♥

When my father decides to train the pack, I always expect the worst.

He's a born fighter. A wolf that is bloodthirsty for the right opponent. But since our Alpha has been taken ill, he's been a thousand times more brutal with everything that he does. Taking training to a new extreme and me and Viola are always at the wrath of it.

I can feel my wolf begin to weaken from the hours that we have been out here. Being worked to the bone until we're practically just dust, but my father doesn't give up–he tells us to push through.

My head turns across the forest to find Viola's wolf fighting with another, recognising the fur as an older male. I frown at the way they tussle, circling each other as Viola jumps out of the way because she is practically midway through having a panic attack.

I press my feet into the grounds of dirt and make my way over to them. My father is standing on the edge in his human form, watching carefully as the wolf lunges for Viola, pushing her backwards as she plummets to the floor.

What the fuck, dad? I growl through the mindlink.

He doesn't even look at me as Viola gets back up, her back leg now bleeding.

He's literally twice her size, twice her strength. She's going to get hurt.

I watch him wave it off with a hand. "How will she ever learn if she doesn't challenge herself? She's fine. I won't let her get too hurt."

My eyes flare in his direction, resisting the urge to charge him into the floor and see how he likes it. But I don't because I know it'll make the situation ten times worse and I don't want to know how that will end for the pair of us.

"Again!" He bellows across the ground.

Viola's little grey wolf turns to him, dehydration evident in her face and the blood from her leg is now dripping onto the dirty ground. Before she even has a chance to turn back to her opponent, he lunges for her. Her wolf goes flying into the nearest tree, back cracking against the bark.

My wolf releases a deep howl of frustration as my father stares back with a bored expression. Stop this, right now.

"No," he snarls at me. "She needs to get better. She needs to get stronger."

And you are going to break her.

Before he has the chance to respond I jump into the circle and prowl towards her, snapping my jaw at the opponent. Telling him to back the hell off. He glances at my father and then retreats a few steps.

I use my snout to nuzzle into Viola as she quivers against the floor. Are you okay? Are you really hurt? I direct to her.

Viola's wolf whines in agony and I release a growl towards my father who is walking towards us. The next second I'm shifting back into my human form and I grab my clothes, shoving them on as I glare at my father who is just tutting at us.

"You're being unfair to her," I snap.

He rolls his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. She's fine. Aren't you, dear?"

I kneel down beside Viola and let my hands run over her spine, she yelps out in response.

"She needs the pack doctor."

"She's fine."

Before I know it, I've stood up to my full height and stupidly squared up to my father. He doesn't even blink at my presence, he doesn't show signs of intimidation. Because he is not intimidated by me.

"I swear to God, father. You make her carry on and not let her go to the doctor, I will make you regret it."

His dark brown eyes flick between mine before he stretches his mouth into a horrifying grin. Something that I've only seen a handful of times but I know it's not good news. If anything I should be running in the opposite direction.

"Where is all this anger when we're training together hmm, Nate? It's a loss to be wasted."

My eye twitches at his words and I clench my fists at my sides. "You're pushing her too far. She's your daughter for God's sake. Your only daughter. So stop being an Alpha-hole and let her see the doctor."

His hand flies to my chest quicker than I can think, his strong wielded power sending me flying back into the space beside my sister. I break my fall with my hand and watch as he begins to tower over me, gripping my shirt by the hem.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that," he growls heavily. "I do what I want, Nathaniel. It's my training session, my choices."

I shove off his grip. "Then we're leaving because we're done here."

My feet press into the ground and I dust off my shorts before walking towards my sister, I help her wolf onto its legs but she's shaking violently.

I can't shift. She tells me. The pain it–

It's okay. Let me carry you.

"I didn't say the session was over," he yells at us.

"I don't care."

I scoop her little wolf into my arms and I don't even spare my father a glance as we walk back to the pack house. I head straight to the infirmary where Viola is taken in by the pack doctors, I retrieve her some clothes for when she can shift back.

When I wait, I slump down in one of the plastic chairs inside. My hands covered in dirt, I exhale a slow sigh and press my fingers to my forehead, despising the headache that is now growing there.

The more I think about my father, the angrier I get.

We lost our mum six years ago and he's never been the same since. He won't talk about her, he doesn't share old photos with us, he doesn't even care when it's the anniversary of her death. He can't handle it.

A few years ago I brought her up at a party and he throttled me against the wall when we were away from everyone else, telling me never to mention her ever again.

It's safe to say that he took her death terribly. We all did but he made it a thousand times worse than it needed to be. I miss her, we all miss her. But apparently we can't miss her as much as our father because we're just her children, we didn't know her for long enough.

I understand that they were mates. Soulmates when they met at the age of fourteen. And he lost her, he lost the one person he's meant to spend the rest of his life with. Gone. Now, he pretends that she never existed.

But I don't ever want to forget our mum. She was amazing, she was kind. She loved us more than anything else in the world and now my father, he's turned to a life of brutality and coldness.

"Nate?" The doctor pokes her head around the wall. "Viola is asking for you."

I push myself up from the seat and find my sister sitting in a bed with her fresh clothes on her dirty body. "How are you feeling?" I ask gently.

"Back hurts," she rasps and I lean over to grab the cup of water.

She takes it and thanks me gratefully. "He shouldn't have done that to you, Vi. I'm sick of his shit, I'm sick of him treating us like we're not even his children. I can't do it anymore."

Her delicate little fingers brush my arm. "Thank you for standing up to him. I hate that he doesn't listen to us or stop to think that he's overdoing it."

"He won't change," I whisper.

"He was different once."

"That was when mum was here."

Viola's eyes flash with sadness and I wince at the thought of bringing her up. Not when it's a rarity that we do. I wish I spoke about her more, I don't want the memories to die with her. Not when she'll always hold such a special place in my heart, no one can replace her.

When she doesn't respond I open my mouth. "So what did the doctors say?"

I listen to Viola suck in a breath. "Bad bruising for now. I didn't break anything but I might have chipped a bone slightly, that's what is causing all this pain."

My knees bend to perch in the chair beside her, I twist my fingers to lace with hers. "Do you want me to keep you company?"

"Please," she nods eagerly. "Tell me about Milo."

I can feel my heart stammer in my chest at the mention of his name. I remember his distress from last night. His friend has gone missing and they can't find her.

A tug on our matebond had me jolting awake in the early hours and then that discomfort never went away, it felt like I was experiencing them myself. That's how I knew whatever had happened, it was affecting Milo majorly.

"I-I'm afraid to give him another chance," I say quietly. "I'm worried because something inside me is telling me to leave, not to endure this. But another part of me is pulling me back and saying that if I leave, I'll regret it. I'll regret it all."

Viola's face softens and she takes another sip of her water, dampening her lips.

"Well mistakes could be made with either choice," she says and I remember that I can always trust her for her sheer honesty. "Whatever you choose to do, it will be your decision. You might not need Milo to be truly happy."

The bond tugs painfully at her words. I've seen what living without a mate can do–my dad for a prime example. Things might be okay at the start but if my life starts to deteriorate and I am left in a depressive pit. I have no idea how I'll ever come back from it.

Deep down I know that I want to give Milo another chance, another chance to redeem himself. I'll forever regret my decision if I don't try to make it work but that doesn't stop the fear that races through my body. The fear of the unknown.

"I want you to be happy," she says again and gives my hand a squeeze.

I force a smile in her direction, even with the tightness inside my chest. "Me too."

♥

Viola is staying down in the infirmary for the night so that the doctors don't have to move her, they said it will be better for her recovery. So I make sure that I set an alarm to go and check on her in the morning.

I twist in the sheets, trying to ignore everything my father did today.

He's never laid a hand on us, he's never threatened us in our own home. But I don't think a part of him realises that sometimes his actions come off abusive even if he's not the perpetrator. He doesn't listen, he only hears his own voice.

And with the Alpha's illness becoming worse by the day, I fear what it'll mean when he passes away and what my dad will do to ensure this pack keeps running.

I bury my head into the pillow and sigh. The mate bond tugs and I can feel my heart lurch against my chest and I close my eyes. Milo. His friend. I wonder if they found her.

Hey. I say very quietly. Did you find your friend?

No. Milo sounds defeated. We looked everywhere but we're going to keep trying. Everett is devastated. So am I.

I blink at the wall. Did Everett's mate up and leave?

I hope you find her and she has a safe return home.

Thank you.

When Milo says nothing more I realise that he must be exhausted, believe me I am from the training session earlier but I can't help but feel the heavy sadness through the line of the bond.

How are you? I ask simply.

So-so. Trying to keep positive but it's hard when everyone is worried.

My lips slant to the side. I get that.

How are you?

I contemplate telling Milo about my father, about my sister but I stop myself. We're not at that level yet and he's already got enough on his plate. Yeah. I rasp. All good.

Milo is silent for a few moments. Sure?

Of course I can't lie to my mate. He can feel the lies run straight down the bond at my uncertainty of how to answer.

Yeah. Just been a long day.

Tell me about it. He huffs out with defeat.

The space between us goes silent but the line of the bond stays open, neither of us shutting out the mindlink. Just enjoying the feeling of being in each other's mental space. It doesn't necessarily feel like anything but it feels comforting, as if I'm welcome into his brain if he lets me.

Hey. I say after a few moments.

Yeah?

I clear my throat and focus on the ceiling. If we're going to see each other again, we should take things slow. And I mean really, really, really slow.

A zap runs through the bond and it electrocutes my heart in a warming sensation. You mean that? Milo's voice sounds relieved and full of joy at the same time.

Yeah. I find myself panting pathetically. But when I say slow I mean–

Really, really, really slow. I heard you, Nate. Don't worry.

I can feel Milo smile even though I can't see him, my heart fluttering at the feeling.

I'm pleased that you're giving me another chance. Milo speaks gratefully. I promise I'll prove to you that you can trust me, that I will be the best mate I can be to you.

My face nuzzles into the pillow further, the smile on my lips grows at the sound of his hopeful voice but I wouldn't dare tell him how it's made me feel.

Slow. I tell myself. It's going to be slow for the sake of everything.

♥ ♥ ♥

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Author's Note

Hello my angels. Ugh Nate's father is such an Alpha-hole. Finding out more about Nate's personal life, including his mother and how his dad has changed. My heart aches for Nate and Viola.🥺💔

What did you guys think of this chapter?👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼

I'm so proud of Nate giving Milo a chance, even if they take things super slow.

THANK YOU for all the votes and comments on the last chapter. Let's go for 140 votes and 45 comments again to get a new chapter before Thursday!✨

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