Page 124 of The Heat of Us

“Thanks.”

I didn’t really know what I was meant to say back.

He cleared his throat. “I don’t like what you’re doing, Hazel.”

I bristled immediately. “What are you talking about?”

Dad held a hand up, the other one running across the lines of his forehead. “Wait, I…let me…this is not easy for me, Hazel,” he finally huffed. “I don’t…agree with what you are doing. But you need to know that when your mum found out—”

My veins were being overtaken by a creeping cold. “Found out what?”

His mouth was a tight line, his lips white from how hard he was pressing them together. He made a gesture with a hand up and down my body before turning away with a displeased tsk.

Ah.

They knew about my work as Sierra Echo. The only way would’ve been…

“I guess you guys did see that text I accidentally sent,” I sighed. Dumb. Such a dumb mistake to have made.

Dad grabbed my shoulders, his eyes wide with urgency. “You don’t understand, Hazel. Your mum went crazy when she found out. I’ve never seen her like this before. She’s always been very worried about your soul, Hazel.”

It took everything to not roll my eyes to the back of my skull.

“But I overheard her talking to an alpha. They were talking about their plans to have him take care of you because she couldn’t have you living in sin any longer.”

The DMs.

The threat to expose me.

The car that tried to run me over.

I couldn’t even process it.

“She almost got me killed, Dad!” I snapped.

His face dropped, all the colour draining from it. “What?”

God he didn’t even realise how far she’d gone.

“What does she have planned for me next?” I asked coldly.

“I-I don’t know.”

I massaged the spot between my brows trying to make the ringing in my head stop. “Where is this alpha from, anyway?”

“He goes to our church.”

“Doesn’t sound very Christian.”

“Hazel, do not start this with me.”

Still religious then.

“Be careful, ok?” His eyes were wide and imploring. “You’re…still my daughter. Even after everything.”

He seemed very small to me at that moment. A dad choosing his daughter was not something that should’ve ever been surprising or unexpected. But sadly for us, it was.

“Thank you for telling me instead of defending her,” I said quietly.

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