The Prodigal Daughter

IV

AU: I may not update often. But I would like your constructive comments, let me know what you think!

T

White Oak, NY

I popped the top off the beer, and took a few good swigs. Every cell in my body wanted to be with him and learn more about him but instead I watched him watch me from across the field.

"I'm here for my Dad's fucking funeral." I drank more beer. Rick looked at me and his face was downtrodden but his eyes are happy. 

"He wasn't supposed to get here until Sunday. He's here to help address the threat."

I blinked.  I just met my mate--which I don't know what the fuck to feel--but this was bigger.  "The threat?"

Rick  squirmed. "We can talk about it later. We're having a logistics meeting tonight. Discuss security for tomorrow and Sunday."

I shook my head. "I'll be there."

"Your Mom--" He tried to argue

"She needs me. I know. You forget Dad used to play dolls  with me."

Rick smiled. "He was  training you."

I  nodded. "And I left."

It was quiet for a moment.  Rick reached over and held my hand. "Your Dad was sad, yes. But he was more proud of you than anything. He  wasn't mad. Not for a second."

I looked over, Will was talking to his friends, but his eyes never left me.

"This is  so cliche. Why now?"

Rick took another sip of his beer. "I would say coincidence. Maybe the Universe knows you need him."

I took a sip of beer and saw my Mom approach Will and hug him. She's the Luna--although she hates the title--she's the mother to everyone, whether they need her or not. She and Dad took care of White Oak in the aftermath of the war. Dad was the hero on the field, but Mom held everyone together.

Then she started to approach Rick and I at the table. With Will. 

"Sweetheart. This is Will. He's new to White Oak, but he used to be a part of the Midwestern pack."

I blinked. I looked at Will who smirked at me. "You're from...whats his name..." I bit my lip.

"Ryan Ashwood's Pack. Yeah. He's my brother." Will's voice was gruff. Touchy subject. 

Ryan Ashwood isn't a nice guy. His pack was largely involved in the War. They believed Rogues shouldn't have to choose a Pack. They believed in chaos. Ryan surrendered, but many of us don't exactly trust him. They stay in the Montana mountains, their territory is small, but no one trusts them. With good reason.

"Oh." I took a sip of my beer, as Mom and Will sat down. Mom gave me a watch-your-face look. Been getting that my whole life.

"Will, can we talk?" My voice was shaky but even Will's eyes widened.

"Sure." We both stood. I finished my beer and put the bottle back down.

I walked away from the kids and the crowd towards the greenhouse. 

"This is your Mom's right?" He asked. Oh his voice is deep and...yeah I could listen to that forever. 

"Yeah, Dad got it for an anniversary present when I was six. She had just miscarried and Dad couldn't bear to see her in pain, so--greenhouse." We walked in and saw the most beautiful arrangement of flowers and a few vegetables. She probably appreciated this more now than she did nineteen years ago.

I walked through it, looking at all  the flowers. It was beautiful. "What did you  want to talk about?"

Will was close to me, I could hear his heart beat. 

I turned to him and we were within half an arms length. I could see he's fit, tall with a strong chest. His eyes are a deep blue, darker than mine. 

"I can't...handle this right now." The words were true, but they hurt me saying them as I can see them hurting him to hear them. 

I took a  deep breath and looked at the flowers. "I haven't been in Pack territory for a while. Well...not like this."

I walked to the  other side of the plant row. "They  said you're a doctor, so you were in school for a while."

I grinned. "Yeah." Will was admiring the flowers, but his eyes flicked to me. "My...Dad. He's...He was a good man. I was mad at him, I was almost mad at him for being involved in the war, but he didn't have a choice." I saw Will's eyes cast down.

"Sorry."

He walked over. "It's okay."

I continued. "I've been all  about work and making a life for myself.  I left this place behind. Now, I'm back in my home pack. Not just as a pack member. My Dad was the fucking Alpha. A war hero. And I.." I started to feel heavy in my chest. "I left HIM! MY DAD! I was terrible. I'm terrible. I'm such an ungrateful....I....ugh. I wasn't here for him. He had a heart attack. We're wolves, why would he die of natural  causes? He's in good shape? I don't believe his cause of death, but I can't say anything because Mom can barely hold herself together and I feel so guilty--" My knees buckled as I was headed to the ground sobbing, hyperventilating. Will caught me.

We sat on the floor, I couldn't stop crying. Will just held me.

"I will be here."

I couldn't stop crying, but his arms provided a warm embrace I  didn't know I needed.

"I need time to grieve, Will. I wiped my eyes. I don't know you. I  know you but I don't know you."

I looked at Will as he wiped my tears with his coarse thumbs. "I will be here." He repeated. "We can do the whole mate thing after the funeral."

"You aren't mad? I mean we're mates...we're meant to be, or whatever."

Will snorted. "You are my mate, but you aren't my property." He stood up and helped me up to. "You grieve. But you  don't have to do it alone."

I felt compelled to hug him and I wrapped my arms around him, and he wrapped his arms around me.

"Thank you." I looked at him. He's beautiful. He's the most gorgeous man I've ever seen.

"Would you like  to go back to the cookout? Beers on me." I smiled.

"Sure."

"Maybe you can tell me why no one let your Dad in the kitchen." I laughed and for a second, I felt like a girl who just found a decent  man, instead of about to bury her father.