Fake Dating Alpha Hockey Captain

#Chaptér 83: An Unwelcome Family Reunion

Once we're done eating, everyone else joins us in the living room. They all gaze at me fondly, and I can't imagine what this moment means for them. I lost my parents, but they lost a leader.

A thought slips in and teases at me again: It's like I'm royalty.

"How are you feeling?" Charles asks from the doorway.

"Better, thank you. I think Alex's leg is healing up rather nicely," I add, alluding to it with a nod.

"Good. That's all very good," he says hastily.

Jeaoul, who is seated in a much more comfortable, normal chair than the last one I saw him in, .... "How is our prisoner?"

"What prisoner?" Alex asks.

"We were able to subdue and capture the rogue that attack Dyanthiana."

At first, I forget this name is attached to me. "Oh..." I perk up. "Is he still alive?"

"Yes, my Luna. To keep him from healing, he was forced to shift into human form."

I don't know how that works, and right now I don't really care.

"We can question him when you're ready," Charles says to feaoul.

Jeaoul looks at me. "I think it is a good idea if you join us."

I find my bravery and nod. It doesn't seem so difficult now that my wolf is free.

I follow the Elders and Charles back to the Meeting Hall. Our Meeting Hall. Rita and Alex, who can now limp on his own, follow behind me.

There are several men standing guard in the entry hall, where the rogue is still tied to the same pole as when we left. His body is bloody, and clumps have caked and dried on his skin. He is also naked, which only adds to the repulsive nature of his condition.

The man's head is down, and I can't see his face. His long, dark hair is oily and matted against his scalp, with tendrils falling in front of his lowered face, obscuring our view of it. Sweat is dripping from his hair, and he smells of blood and stink.

Alex limps over to the man. Waves of anger roll off him like heat. He roughly take the man's chin in his hand and lifts his head.

All the air is sucked out of the room. I stumble backward, not believing my eyes. "Dad..."

The others look at me, stunned. AS if anything else could happen today!

Alex: "This...this is your dad?"

He looks up at me my father! How could this be?

Jeaoul explains. "This is man you know as your father is not who you think. His real name is Geralt, and he is a werewolf, one of our pack, entrusted to watch over you while in hiding. As soon as we recognized him, there was no doubt who you were."

I stare at him. Dad's eyes lift to mine, holding my gaze. I can see the shame in them.

#Chapter 83: An Unwelcome Family Reunion

Dad: "I struggled with leaving, but I was devoted to the cause...to protecting you. At least, at first." "I don't underssstand. What happened?"

I know he is remembering how terrible it was. How abusive he was toward me and mother; how he broke down our self-esteem and made us feel worthless. The fights, the hiding from his drunken wrath. Was that all part of the plan?

"I meant well when we escaped. When I met your mother, she was so kind and adopted you without hesitation. We got married and I...I tried."

He starts tearing up. "But it all got to be too much. Over time, I resented being away from the pack. Anger began to build up because I couldn't shift, couldn't be me-no one told me that was going to happen!"

Now, he is sobbing. He stops to collect himself, and I can't tell who he is crying for: me or him.

"I began to tell myself it was to protect you. If you felt worthless then you would never suspect who you really were. Then you had that damn stutter...which made it easier." *

"Easier to bully me?"

He shuts his eyes tight and nods.

Alex butts in. I had forgotten he was there-that anyone else was there. For a moment, it had become just me, the accuser, and my pathetic excuse for a father.

Now that I see Alex, I notice his hands are balled up into fists and the veins in his arms and neck are bulging. I'm frightened he is going to pounce and tear my dad to shreds.

"How did you get involved with the rogues?" he growls, showing his teeth.

If Alex were to take my dad on right now, in a fair fight, I'm sure Alex would win.noveldrama

My dad glances at Alex and looks away. Dad can also see Alex's aggressiveness, smell it on him.

It smells good. To be honest, my body finds it physically appealing.

"I ran off. Left them. I was out in the woods, living off critters. Desperate. They found me...or, rather, Ryan found me."

"That's what we want to hear."

"Yeah? What's that?" Dad asks, then spits blood from his mouth onto the floor.

"Everything!"

Dad commences a tale of conspiracy, intrigue.....

"Ryan took me in. Showed me where a camp of rogues were living not far from the Malkeye border."

"How many are there?" Charles asks with a snarl.

He shrugs. "Overtwenty."

"And where can we find this...ragtag group of losers?"

Dad pauses and looks at me. I can't tell what I see in his eyes. Reluctance? Regret?

But I have no pity for him. For as long as I can remember, my dad has despised

me and Mom/l snarl, to let him know there's no sympathy here.

#Chapter 83: An Unwelcome Family Reunion

"There's a cut-through in the mountain. That's where they hide."

Charles nods to one of the men behind us. The man leaves and Charles turns back to my dad. “And what was the plan, exactly? Help Ryan take over the Malkeye pack? Maybe others?"

"All of them. Ryan wanted control of them all. Then we were going to be integrated into the pack...like, as his bodyguards."

Alex leans down, almost nose to nose with Dad. "And Cynthia? Were you prepared to kill the girl you had raised as you daughter?" He is almost shouting by the time he reaches the final word, causing my dad to flinch and turn his head away.

And while he can't say it, we all know this was his intention for coming here.

I stomp out of the Meeting Hall, disgusted. Alex and several of the others follow.

The fresh air is inviting, and I need it to clear my head. I feel like my brain could explode with all that has happened today. My emotions teeter from overstimulated to numb.

Once I'm outside, another numb moment sets in.

Charles approaches me. "We will be taking a band to search for the camp. Do we have your permission to clear it?" Ican't make these decisions. Why is he asking me? "You're in charge.'

He nods, as though I'm passing on some right or responsibility to him. Maybe that is what I'm doing.

Then it occurs to me: I murdered their Alpha and I'm their Luna. It doesn't matter if

I haven't been here. I'm their blood, and they're going to look to me for leadership.

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