Page 110 of Fated to the Rogue

“Vincent invited us for dinner at his house tonight. He wanted us to spend some time together before…you know.” She shrugged.

I brought her hand up to my lips, planting a kiss on her soft skin. “Sounds awesome, my Luna.”

“Zephyr!” An unexpected voice coming from behind me made me stop dead in my tracks. I calmly turned around to find my father staring at me, his expression softer than I remembered. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, son.”

“You’re not, Mr. Wyndham,” my mate replied, since I was still too stunned by his sudden approach.

“Did you need something, Father?”

He looked away, as he did every time he searched for the right words. “I know you’re busy, especially with everything going on, but… I was thinking… Do you have a minute, son?”

“I, uh…” I was thoughtful for a moment. I still had a few things to take care of. Clearly sensing my concerns, Tina tugged lightly on my hand. When I looked at her, she flashed me a reassuring glance. I immediately knew she was telling me she could cover for me. “Yeah, sure,” I replied at last, forcing a smile.

“Good. I won’t keep him for long, Luna Valentina,” my old man told my mate.

“Don’t worry about it. You two take as much time as you need.” She nodded politely. “I’ll see if Luna Delilah could use some company.”

“She would definitely love it.” My father smiled warmly at her before turning his attention to me. Then, he gestured withhis head towards the path ahead of us. I didn’t hesitate to follow him.

We walked in silence until we reached the hill standing between the main square and the dandelion fields. My father had never been good with words, but I could tell he was struggling now more than ever. As he faced the lands lying before him, I decided to help him a little.

“Admiring the pack you helped build?” I finally broke the silence.

He turned away from the view for a moment to smile at me. “It’s a lovely home, isn’t it?”

“I promise I’ll take good care of your legacy” I reassured him, misreading his concerns.

His expression became serious. “You already are, son. In fact, you’re starting to build your own.” He took a step towards me, turning to stand right in front of me. “Zephyr, I know I was strict with you growing up; maybe too strict sometimes. The title comes with great responsibility, and I wanted to make sure you’d be strong enough to carry it. I was afraid that, if I was too lenient, you’d start slacking off.”

“I know, Dad. You raised me well.” I fought the urge to cock my head to the sides, yet I couldn’t prevent my brows from furrowing as I tried to understand where he was going with this. Sure, he was firm with me for as long as I could remember, but he never punished me severely. He never made me fear him. Instead, he showed me that a great Alpha rules with the respect of their people.

“No. I was wrong,” he admitted. As a sigh broke through his lips, they curled up in a proud small smile. “Yes, my lessons helped shape you into the man you’ve become, but I have to give you most of the credit for it. What you have cannot be learned. It’s in you, Zephyr.”

“What?”

“Your strength,” he revealed, yet again catching me off guard. “You’ve been through a lot more than most young Alphas. When I think about what you overcame… Hell, I don’t think I would have made it!”

“I wasn’t alone. Dawn, Tina, my friends…” I made a brief pause, looking into his eyes. “And you. You all kept pushing me forward when I wanted to give up.”

“Yet you never did.” He shook his head. “A great leader is not someone who believes they can do everything on their own. They’re the ones who see the true potential of their followers, and know they need them in order to do great things.” His words struck me so deeply, they filled me with faith. “You believed in your people even when they didn’t believe in you. That’s what makes you a great leader. I have no doubt you’ll go far in life.”

“It’s not over yet though,” I recalled, turning to face the sky with opposing emotions. Part of me felt uneasy, while another was ready for whatever should come. “The last challenge will be the toughest of them all.”

“Perhaps. And you’re right to be concerned,” my father agreed. “But if I’m being honest, I’m not scared. Even if I was conflicted for a second, I now know who you are. You’re tenacious, wise, and strong.” He rested both his hands on my shoulders, and as he uttered his next sentence, time seemed to stop. “I’m proud of the Alpha you have become. I’m proud ofyou, son.”

I had never seen my father cry, but right now, his eyes were tearing up. He came closer to embrace me, and this time, I didn’t hesitate to hug him back. The stress had been weighing on my shoulders for a while now. After another stressful day, this kind of reassurance was all I needed. We enjoyed our moment for a few minutes before I slowly pulled away, noticing as Dad tried to hide the single tear that fell down his face.

“You’ll fly high, Zephyr. I have no doubt about that,” he stated sincerely.

“If I do…” I glanced at him with the same certainty and love. “It’s because you’re the wind beneath my wings.”

???

“Thank you so much for coming, Alpha Zephyr.” Vincent bowed before me, so low his face almost touched his stomach. “I bought better quality ingredients for tonight, though I believe they still don’t taste nearly as good as what you’re usually served.”

“I’m sure it’s amazing, Vincent. I should be the one thanking you for your invitation.” I smiled awkwardly, a little overwhelmed by how much respect he was showing me. “Please, don’t worry about formalities. It, uh… It feels a little weird for my mate’s adoptive father to treat me this way.”

“With all due respect, Alpha Zephyr, it wouldn’t feel right for me to treat you any differently,” he insisted, finally standing back up straight. He still refused to look me in the eye though. “As you can see, the table is not too large-”

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