His eyes snap to me and I know that he is taken aback by my tone and me intervening.

" He is your son." I repeat, getting off the bed and instead, standing infront of him.

He notices this and thus, it causes his frown to deepen.

" Just like I did, he had longed desired for your return. He deserves acknowledgement as your son, not a stranger."

" Catherine -" I hold up my hand, silencing Ronan from interfering.

This is not the time for there to be tension between them. There are matters that can wait, right now, we need to focus on one thing, that papa has returned to us. We are reunited as a family.

" Catherine, I am still your father, remember that." My father says with a warning look.

" And papa, Ronan is my brother, I need not remind you this. We were alone for many years, we had to survive and the only one who I grew up in the presence of, is him."

I see my father's face fall because of my words.

" I don't mean to hurt your feelings papa but you need to know this. I won't pretend to not be here and watch you be this way towards him. This should be a time to rejoice, don't you wish to learn of the good that has happened to your children?"

He sighs, rubbing at his forehead.

" You are right. Every word you speak right now makes sense. I have just woken up and I bring tension with my actions.....I apologise." His eyes cast towards Ronan, who has been standing quietly behind me.

I step away from my father and give room for Ronan to make his way, to him. I watch with barely controlled emotion as a son walks towards his father, him trying to keep it together and not fall apart.

"Son." My father breathes out and that's when he loses it, Ronan falls to his knees and I see his shoulders shaking.

I choose not to intervene but give them a moment because Ronan needs this, more then ever. What he displays right now, is that he is actually very sensitive and our father's presence, has revealed this.

Despite the urge to stop my father from getting out of bed, I refrain from doing it and watch silently as he pushes the blanket off him and readjusts himself, where his legs hang off the bed. He leans over to rest his hand ontop of Ronan's head.

" I have been unfair towards you because of what I remember hearing you speak, about your sister. You are my first born, my heir and here I am, having treated you like a stranger. Forgive me son."

" Papa, I don't deserve your apology. I failed you papa." I can see the frown that makes its way onto our father's face. He's taken aback by Ronan's words.

" You are still standing. You took my place at such a young age, you had to grow up too fast and face the world head on, so don't let such words release from your mouth."

" Papa -"

" You both needed me, you needed my guidance and I was not there. So much time has passed and I still need to get my way around everything, things have changed I can see. Take note of one thing my dear children, I am back now."

His last words touch my heart the most and I feel like that little girl again.

Ronan's head picks up and he looks at my father, it only takes close to a minute before he rises to his feet and launches himself to my father. Seeing such an embrace warms my heart and I wish to capture it in a picture.

" I am back now son. Your papa is back." Our father repeats, needing Ronan to let the words to sink in.

" A long time might have passed but not once, did we not need you papa." I speak up after some time.

They pull back from the hug and turn to look at me.

" You are here now papa, this is good. This is really good." I continue, this time returning to sit beside him while Ronan pulls a chair closer, so we are both close to our father.

" Yeah, she's right. It feels like a dream, seeing you speak to us like this, like when we were young."

" Both of you would sit close to me and listen so intently, to what I spoke. It was scary at times, how much you concentrated on me, you both looked like you weren't blinking."

We all smile at the memory.

" We wanted to take in every word you said. It was at rare times when you called us and sat us down. So, we took what we could get." Ronan says.

" Now I don't have much good to tell you because the memories I carry, aren't good." Papa says sadly.

" Well we have. Ronan has a mate now." I speak up, not wanting our father to be down.

He perks up at the news.

" She is around right?....Because I wish to meet her. " He says.

"Yes, she's outside talking with her cousin." Ronan responds and I can see how his eyes light up at the mention of his mate.

" Tell me that you are treating her right. I want to see that mate glow on her when I see her." Papa says.

" I live everyday with the purpose of making her smile, to feel her happy and that she never has a reason to question if she made the right choice for accepting me."

Papa's eyes move all over Ronan's face before a proud look takes over his own. " Words of a true mate. This is what I like to hear."

Ronan tries to suppress a smile but fails and soon, it peeks out at the corners of his lips.

" She has filled your heart with happiness and is that strength you need, right?"

" Very much so." Ronan answers with confidence, one he has in his Stephanie.

" And your sister, you've protected and treated her like a princess in my absence right?"

Both Ronan and I tense up and his smile drops, I watch as his eyes betray him and this, sparks more of our father's questioning. " Ronan, why -"

" Papa, How long will I wait for you to question me on my family hmm?" I intervene, before he can finish his questioning or be too interested in knowing.

He looks at me and when I raise my brow at him, he chuckles, seemingly having been distracted by my question.

He takes my hand and pats it softly, giving me a small smile.

" Okay my flower, tell me, How is your family?"

" They are good. In actual fact, alpha Mica went out with our Ulana on a daddy and daughter outing today."

" I'm sorry what?" Ronan says, with an amused smile.

I narrow my eyes at Ronan, knowing that he wants to tease me about all of this.

" Mica is very capable of handling Ulana for a whole day."

" I'm sure he is." He says sarcastically.

" Ronan."

" Okay you two. Ronan, stop teasing your sister." Papa says and Ronan holds up his hands in surrender while I poke my tongue out at him.

He rolls his eyes at my action, still wearing an amused smile.

" I am sure that the alpha must be having the time of his life, showing off his little princess. I know I did when a time like that came years back."

" Really?"

" And it was both of you. Gosh, Ronan was quite the adventurous one and I had to chase after him, with you in my arms. I hid all the extra details from your mother."

" I am pretty sure that she sensed that you did."

" Yeah, I think so too because she would give me side glances for the rest of the night, not to mention randomly asking details of our day."

" And yet you still stuck to your story."

" I did because I didn't want your mother to forbid me for the next 5 months. I wanted as much free time with my children as possible."

His words touch us, that we share a glance.

" Well I wouldn't mind if my little Butterfly went on a little outing with her grandpa, her uncle and daddy. But maybe after some time, she's a month and few days old now."

" I think we would all fuss and compete for her attention. She is just too adorable." Ronan says. " My little CottonCandy."

" CottonCandy, Little Butterfly....Now I'm feeling the pressure. I sure should come up with something solid." I chuckle at that.

" Sorry papa, you can't win on this." Ronan says.

" Don't let the others hear you, I don't want my Ulana to get confused."

" It relieves me to know that she has returned to you and she's not in the clutches of that bastard." Papa's demeanor changes as he speaks.

" He wanted to ruin our lives."

Oh no, Ronan's words have just encouraged our father to speak more on this. What I've been trying to avoid because it wont be long till he grows upset.

" He wanted to end us. It's always been his desire."

I frown at his words.

" What do you mean papa?"

" You need to understand something, Michael is beyond the word cruel. He has no remorse, he is sick and twisted."

" Yeah well, don't we know it. I mean, he was your friend and -"

" No, don't be mistaken. He was never my friend. He is far from it, he's always been our enemy. Gosh, it wasn't enough when he troubled your mother, when he interfered in our business. He's always been playing games and I believe he isn't done yet."

" We are not understanding you papa. You speak as if he is still alive." Ronan says.

" That's because he is."

" No, no that can't be. We killed that maniac." Ronan says in a raised voice, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. " Catherine, tell him that we did."

" Ronan calm down."

" No, tell him!"

" We wont understand anything if we all speak in raised voices!" I say sternly, locking my eyes with his and giving him a warning look.

I feel my cellphone ringing in my bag, capturing my attention. I pick up my bag with intention of taking out my phone, but it suddenly drops to the floor when I experience shaking on one of my hands.

" Catherine, why the f*ck is your hand shaking?" Ronan says, rushing over to stand infront of me and try take my hand, but I pull it out of reach

" Please pick up my bag."

" Catherine -"

" Ronan please." I say, glancing up to his face.

He sighs, doing as I ask though he is not pleased.

" What's going on with you Catherine?" Papa asks.

I sigh in relief when the shaking stops and that's when I take out my phone from my bag.

" Catherine, papa asked you something." I know what Ronan is doing right now, he is using papa's questioning to get an answer out of me.

I ignore their questioning and check the message that I've just received. I see that it's from Mica and he has sent me a picture of Ulana. I frown when instead of a good feeling at seeing my daughter, taking over, I feel unsettled for some unexplainable reason.

' Mica call me please.' That's the message I send to him.

" Okay, that's enough. You will tell us what's going on, right now!" Ronan demands, snatching the phone from my hand.

" Ronan, don't talk to your sister like that. I raised you better then that!" Papa says.

Ronan reigns it in quickly and he looks away, avoiding our father's eyes.

" Please, both of you, calm down."

" Catherine -" my cellphone starts ringing before he can continue.

He sighs and glances to my phone, only to frown and look at me.

" This is for you." He says, giving me a suspicious look.

He hands me my phone and I see that it's Doctor Gomez.

" Hello Doctor Gomez."

" Luna, I wish to see you now,
I know that you must be busy but what I have to tell you, is very important. It needs both you and the alpha, but I've been made aware that the alpha has gone out for some time."

Her tone puts me on alert. I know that I need to meet her.

" I will be there." I tell her before hanging up.

I feel eyes on me and that's when I look at them. " Will you tell us what's going on?" Ronan asks.

" Something calls for my attention back home." I say, heading over to my father.

" This is also your home." Both say at the same time.

If it were a different time, I would have laughed at this, but I can't, something doesn't feel right and I feel tension in my body.

" I have to go papa, I'll call later." I say, kissing his cheek.

" You will come visit soon right?....Our time was limited remember that." He says.

I offer a small smile. "I'll see you soon."

He nods, though he wants to say more but he holds himself back. I turn to Ronan and touch his arm, silently saying goodbye to him before taking my bag and heading out.

I mindlink both Cara and Evan, telling them that I am ready to go, as I rush to get to the car. On my way, I check for any response from Mica but I see none.

" Catherine wait, you can't just leave like this. You need to tell me what's going on." I hear Ronan say as he comes after me.

I don't answer but continue walking. Before I know it, he's used his speed to block my way.

" Catherine, you know I don't like when you walk away from me."

" These are different times brother."

He sighs. " I didn't mean to make it sound like that. I'm worried okay."

" I wont lie and say I'm okay, all I can tell you is that there is something I need to know and I'm wasting time right now."

He looks at me for a moment before he says, " you better call later."

I nod.

" And don't think I'll forget what I saw happen to you."

I look away, not wanting to meet his eye.

' Luna, we are ready for you.' I hear Evan say.

" I have to go now."

He remains standing infront of me without a word and I sigh, knowing that he is just being stubborn right now.

" Ronan."

" You're not okay, I can't ignore this."

" Just take care of our father and try avoid topics that may upset him." I say, ignoring what he just said and throwing a hint that I don't want, to talk about all of this.

" I have to go." I say.

He sighs, before stepping aside for me to walk past him. On my way out, I feel his eyes on my back, following my every move.

" Is there something wrong Luna?" Cara asks me, the moment we meet by the car.

" I need to go back home, but you can stay behind and Evan can fetch you later. I haven't forgotten that this is a joyous moment for you and you desire to share everything with your cousin."

" We can talk some more later, you need me by your side right now."

I open and close my mouth, wanting to protest and convince her that she should stay and focus on herself, but I think better of it, seeing as it will take time trying to convince her. She'll insist and I really need to go.

" Okay." I nod and walk on to enter the car.

" Has Mica called you Evan?" I ask him as we drive away from the pack house.

"No Luna, should he have?"

" No it's okay. I'm just a little concerned on why he hasn't responded to me till now, yet he sent me a picture of Ulana."

" That's good isn't it, he sent that picture so you wouldn't worry." Evan says.

" Hmm." I look out the window, still bothered by this unsettling feeling in my chest, I can describe it as something close to grieving.

Why is there such pain right now?

The only time I ever felt this way was when I lost my wolf.

I touch the spot that is paining, rubbing softly on it and taking calming breaths.

" What the heck?!"

I gasp in shock when the car suddenly hits on the brakes and all of us launch forward, only being prevented by the seatbelts from experiencing any damage.

Looking up and towards the front, I realize that something forced Evan to stop, in the middle of the road.

It's a wolf.

" Is that -"

" Ronan." I murmur, finishing for him.

" What the heck is he doing here?"

I take off the seatbelt and get out of the car, ignoring Evan's calls. Heading over to Ronan's wolf, which starts towards me, my steps faulter when at first,  Ulana's scent hits my nose before I see her blanket hanging off his mouth.

It's the same blanket that I had wrapped her in today. Nana had made it especially for and her scent, is like a sweet fragrance to my nose yet this time it's mixed with another, Mica's scent.

Not to mention, spots of blood on it.