Page 13 of Twilight Echoes
“When you were a baby.”
“Not the point and someone cast a locked black magic spell on his pack,” she rambled off as quickly as she could, diverting her father’s attention.
His grin quickly turned into a grimace. “He told you this?” her father asked. “What exactly did he say?”
“So you know what happened to his father? And what’s happening to every male in his pack?”
“This is Twilight Council Crossing business.” Her father rested his elbows on the large desk. “It’s under a hush order. He shouldn’t have said anything to you.”
“Daddy, he’s the pack leader and dying.” Tears stung her eyes. “It could have taken weeks for him to get an appointment with you.”
“That’s not the point. And this doesn’t concern you. He shouldn’t have brought you into it.”
“Actually, Daddy, it does concern me.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I’m emitting fairy dust whenever I’m around him.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Her dad slumped back in his chair. “I have accepted that all four of my daughters are part of this legend and part of me is damn honored. But you know how worried I have been about you girls.”
“Oh, we know. You wanted us all to move back in here, but Trask talked you out of it so that we could freely roam and our wolf counterparts could find us.”
“I agreed only because he put a tracking spell on you.”
She shivered. “I hate that. It’s worse than Find My Device, but I understand it’s for our safety. However, I do think having someone follow me as well is a little over the top. I mean, even Darrell thought it was weird that there was someone lurking in the shadows, watching.”
“You’ve had bodyguards your entire life. This is nothing new. It’s just a little more in your face.” Her father lowered his chin and arched a single brow. “So, Darrell imprinted on you. Do we know when this happened? Does he know?”
“Yeah. When I was five.”
“And have you accepted? Has the mating process begun?” He leaned back and folded his arms.
“You were so happy when it happened to Amanda. Why is it so different with me?”
“Oh, my sweet child. It’s not that at all. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. To all of you. I had hoped you’d be the last one. You’re my baby and you’re only twenty-four.” He leaned forward and pointed toward the door. “But that wolf out there has the weight of his pack on his shoulders. His father died a couple of weeks ago. And more men have passed. He’s slowly dying and we don’t know how to stop this. If that weren’t happening, I’d be tickled pink by this pairing. But you must consider the obvious.”
“And what’s that?”
“The Legend of the Fated Moons could possibly go on without Darrell if you wind up pregnant.”
“Daddy. I can’t believe you just said that. First off, I have no plans on having a family for years.” She gasped as the gravity of her father’s words settled into her heart. “Oh God. What you’re saying is the birth of those babies is more important than the lives of their parents.”
Her father nodded.
“That means that no matter what, I have to accept him and our fate, or none of my sisters and their children stand a chance.”
“Unfortunately, that is correct.” Her father pushed back his chair, running a hand through his graying hair. “Let’s go get him.”
She gasped, gripping the doorknob. “He told me to fight and not accept him. Can I really do that?”
Her father rested a hand on her shoulder and gave a little squeeze. “To a certain extent, yes. But you four girls and your wolf mates are unique. Special. What you are going to bring intothis universe will change the world. Fighting it isn’t going to help him or the future. So don’t bother.”
“But I’m torn.” She rubbed the sensitive skin under her eyes, hoping to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks. “We’re talking about a future I planned versus a future that, while I do someday want, I’m not ready for.”
“I know, sweetheart. But we can’t change fate. This one is written in the stars. It’s what you were meant for and just like Amanda, it will come naturally to you,” he said. “I’m going to call Gabe and have him schedule an emergency meeting of the elder and coven council for tomorrow. Bring Darrell back here. I’ll leave the door open.”
Darrell stood in front of the sofa, staring at the family portrait, focusing on Avery’s father. He sat on a bench, his arm around his elegant wife. His children sat in front of the happy couple, all with bright, smiling faces. While out in public, the royal family always behaved as one would imagine. They dressed to perfection with designer clothes and appeared as though they were a bit on the snobbish side. However, whenever he’d seen them in private, like at the studio, they were down-to-earth, regular people.
Even Prince Albert shied away from his title, preferring to be called Mr. Windsor or just plain Albert.
Darrell rubbed his thigh. The last time he had seen his father alive, he’d looked so old and frail. Whatever illness he’d contracted had aged him at an accelerated pace. But Darrell had still been shocked when he’d gotten the call that his beloved father had died of heart failure.
