Page 10 of Lost Girl

“How was Niko’s celebration?” he asks.

“Nothing grand.” I hitch a shoulder, shoveling another forkful of eggs and sausage into my mouth. “We went down to the beach, had a few laughs.”Please don’t ask me about Tigerlily.

He doesn’t, thankfully, but follows up with, “Did Kimi tag along?”

I nearly cringe at the mention of her name. “No.”

“Tavi…” he warns, in that stern tone no less.

“She didn’t want to go, Pa,” I explain, rising from my seat with plate in hand. “What did you want me to do? Force the girl along?”

“No, but did you even invite her?”

“Not personally, no. Niko did, though, and she flat out told him no. So we left.”

A frustrated huff leaves him as I scrape the leftover bits into the waste bin. “I need you to be more sociable with her, son. Friendlier. Make an effort, please. She’s going to need someone by her side when the time comes.”

Takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. “Are you certain she’s even headed on that path?”

“Yes, Aiyana’s confirmed it; her senses, scent especially, are sharpening, has random dizzy spells and sudden outbursts that seem to be intensifying. Nails and hair growing at a rapid pace.”

“You sure she’s not pregnant?” I quip.

“Tavi!” His palms slam onto the counter as he shoots onto his feet, stool braying against the wood floors.

“I’m just saying. Yeah, sure, it sounds similar to what I went through, but they match symptoms of pregnancy, too.”

“She’s not pregnant,” he grits.

“Okay, fine, she’s not pregnant. My bad.” I lift my hands in surrender, spinning on my heel to face him. “So what is it that you want me to do then?”

“Help her, prepare her. Their family hasn’t seen a shifter in many moons. Aiyana doesn’t even know where to begin.”

Sounds all too familiar. Same thing happened when I started showing signs. That’s the “problem” with the shifter gene. It doesn’t carry through to every generation. In fact, just because a relative possesses it doesn’t mean you’ll obtain it as well. The gene only carries to those it deems worthy.

I’m the first in my bloodline—and the island—for almost a century, and if Kimi does actually possess the gene, she’ll be the first woman in Rosewood’s history.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” I muse, shaking my head.

“What does that mean?”

“A female in my pack, Pa, that’s what.”

Our eyes meet as he takes my remark into consideration. “They exist, you know. Kimi isn’t the only one.”

“I know, but we’ve never had one here.”

“Exactly why I need your help. Whysheneeds your help. Her birthday is fast approaching.”

It’s not that I don’t want to help her. Kimi’s just...difficult. My dad’s the Chief, though, and while I may be the pack’s Alpha, I try to honor his requests to the best of my ability.

“Do you love her?” I question.

My father’s head ticks back a fraction. “Who?”

“Who else, dad? Aiyana…”

Another point he considers momentarily, dark brows furrowing the harder he ponders it. “I’m not quite there yet, but I do care for her deeply.”

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