Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
“Riviana, my garin铆on, I am so happy to see you.”
“I am happy to see you too, Athair m贸r.” I smiled at him as he led me to the dining room.
“Come, come, let’s have a wonderful meal with each other. We can talk and share what’s new.” He was acting like it had been more than just two days since we were last together.
“Thank you, Athair m贸r. There is something that I wish to tell you as well, so this will be a great opportunity.”
“Yes, yes, the perfect time. Come now, let’s sit.” He pulled my chair out for me and then sat across from me excitedly.
We ate for a little bit, telling each other how we were enjoying the festivities. The food was great as always, and Athair m贸r was great company. I was happy, though I knew that I would soon be bringing the mood down.
“Athair m贸r, I need to tell you about something that happened to me the other night.”
“Is something wrong? Did someone do something?”
“No, Athair m贸r, no one did anything. It was something magical and special that happened.”
I proceeded to tell him about how I made it to the celestial plane for a meeting with Danu. I told him about my blessing and Joaquin’s as well. I told him everything that Danu said about the upcoming threat. I was setting the stage for when I started to tell him about the other meeting.
“That is very distressing indeed. But why do I feel like that is not all? What more do you have to tell me, Riviana?”
“You’re right, Athair m贸r, there is more. The two men that were behind Danu came forward after the blessings, and when they lowered their hoods I knew who they were immediately.” He looked curious, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to say anything else until after I continued. “The men who were there were Antirrhinum and Fynn.”
I watched his eyes go wide and the shock wash over him. He had known something was coming, but he hadn’t been expecting that.
“Antirrhinum? My son? You spoke to my boy?” Athair m贸r seemed to be at a loss for words. “What did my boy say?”
I smiled at him, knowing that this was going to make him happy and sad at the same time. I had known that this was something that was going to be difficult for us both.
“He told me to tell you that you were the best father that he could have asked for. He didn’t blame you for sending him to war.”
“I always knew that he was too forgiving of me.” Athair m贸r spoke silently as the tears washed down his cheeks. “I loved him so much, even if his mother and I were not meant to be; I loved that my son had come out of that union.”
“He wanted me to give you something too.” I smiled at him, rising to my feet.
“What?” He looked at me with hope filled eyes.
“This.”
I wrapped my arms around him then, holding him tight. He was startled at first, but then wrapped his arms around me in return.
“I should have known that my son would do this. He was a very loving man deep down, even if he hid it from most people. He was such a warm and affectionate child.”
“He seemed like a wonderful man to me, Athair m贸r. I think you did a wonderful job raising him.”
“I didn’t do much, that was just how he naturally was. He was just born that way.”
When I finally pulled back, I remembered the other thing that Rhinum wanted me to tell him, well to show him really.
“Oh, one more thing, Athair m贸r. He asked me to show you this.”
I pulled the pendant over my head and handed it to him. He covered his face and the tears renewed. He began to sob into his left hand as he held the necklace and pendant in his right.
“This! Riviana, do you know what this is?”
“No, I’m sorry, but I don’t.”
“This was my son’s ring. I can feel the power in it. This is the symbol of his status. I had it made for him when he was born. It was to show everyone that he was my son no matter where he went and who he saw.”
“I never knew. My mother left it for me when she died. I guess it had been passed down to her through the generations. I am going to guess this is what he gave to Ellyria when he asked her to marry him. If the journals are to be believed, she never took it off. She wore it until the day she died.”
“And it has been with you ever since.” Athair m贸r smiled at me. “I am glad that it has stayed in the family. I was heartbroken when it didn’t come back with his body. It destroyed me to think that someone had stolen it. Now, I know the truth.”
We talked a little more, some more stories about Rhinum’s past and some stories about my family. I also talked to Athair m贸r about the issue with the unknown Fae. He seemed to think it best that we investigate without telling Aunt Glory. If she were to find out, she might start to suspect too many people. In this situation, since we didn’t yet know where the threat was coming from, it was best to gather more information first. I think he was right. It wasn’t necessary to burden her with this just yet. Though, if the situations were reversed, I would want to know.
That was a hard situation. I know I would want to know, but also there was no information for me to give her so it would only make her worry constantly. How was I going to manage this?
****
Riviana
****
We were now halfway through the water festival, and it was also Christmas morning. We had left the bulk of the gifts at home, but we brought some with us. We had brought a gift for Aunt Glory, and even though I didn’t know who it was going to be for, we had a gift for Athair m贸r. I had planned to give the gift to whatever family we found if they accepted us.
