Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The next day, Marissa stepped into her father’s office, the familiar scent of leather and pine bringing a wave of comfort she hadn’t felt in weeks. Her Beta father, Beta Roven, looked up from his desk, his warm, amber eyes softening as he saw her. His strength was evident even in stillness, a quiet, commanding presence that had kept Shadow Pack safe for years. He gestured to the chair across from him, a faint smile crossing his face.

“Marissa, you look well,” he greeted, hist voice steady, soothing. But she didn’t miss the concern in his gaze, the way his eyes lingered on her face as if searching for something only a father would notice.

She nodded, taking a seat. “Thank you, Dad. I think I needed some fresh air.” He chuckled, setting his papers aside.

“Fresh air or a break from all the chaos?”

“A little of both,” she admitted, the tension in her shoulders easing as she spoke. There was something about his presence that still felt like home, a reminder that not everyone in her life had chosen to look elsewhere. Here, she didn’t need to keep her guard up.

Her father’s smile faded slightly, his expression growing serious. “The Mateship Ceremony is only a few weeks away now. I wanted to check in, see how you‘ re holding up. This… arrangement, I know it’s not ideal.”

Marissa looked down, her fingers tracing invisible patterns along the arm of the chair. “I’m fine, Dad. Really,” she replied, though she could sense the question that lingered in his mind. He wasn’t the type to press her, but she knew he was worried.

He leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. “It’s natural to feel uncertain, especially with all this secrecy,” he said, his tone gentle. “I know it must feel strange, marrying someone you don’t know. But this Alpha…” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “He’s the strongest choice, Marissa. He’ll give you the stability you need.”

Marissa met his gaze, feeling a flicker of curiosity and unease. “You keep saying he’s strong. But who is he, Dad? You‘ ve told me almost nothing.”

Her father sighed, his expression softening. “I can’t tell you everything yet. It was agreed that you‘ d meet him at the ceremony. It‘ s… it’s complicated. He looked away, fingers drumming lightly on the desk. “But know this–he‘ s powerful. More powerful than anyone you’ve met in Shadow Pack.”

“Powerful enough to balance my blood?” she asked quietly, unable to hide the doubt that seeped into her voice. She had spent her life learning to harness her volatile Lycan blood, to keep it from overtaking her, and yet there was always the threat of losing control, of succumbing to the strength she couldn’t tame..

“Yes,” her father replied firmly, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that left no room for argument. “He will. This Alpha… he’s one of the few who understands the ancient bloodlines, Marissa. He’ll be able to steady yours.”

She let his words settle, studying his face, the lines of worry etched into his features. “What if I’m not ready?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if… I can’t handle it?”

Her father reached across the desk, his hand firm yet gentle as it enveloped hers. “You‘ re ready, Marissa. You‘ ve faced more in a few years than most will in a lifetime. And this… this will give you the strength you need to be whole.”

The certainty in his voice steadied her, but a part of her still felt the weight of the unknown, the idea of binding herself to someone she’d never met. “I trust you, Dad,” she said finally. “If you believe this Alpha is right for me, then… I’ll go through with it.”

Her father’s smile was one of relief, but there was something else, a flicker of sadness. “You don‘ t know how proud I am, Marissa,” he said softly, his voice. thick with emotion. “You‘ ll be free from pain soon.”

She managed a faint smile, though her heart was heavy with unspoken questions. There was so much she wanted to ask, so many things she wished she could understand about her own blood, her own nature. And yet, all she had were fragments. of a story she could only piece together in time.

For so long she waited for her alpha boyfriend to free her from her misery, although he didn’t know about her internal suffering with her rare blood, but nothing unknown, the idea of binding herself to someone she’d never met.

“I trust you, Dad,” she said finally. “If you believe this Alpha is right for me, then… I’ll go through with it.”

Her father’s smile was one of relief, but there was something else, a flicker of sadness. “You don’t know how proud I am, Marissa,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ll be free from pain soon.”

She managed a faint smile, though her heart was heavy with unspoken questions. There was so much she wanted to ask, so many things she wished she could understand about her own blood, her own nature. And yet, all she had were fragments of a story she could only piece together in time.

For so long she waited for her alpha boyfriend to free her from her misery, although he didn’t know about her internal suffering with her rare blood, but nothing of sort happened. Instead he impregnate another she–wolf, a breeder, and she was still unmated to this point.

“So,” he continued, his voice lightening, “have you thought about what you’ll wear? We’ll have a few seamstresses come by to get your measurements, make sure everything’s perfect. This is an important day, after all.”

She laughed, a sound that surprised even her. “You‘ re making it sound like some grand event,” she teased, raising a brow. His eyes sparkled with a warmth she hadn’t seen in a while. “It is, Marissa. It’s your Mateship Ceremony!”

She smiled, appreciating the enthusiasm of her father. Growing up, she had always known she was different, that her blood was something to guard closely. And her father, ever the strong and silent protector, had carried that burden alone.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me more?” she asked softly. “About our blood, about why it has to be hidden.”

Her father’s gaze grew distant, his expression tinged with sorrow. “Because knowing the truth would have brought you more pain than comfort. Our lineage…. it’s ancient, powerful. But without stability, it’s dangerous. Look at what it’s done to you.”

She looked down, feeling the familiar sting of frustration and longing, the desire to understand the strength that surged within her but always seemed just beyond her reach.

He sighed, his gaze softening. “When former Alpha George, Caleb’s father, asked me to continue to be his son’s Beta, he promised to help conceal our lineage, to give us a life where we wouldn’t be hunted or feared. But in return… he asked me to stay in the shadows. I couldn’t become Alpha myself.”

Her breath caught, a pang of guilt surfacing as she realized just how much he had sacrificed for her. He had given up his own right to lead, his own dreams, all for her protection. “You gave up everything… for me.”

He shook his head, his expression gentle.

“I would give up a thousand lifetimes for you, my daughter. For our family.”