~Josie~

That feeling of complete forgetfulness when you open your eyes but your mind hasn't clicked in yet...that feeling is absolute heaven.

As I open my eyes, I find Dad sat next to me on the sofa, my legs on his lap as he flicks through the TV channels. It must be early morning, why were we here. Then, bang.

Like a bullet. It hits me right in my chest.

"Why did you tell him?" My voice stirs from under the blanket, the fan heater next to me now overheating me but my finger tips were still cold and I was too cosy to move. He turns to face me, placing the remote control down. The TV remains on in the background, Dad settling on some kind of gangster movie.

"He was asking questions around the pack." He sighs out, his head resting back as he angles it to look at me.

"He was.." Well this is a surprise.

"Hmm, he knew we were keeping something from him, from the outside shifter community. He actually voiced his opinion on you using silver bullets, I had quite the telling off."

"Really?" I remember when he realised the bullets I used during the border threat, how he wouldn't leave my side.novelbin

"Yes. Knox is a complicated fellow, there are things we do not know. Things that no matter how much dirt I've tried to dig up on his past, he has managed to keep them well hidden." Dad's tried to dig up dirt on Knox? I thought he was here as a guest...but an alpha is always security conscious...I get that.

"Such as?"

"Well what do you think?"

"I think he has alpha blood."

"You do?" He sits up more, the possibility clearly something he hadn't considered.

"Yes, Jaxon's injuries...he was lucky to survive. Only an alpha blood could heal those kind of wounds. You haven't told Jaxon have you?"

"No, you asked me not to. Why?"

"He needs Knox. I don't want to get in the way of them, to make things complicated. He is Jaxon's mentor, I don't want Jaxon to think any less of Knox now." As soon as I say the words sadness washes over me and I feel a tear build in the corner of my right eye. "I'm sure Knox will see the errors in his way and come back for you." Dad's hand reaches out to wipe away the single tear that was travelling down my cheek.

"Come back for me?" I shift uncomfortably at his words.

"He left last night. He's gone for a few days."

"Gone, gone where?"

"He didn't say. Mum said he was clearly upset about something and that when he returns he will give his report and leave." Leave...so final.

"But..."

"No Dad, he made it very clear from the beginning he can't do long term, he can't give commitment and I was fine with that."

""What changed?"

"I changed. I found something out."

"Ah, Alora and Ezra? Yes she said you spotted them and spoke to her about it."

"I just couldn't be like that, I couldn't keep to the shadows when I wanted to be in the open. I know we had only just started but at what point would things have changed. I'm sure that's what Ezra thought...now look...years later.." "Decades.."

"What?"

"I've suspected something for sometime."

"Then why would they continue to hide it." I shake my head in disbelief. If their secret hadn't been as secretive as they thought...why did Auntie Alora put herself through all that worry. All the torment.

"There are things from the past that are best left in the past. If he is your fated mate..."

"Fated mate? Oh come on Dad, you don't really believe that's in my future do you.." I can't hide the scoff that emits from me.

"Why not?" His eyes stare into mine, I don't think I could tell him that although his love is unconditional...other males wouldn't be like that for me. He was my Father, to him I was perfect.