Chapter Four Author: Alicia S. Rivers Last Updated: 2024-09-21 01:30:25

I slipped into the back of the car after putting my bags in, buckled in. I had barely taken a breath before I launched myself over the seats and into the driver’s arms.

His laugh made my eyes prickle. “Hey love bug.”

“Uncle Ronnie, I’ve missed you.” I climbed over the seats and sat up front. “What are you doing here?” Ronnie was my dad’s beta, not related, but he had been there for most of my life.

“You think I was going to let my cheeky niece come to pack lands alone? Not on your life.”

“Dad sent you?” I laughed.

“Dad sent me. He is a worry wart, your dad.” He smiled over and laughed with me. “As soon as your mom called, he sent me with the jet.”

“He didn’t have to.” I just shook my head and buckled my seatbelt.

“Of course, he did. He never gets to see you enough, and now you’re sending in the summer. What’s going on?” My uncle looked at me, and I just shook my head.

“I don’t want to be here.”

“Why?”

I looked down at my twisted hands. “I’m afraid that my mate is here, and I don’t want to be right. I figured if I ran away, I could push off the inevitability.”

“Why wouldn’t you want your mate?” My uncle asked as he sped down the highway toward the airport.

“I’ll tell both you and Dad, just not now.” My uncle looked over at me, searching my face, and then nodding.

“Fine, but I want the full story.”

“You will get it, I swear.” I nodded back to the road. “Now focus on driving so you don’t kill us.” I grabbed the wheel, swerving back into our own lane.

“Fuck!” Uncle Ronnie grabbed the wheel from me and focused back on the road. “I just worry about you, pup.” I couldn’t stop the laugh because wolves stopped aging at twenty-five, and he looked barely older than me.

“I know you do.” I settled back into my seat and sighed. “I promise, what happened isn’t going to make that feeling any better.” I wiped at my face. “I don’t even know why my mom is sending me to my dad. She just said that he could help me.”

“Well, let’s hurry and get back so we can figure out what you need, Sugar.” My uncle hit the gas, and we ended up at the airport in no time.

We loaded my bags and headed up to the jet, settling in there. “Close your eyes. You look like you barely slept today, and we have a few hours.” My uncle patted my head before he sat across from me and opened his laptop.

“Work?”

“Work.” He nodded.

“This summer, can you teach me some stuff?” A plan was forming in my mind, a plan not only to keep myself free from my pathetic mate but one that would make me a lot of money.

“Of course, Sugar.” My uncle smiled up at me. “You know, your dad would teach you just about everything he could if you were open to it.”

“I asked to move to your pack.” I snuggled into the blanket the flight attendant handed me, and Ronnie froze.

“What is going on?” His eyes flashed.

“I’ll explain later. Just promise you will try to believe me and not judge me.”

“Of course, Sugar.” He smiled and then turned back to the laptop on his lap. “Now get some sleep.”

“Will do.” I turned away and fell asleep almost instantly.

I woke up to Ronnie shaking me. “We are here.”

I gave an enormous yawn and cracked my jaw before wiping my eyes. “Okay.” I handed off the blanket and wiped my face again. “Thank you.”

“No problem, Princess.” The flight attendant smiled down at me, and I realized belatedly that she was from the pack too.

“You don’t have to call me Princess.”

“You are the Alpha’s daughter.” She bowed and then left us to our own devices.

“Come on, your dad has already linked me three times since landing.” Ronnie laughed and whisked me off to the waiting car. Within thirty minutes, we were at our pack lands. “Your dad would allow you to move here if you wanted to, Sugar.”

“I know. But Alpha Dan won’t allow me to leave…” I looked over and blew out a breath. “I think he assumes something I am running from and won’t let me leave until he knows for sure.”

“You going to tell me yet, Sugar?”

I hesitated as we pulled up in front of the pack house. Before I could answer, the door was ripped open, and I was surrounded by powerful arms and a smell that made my quaking insides settle.

“Dad.”

“Hey, my pup.” His deep voice calmed me further, and I could feel my eyes prickle.

“I’ve missed you.” I sniffled as he unbuckled my seat belt, and I was fully in his arms.

“As I have missed you.” He kissed my temple. “Now we have much to discuss.” He was running with me before I could utter another word, with Ronnie following behind.

“Slow down, jackass. Some of us can’t move that fast.” Ronnie struggled to keep up, and my laughter filled the halls of the pack house. We settled in my father’s office with an out-of-breath Ronnie, who was scowling. God, I missed these two.

“Tell me what’s wrong, pup.” I looked around, and still, I stumbled over my words. My father grabbed my face and shook his head. “Nothing you tell me will change anything, pup. I believe you, no matter how crazy it seems.”

“Agreed, Sugar.”

My insides settled when I saw how resolute he was. He would believe my craziness. I could tell no matter how crazy my story was, my father and Ronnie would believe everything I said.

I never had to second-guess if I was going crazy here.

So, finally, I settled fully and told my story.