Filed To Story: Claimed by the Alpha I Hate Book Read Free
I traveled down the porch steps with Breyona, heading over to the grill my Dad was cooking on. His eyes crinkled as he saw me, pulling me into a hug before I could say anything more.
“Your Mom would be so proud of you, Daisy.” Dad grumbled, wiping away the tears that formed in my eyes. “You might have not come from me, but I watched you grow and learn. I was there when you first shifted and nearly took Sean’s head off. You’ll always be my daughter.”
“And you’ll always be my Dad.” I chuckled a little breathlessly.
I breathed in his familiar scent as it mixed with the smell of grilled food. No matter who my Father was, I already had a Dad. The man who raised me could be replaced by no other. I grabbed a piece of grilled chicken from the large plate my Dad had, giving him a cheeky grin as I plucked the piece in my mouth.
“Hey, Daisy!” Sean shouted, maneuvering through the crowd to greet me. “Happy birthday! There’s someone here who wants to talk to you!”
I turned from my Dad with a wave and followed Sean. For a moment, my heart was hammering in my chest. I assumed it were Nolan who wanted to speak with me, but my excitement quickly turned sour as I caught Mason’s gaze. He was seated at one of the stone benches, watching the water trickle from one of the many fountains. This particular fountain was wide-rimmed with a voluptuous woman standing in the center. Water poured from her open hands, her face a mask of serenity and peace.
Mason had seen better days, but seemed to be putting on a brave face. His eyes were bright but ringed with darkness. His usual lopsided smile was missing, replaced with one of uncertainty. Sean clapped a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile that held a certain familiarity.
‘It seems Sean took our advice.’ Maya murmured, ‘Hopefully they help eachother cope with everything.’
Sean left the two of us alone, and I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. The upbeat music seemed out of place with Mason’s solemn face. I half expected him to yell at me, to tell me how it was my fault
Adrienne had died. Instead of yelling, an exhausted sigh left his lips. He mustered up a half-hearted smile and waved me forward. I sat beside him gingerly, keeping my eyes on the fountain before us.
“Happy Birthday, Daisy.” Mason smiled, his voice held a hint of the friendliness he felt before. A shard of guilt pierced my skin as I looked into his eyes and saw the lonliness within them.
“Thanks, Mason.” I breathed with uncertainty.
“I forgive you, y’know.” Mason frowned, running a hand through his tangled hair. The haunted look on his face nearly brought me to tears. “I know it wasn’t your fault. It never would have worked between us, I know that now.”
“I can’t explain how sorry I am, Mason.” I frowned, fighting to keep my voice strong. “I’m sorry for everything.”
“I know you are.” Mason sighed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his touch with a small smile. I hoped everything would be okay, and that Mason might find some semblance of happiness in his life.
We sat in silence, watching the water fall from the porcelain woman’s hands. Her eyes were closed, an intimate smile on her face. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the stone woman and
Adrienne. Both were curvy with angular faces and full lips. The only difference was the statue had a look of peace on it’s face, while Adrienne had a look of disdain.
“I fell for you, Daisy. I fell hard.” Mason’s voice held such confusion and sadness that my heart lurched in response.
An amused chuckle left Mason’s lips at the look of shock on my face. A sliver of his lopsided smile had returned as his fingers brushed against my reddening cheek. I had never thought of Mason in that way, and felt guilty for that fact. Nolan had always been on my mind, followed by brief thoughts of Tristan.
“I never-“
“Just let me finish.” Mason smiled softly, halting my words. “I know you don’t feel the same, and I’m not asking you to choose me. My Mom was abused by her Dad. Even when he was old and frail, she was still so afraid. I think I fell for you because of how fearless you are. You’ve never been afraid of the things thrown at you, you face them head on. I hope you find your mate, Daisy. You deserve a happy ending.”
After fighting the urge to convulse into tears, Mason shooed me away. He wiped the tears from my eyes and told me to enjoy my birthday. My heart felt heavy and light at the same time, both free and horrifically weighed down. I cleared my mind, determined to enjoy this sliver of heaven while it existed. I danced with Breyona until my limbs ached, and ate until my stomach groaned.
A head of black and silver hair pulled me from the dance floor and I stepped into my Grandma’s arms.
Even with a million different scents in the air, I could point out Grandma’s lavender scent effortlessly.
Her dress matched the delicate pink of the rose bushes, making her look much younger. The dress flowed over her curves in a sea of pink silk. Even though I wasn’t related to her by blood, my soul recognized her own. The love in her eyes was mirrored in my own, as was the beaming smile. The worry that plagued her eyes was gone for the moment, replaced with fondness and excitement.
“Happy Birthday, my beautiful granddaughter.” Grandma grinned, pulling me into her arms. “I wanted to give you some time with your friends before pestering you.”
“You could never pester me, Grandma.” I laughed, leaning into her embrace.
“Your Dad would say otherwise.” Grandma scoffed, “Alpha Nolan and your Dad seemed to be under the impression I work too hard. They refused to let me lift a finger while they set all of this up.”
“Nolan wouldn’t let you help?” I snickered, giving Grandma an innocent smile.
“Wouldn’t even let me bake the cake.” Grandma scoffed, “Men. Can you believe it?”
“You mean I have to endure this entire night without any of your pastries?” I gasped in h****r. The h****r wasn’t entirely forced, as Grandma’s pastries were addicting.
“Of course not.” Grandma snickered, looking like a devious teenager. “Since when did I let a man tell me what to do? You’ll find a few containers in my car.”
“Did you make your lavender brownies?” I questioned, my eyes flickering over to my Dad.
Dad seemed oblivious to our conversation and was enjoying his job at grilling all of the food. It had been too long since Dad had gotten out of the house.
“Of course, and enough coconut macaroons to last you the weekend.” Grandma chuckled. “Now, tell me what’s been bothering you.”
“Bothering me?” I asked with a frown.
“You can’t hide the troubled look in your eyes from me.” Grandma shook her head, “Even your Dad hasn’t mastered that art. Better to get it off your chest so you can continue enjoying your birthday.”
“I visited Tristan last night, the Vampire that marked me.” I sighed, letting Grandma lead me away from prying ears and over to one of the fountains. “He brought me this time. He was trying to warn me,
Grandma.”
Little lights sat at the bottom of the fountain, making it look as though the water were glowing. This fountain had three tiers, spewing water from each level.
“Warn you?” Grandma frowned, the troubled expression on her face matched my own. “Do you believe this Vampire cares for you?”
“I think he does, in his own strange way. The feeling isn’t mutual.” I sighed, “Something he said worried me. He said the Vampire King has a backup plan in case I reject the throne. He said I’d sorely regret it.
How could my Father have a backup plan?”
“The only backup plan I could think of is having another daughter. Vampires can only reproduce with their marked mates, and I’m positive your Mom never had another child.” Grandma grimaced, shaking off a bad memory. “This Tristan could have been lying to you, perhaps to force you into taking the throne. Do you believe he was being sincere?”
“All I know is, this is the first time he hadn’t tried to make a move on me.” I shook my head, trying to sort through the hurricane of emotion I was feeling. “He looked genuinely concerned. He even told me he wasn’t on my Fathers side, that he doesn’t want to get rid of all the werewolves.”
“I think it would be best if you proceed with caution. Do not take Tristan’s word as truth, but I wouldn’t dismiss him quite yet.” Grandma nodded, looking oddly serene. “If what he says is true, he could prove to be a valuable ally.”
“His loyalty comes with a price. He wants me.” I grimaced.
“It seems Tristan is playing a dangerous game. Regardless, if he truly cares for you, your happiness is paramount.” Grandma shrugged, but gave me a reassuring smile. “I’m much too old for these kinds of things, but I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“You’ll never be old to me, Grandma.” I grinned, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Grandma led me back to the party, demanding I set aside my worries for tomorrow. While the issue of
Tristan and his questionable loyalty had been set aside, I had another concern pressing at the edges of my mind.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?