Page 231 of The Married Alpha And His Arrow: Vol 1

My anger fired on all cylinders. I asked, “How do we get her back?” Heath whispered, “The meeting…” I asked, “Do we believe they will bring her? If your dad has been hiding this whole time, what’s to stop him from keeping her?” Everyone blinked. I was going to bring my Luna home, no matter the cost. Lexi Scott was mine, and they’d regret keeping her from me and her brother.

Understanding Sophia

Sophia's POV

Alfred led Sophia away from Chase and Alpha Lucas’ reception. Everything seemed so clear. Now I understood why Chase became so dead set a few months ago on getting our annulment suddenly. It was because he’d met his mate.

I closed my eyes knowing I needed to hurry. I couldn’t stall much longer; it wouldn’t be fair. My wolf was quiet. I asked, “Sadie?” Sadie said, “I know what the mate bond feels like. I feel bad for what we’ve been doing to him this whole time.” I pointed out, “He didn’t tell us.” He was right though, I should’ve realized. If I was honest, I suspected but didn’t push it because that didn’t work for me.

Sadie asked me, “How do we honor dad now?” I sighed, “By being who he raised us to be before he got sick. I think I remember who she was, and I wasn’t the woman I am.” I was remembering her more and more the longer I got notes from Princess Luna Haley Conners.

Sadie reminded me, “He said do what it takes.” I rationalized, “We will still find out what happened to him. Tyson said he would help us. We’ve taken advantage of our allies’ time and time again. They let me get away with it, but with this they won’t. Not mates. We’ve been careful to keep them on our side, but I’ve used the fact that I’m a woman to my advantage. They go above and beyond to prove they aren’t sexist, but they don’t treat me like they do the other Alpha’s.”

Sadie huffed, “We have taken advantage of that.” I agreed, “Which was smart. For us and our pack. We did what dad asked, but it was selfish. Now, with this they won’t let it go. Rather, Princess Luna Haley won’t. Lexi is her friend. I can’t be selfish anymore. Chase was right. He did help me, and it’s time to let him be free. He’s not mine and I never wanted him to be. He’s Lexi’s. He deserves to be happy. We went to him when Beta Alfred Senior told us to. No one else was in town to advise us against it. We still have time. I don’t have a family to spend Christmas with. We will work until the meeting with everyone in the new year. We can do it.”

Sadie was quiet. She’d been quiet since the fallout with Wallace. She’d really liked his wolf. She was devastated when she found out he was going to do betray us. Forcibly mark us. I sighed thinking back to my last conversation with my dad before he died.

***Flashback***

I held my dad’s hand refusing to fall asleep. The doctor's words were echoing in my head. My dad’s eyes fluttered open. I sat straight up. I’d been taking care of him for months now. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept through the night.

I asked, “Dad? Do you need water?” I stood to get him some. Thank god I was a werewolf, or my back would’ve been messed up pretty badly at this point. I’d been sleeping on a blowup mattress in my dad's room since his chemo started. The doctor had told us this afternoon that the chemo hadn’t worked, the cancer had spread.

I couldn’t even cry because my dad said that would show the pack my weakness. I missed my dad. The one who told me crying wasn’t a sign of weakness but the strength of character to show your sensitive side. I still wanted to flinch when he snapped at me when a tear fell from my cheek.

This was the same man who when teaching me to ride a bike told me to hold onto him as I cried when I fell and scraped my knee. Now I’m told that my father is dying, and he almost slapped me for crying about it. I knew it wasn’t his fault. The cancer was in his brain, he wasn’t the same man anymore.

My dad’s hand stopped me from getting his water. He looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Avenge me, Sophia.” I frowned, “Avenge you? Dad, what do you mean?” My dad explained, “I didn’t mess up the doses of silver. Someone tampered with them. Werewolves don’t get sick like this. WAKE UP! If you want to be an Alpha, you need to be smarter.”

That stung but I shoved it down. I wanted to retort he’d told me it was his fault that he’d miscalculated doses when handing them out in training. Why would I question that? My dad wasn’t done dealing verbal blows. He said, “Your mother was murdered and now I have been as well.” I stammered, “Wait, what? Mom was murdered?” He waved his hand, “Shut up and listen. I have an office downtown, here’s the key. The address is taped to the back.” He took it off a chain from around his neck.

He ordered, “Never let anyone have this. Do not trust anyone. Ever. Trust will be your downfall.” A tear fell down my cheek. Faster than I could comprehend my dad slapped me. I stared up at him in shock. I saw regret flash across his face for a brief moment.

He shook it off and said, “Never show ANYONE your weakness. They will be against you because you are a woman. Use that. Pretend to be a meek little girl while being the Alpha I taught you to be. You have to be smarter and more cunning than they are. I wasn’t. You have to live. This pack is my legacy. I put my heart and soul into them. I died for them and so did you mother. Don’t you dare let this pack fall or go to some other Alpha because you are a woman.”

I assured him, “I’m strong enough, I’ll keep the pack.” My dad said, “They’ll force you to marry.” I flinched, “I want my mate.” He punched me in the face this time. My head snapped back. He growled, “Marry someone and keep my pack together. That’s the only way my soul will find peace. I left instructions for Alfred Senior on the timing of it all. It will work, and I know who you’ll choose.”

My wolf Sadie linked, “His wolf is telling me how sorry he is. He said the cancer is messing with his brain. You know they’d never hurt us.” I said, “I know. Silver makes us crazy, but I don’t understand how he’s getting worse. Could someone in the pack be doing it? Did he even receive chemo?” Sadie whispered, “I don’t know.”

I looked at my dad. This was the same man who would lay his own life down for me. The same man who put on a Princess dress and joined my tea parties as a pup because none of the girls from school came. Now he stared at my blood on his hand and my face in horror.

Before he could apologize I said, “I won’t let you down, daddy. I promise.” He nodded, “Good. I have maybe twenty minutes left.” I gasped, “No! The doctor said today we had months.” My dad said, “Sophia, I hit you. I’m…. whoever did this to me is turning me into something I despise. Something your mother would’ve despised. I see the blood running down from your nose, and I know I did that. I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” My dad broke off in tears.

I held him, “It’s ok, daddy. I know you didn’t mean it.” My dad said, “No, listen to me carefully. No man should EVER raise his hand to you. It’s not ok. Never stand for that. Approach Chase for help baby. He will marry you, and he won’t expect you to be with him.”

I flinched, “Chase is my friend.” My dad rubbed my face, “Exactly. He’s your friend. He hasn’t found his mate yet, and he knows you deserve to lead this pack. He’s a good pup. He’ll do right by you. You both can still live your lives and rule your own packs. The elders in our pack will think they’ve pushed you into it. That you and Chase will eventually join the packs together. Don’t do that though. This is your pack, your birthright.” He started coughing.

When he stopped he said, “Show them you are the Alpha they deserve. You are better than me. I have prayed to the Moon Goddess that you will survive. I have to believe that. You have so much of your mother in you. I was not always a good man. I’ve done things I regret, but your mother…. She turned my life around.”

He took a deep breath, “This stuff is working fast.” My eyes widened, “Stuff? Daddy, what did you do?” He whispered, “Sweet Sophia, I’m not going to turn into more of a monster than I have tonight. I’m going out on my terms. I’m not losing my faculties and my dignity. I won’t give whoever did this to me the satisfaction.”

I couldn’t stop my tears, “Daddy, you can’t leave me. I need you.” My dad said, “I wanted to be by your side quieting the naysayers. Truly baby, I did. I just can’t be there. Be great, Sophia. Play the meek little girl in public. Once you avenge us then be the real you all the time. The Alpha’s will give you more leniency than others. You’re female and the good ones will want to prove they aren’t sexist. They will see you can do this, and they will know you’re grieving. Don’t take a mentor, focus in house first. You have Beta Alfred Sr. anyway. Got it?” I nodded, “I got it.”

His breathing labored and he laid back against the pillows, “I love you, Sophia. Please don’t remember the man I was after I got sick. I hope you remember the tea parties we had when you were a pup. How I told everyone you were my pride and joy. All the rides I gave you on my shoulders, and even starting your fighting training. You were my whole life. Avenge me.” His eyes closed and his chest stopped rising.

I screamed, “NO! DADDY DON’T LEAVE ME! DADDY PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP ME!” I started to do chest compressions. The doctor and Beta Alfred Sr. ran into the room. Alfred Sr. gasped, “My god. Allister!” I begged, “Daddy, come back!” Alfred Sr. said, “Sophia, let the doctor take a look at him.”

He must have linked Alfred Jr. and Wallace because they burst through the door. I clung to Wallace like he was a lifeline when he put his arms around me. Tears flowed down my face. Wallace whispered, “Are you bleeding? What happened?” I wiped my face, “It was an accident, it was nothing.” He studied my face. His eyes tightened but he said nothing.

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