Prolouge
While at Luna Zia and Alpha Grayson’s ceremony, I noticed the twin hot-as-hell Fae men looking at me and the scowl on my father’s face. I also didn’t miss the look my mother and Zia shared and the smile they shared. My mother explained when I returned that Zia and her brothers Bjorn and Erik came through a portal from their world to ours. When I returned, my mother explained how Alpha Powel had captured Zia and held her captive by placing a bracelet that blocked her powers..
I feel like I missed so much while I was off exploring the world, looking for my beloved. After a while, things start to get lonely and while I found plenty of fun out there, I didn’t find him there among anyone I ran into. So I came back home. I feel an attraction to them that I’ve never felt towards anyone else, but being a hybrid, we have no idea how it will all work out. I don’t seem to have as many abilities as my father except that I have a relationship with my demon, as do my siblings. So far I haven’t been able to shift into my demon, but I still have hope that it will happen someday. Dad told me the first time he transformed someone he cared about intensely was in trouble.
Having a relationship with my demon comes with some great perks, though. I can sense if people are being dishonest and I can read minds better than Dad without causing the person harm, though I think his demon does it on purpose sometimes. I am still young and Dad says I will learn more as I go along, but the need to use my powers has been limited since everyone knows who he is. and avoids the pack if their intentions are less than wholesome. Having so many vampires in a pack really is the best deterrent between my father being Axel and being one of the largest packs. People take a wide berth around our pack, so experience and practice are hard to get. At the moment, my siblings are also out exploring, looking for their beloveds and finding vampire covens, so we know who is friendly and who isn’t.
Oh well, anyway. I haven’t seen the Fae twins around since then, but I suspect that’s because of my father. I heard my mom giving him hell about blocking beloveds and how it didn’t really matter how he felt about it. So I have just been steering clear of everyone for now so that Dad has a chance to get over whatever hangup he has. I have a feeling it’s more to do with them being twins than it is with them being my beloveds. I am not even sure how I feel about it myself. We haven’t spoken and I really couldn’t see their eyes well enough to know for sure. But there was a definite attraction that I have never felt before. A pull to them. As a matter of fact, if I was to follow it, I bet it would lead me to one or both of them right now.
Yeah, that sounds like a good idea to me. Hopefully, Dad is off training somewhere. I don’t feel him near, but being as old as he is, there are many tricks he can do that I have no idea about. Oh well, it’s my life. I haven’t been a child for quite some time. I’m not one to ruffle feathers, but he knows I have been searching for a while now and if they are my beloveds, then he has no say…. not that he would, anyway. I get that from Mom. She is a firm believer of ask for forgiveness later, but love and family always come first and this could be love so, he will survive. It won’t take him long to let it go. I love him, but wow Alpha Male doesn’t cover it. He is as fiercely loyal and protective as he is loving. But with his huge stature, he intimidates everyone without trying unless they know him.
Once I looked up, I realized my feet made up my mind for me as I thought about everything. My mind just jumped around from subject to subject. Looking around, I wandered into the forest that surrounds the pack out by the beautiful waterfall. I think the twins are close by because that pull feels stronger and solid, but I can’t see them or sense them, so I might as well enjoy the surrounding area. Maybe they are in the area and if not, there will be a time and place for us to meet officially. Thankfully, I learned patience a very long time ago. When you are the oldest of six, there isn’t a lot of choice in the matter.
It’s been a while since I have been here. I’ve been gone for a while but it hasn’t changed much. It’s a beautiful day for a swim, so screw it, I might as well. I take off my shirt and my pants, leaving my bra and underwear on. I walk to the edge of the water and walk into the water until I can’t touch the bottom anymore. It’s been way too long since I have been able to relax. The world is a strange dark place. Most people don’t even fathom the danger lurking around every corner. Floating in the water and listening to the waterfall crash behind me is beyond soothing as I float there basking in the calmness of the day. I hear the snap of a twig and sit up to tread in the water.
“Whoever is there, you might as well step out. I heard you.”
“Yeah, them damn twigs. I am too large for stealth in this area.” Axel snickers as he walks out into the clearing.
“Oh, hey Dad, what’s up? I am surprised to see you out here.”
“Well, after your mother was done yelling at me, I figured I would come and find you and … explain, I guess.”
Laughing at him. I can only imagine what was said if Mom was yelling at him. She must be pretty fired up.
“You don’t need to explain. I get it. You are a super protective person in general, and I am your oldest daughter.” I said, smiling.
“Well, yeah, and you know they are twins. You know two beloveds. It’s just, hell, I don’t know, it just seems like a lot.”
“Who knows if it is or isn’t? I am not even sure they are. It seems someone has scared them off and I haven’t seen them close enough to know.”
He rubbed the back of his neck in shame. “Yeah, about that.” he tossed both hands in the air. “I kind of threatened them. That’s why I am here to apologize.”
I laughed a little too loudly and shook my head. Am I surprised? No, I am not. It’s just how Dad is. If a guy liked me when I was in school, Dad was there letting them know I was protected and that was enough for them to scamper away, of course. Once my brothers got involved, my sister and I were off-limits and everyone knew it. So this isn’t surprising at the least.
“I kinda figured. But from what I’ve seen, they take you in stride. Even if the pack is huge, we will run into each other eventually. I’m not worried about it, Dad.”
“Ok well, I just wanted to let you know I am going to try to stay out of it. The boss has ordered me to back off.”
“Mom really put her foot down, huh?”
“Yeah, she got really mad and said I shouldn’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong. That if they are your beloveds, it’s not my place to step in…and we both know she was right even if I don’t like it. I love her too much for her to be mad at me, and she doesn’t step in often. So just her getting mad and saying something is enough to know I have overstepped.”
“It’s cool, Dad don’t worry about it. If they are my beloveds, you couldn’t scare them away, anyway. Eventually, they will find a way to speak with me. So it will all work out.”
“When did you get so grown up and wise?”
“Oh, I don’t know, like 50 years ago?”
“Smart ass. Ok well, I’ll leave you to it, Bella. Love you.”
“Love you too, Dad. See you later.”
As his hulking form disappeared through the trees, I smiled to myself. I knew Mom would handle it. She just has a way with Dad. They can’t stand being mad at each other, but she is a total momma bear. I knew he would cave and give her what she wanted. He always does. I’m so glad I have had my parents show me what love and respect are in a marriage that lasts millennia. He doesn’t bow to her, and she doesn’t bow to him, but they call each other out. They deal with it and since Mom doesn’t get upset often, Dad understands that when she does, he is the one at fault. Which is totally adorable. It’s odd, but I love the way they love each other. I’ve heard from Greyson about how they haven’t changed one bit over the years and how doting Dad has always been. I think it’s adorable and I hope I have that same kind of love, the kind of love found in romance novels. Now just to wait and make myself seen around the pack, so I am not hard to find. Maybe I should hang out with Zia a bit. I bet they would find me pretty quickly then.
