Page 15 of The Hunt of Night

Did she leave? Fuck.

“She’s right,” I breathe, willing to admit the truth. I’m definitely overprotective of her, forgetting that she does know how to handle herself.

“She always is,” my father muses, making me roll my eyes.

I hate that she’s that mad at me, but my mind drifts to the fact that it’s just my father on the other end of the line right now. “While it’s just you, there’s something I want to ask.”

“You can ask me anything, Addi,” he offers softly, thankfully not on the same mission as Nora to tell me where he is.

Taking a deep breath, I swipe my tongue over my bottom lip as the words lodge in my throat. He waits patiently for me, like always, until I can gather enough strength to say it.

“Am I a half-breed?”

Silence greets me for what feels like an eternity until he speaks. “You are Princess Adrianna Reagan.”

My lips purse. “I know that, but?—”

“But nothing,” he insists, giving me the same treatment I just gave Nora, and that makes me even more mad at myself.

“Dad.”

“Addi.”

“Don’t hide this from me. Please.”

My cell phone makes a noise, and I glance at the screen to see the request for a video call. A moment later, my father’s face fills the screen, pained eyes and all.

I know it. I know it in every inch of his expression.

“I’m a wolf,” I breathe, stirring something in my chest as he offers me a wobbly smile in return.

“I didn’t know,” he murmurs, glancing away from the screen.

“What?”

“Thatwas the pinnacle of my downfall,” he admits, shaking his head as he continues to avoid my stare.

“What was?”

“I was blinded by love.” His eyes latch onto mine for a beat before he hangs his head.

“You’re going to have to explain it a little straighter, Dad,” I mutter, and he thankfully settles his eyes on me again.

“For a long time, it was declared that the royal bloodline would sign into an arranged marriage, forging fated mates to lead the kingdom with an almighty strength. It worked too, until me, because I fell in love with your mother.” He looks away from the camera, but there’s a wistful glint in his eyes. “She was shy, with a huge heart and pointed ears,” he explains, making my chest tighten. “We were married quickly, the fated mates link connecting us together. It didn’t take long for you to make your appearance,” he muses, turning back to me.

“You’re welcome. Imagine if you’d had all of Nora’s sass first? I would never have existed,” I tease, attempting to lighten the pain and darkness overwhelming him. The corner of his mouth tips up just enough to acknowledge my words, but it doesn’t have the desired effect.

“It’s only now, when I look back, that I can see that she became distant. Disappearing for long periods of time…I didn’t know until that fateful night.”

My hand lifts to touch my ears instinctively. “How?”

“Kenner came knocking,” he breathes, and I lose his eye contact again.

“What for?” That’s what I’ve never understood all this time, but now, it’s slowly piecing together.

“He came for the power he felt he deserved after his plan had come to fruition.”

“His plan?”

---