of?

I wanted to ask him, but I decided against it. Axel had to be the one to tell me. I wanted to give my mate a chance to come clean to me or explain what actually happened. I didn't do that before, but I was going to do it now.

“I missed you, my child,” my dad said. His eyes were somewhat wistful like he was sad that he had missed out on a lot of things. On me.

“I missed you more, Dad. I dreamt of you and Mom for so long.”

“Your mom would have been so happy to see what a beautiful woman you turned out to be.”

I laughed. “I know. I have a mate, Dad.”

His eyes gleamed with excitement. “I hope he treats you like a princess?”

“He calls me his princess. And yes, he does treat me like one.” A pang of guilt ran through me as the words left my mouth. 

I didn’t as much as wait for an explanation from Axel. I took Britney’s words over his. Britney’s. And I proceeded to land myself in the devil’s den. Yes, he kept some things secret from me, but he must have had his reasons. I should have given him a chance then, but I didn’t.

 The guilt I felt right there and then was enough to gut me for the rest of my life.

I didn’t do the mature thing, and neither did I consider his feelings. I just upped and left. 

“He must be a good man,” Dad pulled me from my train of thought.

“He is,” I repeated. “He is.”

Dad tucked his face in and tried to hide his tears from me. That brought me to the brink of a fresh round.

“Dad,” 

“Yes, baby,”

“We’re back together now. We’ll be okay. Axel will find us.”

I knew it beyond a doubt. I felt it. I felt him close, and I wished with everything I had in me that it was true. That Axel was close.