20. Ylfa
I hide amongst theslumbering bodies of seals as they snore and squirm like overgrown slugs. They may be fat and lazy, but they’re the only friends I have at that moment. They can be my new pack. One bounces toward me and sniffs my hair; I bet it thinks I’m a fish or something.
Its breath certainly smells of fish.
When it gets a sniff of me, it huffs and wriggles away, and I chuckle. So graceful. They really aren’t designed for land.
I spy their flippers, and I bet they can dive for miles beneath the water’s surface. I wonder how long they can hold their breath.
Three figures emerge on the beach, and I roll my eyes. Looks like my time with the seals is over.
“Ylfa!”
Patrick runs to my side, stepping around the slumbering seals. One or two glance his way, but then they shut their eyes again, falling back to sleep.
They truly are the epitome of lazy...
Paddy crouches down beside me, checking to see if I’m all right, and it warms my heart how much he cares about me.
He would never abandon me, not like a certain someone... Butch is with my mates, and he’s the last person I want to see right now.
Hunter steps up onto the rocks, gazing around casually at the seals. “New pack?”
I shrug. “They don’t move much, but they’re good company...”
He chuckles, leaning back on a rock. “So, care to tell us why you ran?”
My eyes find Butch again, and a scowl forms on my face. “Why don’t you ask him?”
Hunter and Patrick look over at Butch puzzled, and I see no accusation in their eyes. They are truly confused. It’s good to see that they can be reasonable, but I want one of them to jump to conclusions and assume that the man hurt me. He did. Twenty-one years ago!
I guess I’m just bitter.
Butch exhales sharply. “You never even gave me a chance to explain, kiddo.”
I rise, staring down at him. “What is there to explain? You abandoned me and my mom. Were you ever going to tell me you were my father? Or were you just going to continue laughing behind my back?”
Patrick jumps to his feet, his eyes pinned on Butch. “Woah, what? Father? You.... you can’t be serious?”
Butch produces a loud growl, startling the seals. “We don’t know for certain, but I won’t lie to you. I did have a thing with your mother, Ylfa. But I wasn’t the only one either...”
Th blood rushes through my head, and Patrick has to catch a hold of me before I fall and hit my skull on a rock.
Butch continues. “Still... even if I’m not your father... I shouldn’t have left you and Catherine alone. Not with that beast in charge...”
Beast in charge? Who is he talking...? It dawns on me now, and then a loud gasp spills from my lips. “The... alpha? W-why? What did he do to my mom?”
A dangerous light flashes through Butch’s eyes, and now he grits his teeth. “He hurt her... badly. That’s all you need to know. I may not be every kid’s first choice of a dad, but I hope for your sake, it doesn’t turn out to be him...”
My vision swirls as it’s all finally making sense. I have to sit back down. Patrick's hand never leaves me as he guides me onto a rock.
I gasp for breath. “Alpha Graeme... he hurt my mother?”
“Yes,” Butch replies. “He was the reason I was banished. I tried killing him after what he did to her. By the time I found out what happened, it was already too late. And then she found out she was pregnant with you. I... should have protected her...”
The rocks won’t stop spinning as I reach up, running a hand over my eyes. Alpha Graeme could be my father.
A man who raped my mother.
This... this can’t be. Finally, the world turns to darkness, and now I black out at last.
This is too much to deal with.