CHAPTER 3 — No Longer a Daughter

Vaelora’s POV  

I opened my eyes once again, and all was heavy. My head hurt. My body hurt. It was very hard to breathe.

I looked at the ceiling for a few seconds and couldn't remember where I was. Then I remembered what they had done, the rejection, the pain, the claws growing out of my fingers, Nysera screaming, Kaiven backing away, the terror.

I gulped in at a shaky breath.

Instinctively, I looked down at my hands. Relief flooded me. Its claws were missing. My hands were normal again, at least on the outside. The fear remained. What went wrong inside me was still there.

I slowly turned my head.

I was paralysed by the movement.

There was a man sitting by my bed.

My father.

Alpha Theron Arden.

So I looked at him for a few seconds and just stared. He seemed older than I remembered. There was the day I chose Kaiven over my family, the day he disowned me, that was the last time I saw him in person, 3 years ago.

His dark hair was now tinged with more grey. His eyes looked darker, and his eyes were surrounded by lines. But his stance was up and down and powerful as ever—the Alpha I remembered.

My throat tightened.

“Father.”

The news was heard only with a gasp.

Theron raised his head from the paper in his hands. He seemed to be looking as though he didn't know what to say.

“You’re awake.”

I nodded weakly. It was awkward right off the bat. Painful.

We had been close friends at one time. As a kid I went wherever he went. I used to sit in his office and listen to him discuss pack matters. He would say that I was his little warrior.

I felt like I was talking to someone I didn't know.

Just as we were starting to say more, the door opened. The doctor came in, same woman as yesterday who had delivered all the bad news.

I was greeted with a smile when she saw that I was awake. “Good.”

She then went over and looked at a number of monitors. How do you feel?

I shrugged my shoulders slightly. “I’ve felt better.”

The doctor nodded. “Here I suppose you have.”

My dad didn't speak a word.

The doctor briefly looked at both of us, and then back at me. I wanted to give some clarification about yesterday,

I swallowed nervously. “The rejection?”

She nodded. You and your wolf suffered a lot of emotional trauma from the rejection and that instability led to some transformation.

I lowered my gaze to my hands once more. “The claws?”

“Yes.”

The doctor folded her arms. “When you broke the bond with your wolf, it responded in an extreme manner.”

I was ill at listening to it.

Your sedatives were able to stabilize you.

“Am I cured?” Before I could catch myself, I said it.

The doctor hesitated.

The hesitation made me immediately think that I had not done the right thing.

“No.”

My stomach dropped.

The symptoms are in control at this time.

I stared at her. “Currently?”

She nodded. Another episode could occur if the person is very upset.

The room was eerily quiet.

I already had enough issues, cancer, infertility, heartbreak and now this.

The doctor looked at me with a sympathetic smile. “It is important to not add any unnecessary stress.”

I almost laughed. Avoid stress? It was stress all the time in my life.

She did some last minute arrangements before collecting her documents. “You're well enough to be released today.”

She bowed her head and respected my dad. “Alpha Arden.”

Then she left.

The room was once again quiet.

We didn't say a word to each other for a few long moments. I gazed down at the blanket. My father gazed out the window. The gap between us seemed huge.

Eventually, he broke the silence.

“How do you feel?”

It was not the words that surprised me, but that he actually asked.

I swallowed. “Tired. Everything hurts.”

Theron slowly nodded. “I expected that.”

Silence returned.

Then he bent over and a little. It's time to get ready.”

My heart started to pump. “For what?”

“We’re leaving.”

I frowned. “Leaving?”

“We’ve completed the discharge paperwork.”

I didn't get it for a second. Then it dawned on me. I sat upright.

“Leaving where?”

Theron's face didn't show any emotion. “Home.”

The word brought me to a standstill.

Home.

That word was not used in reference to me for years.

I looked at him and didn't want to grasp what he was saying. “Nightbane?”

My voice trembled.

He nodded once. “Yes.”

My eyes immediately filled with tears. I quickly looked away before he noticed.

I didn't feel like going home after everything that had happened, after losing my baby, after losing Kaiven, it felt unreal.

Perhaps it is possible to make things right.

Perhaps my family had reached a point where they were ready to forgive me.

Maybe—

I stopped myself.

I was already wrecked by Hope.

After a couple hours I was admittedly sent home.

As soon as I left the hospital, my legs go out from under me.

There was a scene that I saw that took my breath away.

Dozens of guards were outside, Nightbane-color clad dozzed warriors. Servants. Drivers. Security teams. The entire entrance was lined with luxury vehicles.

It was as if it was a throwback to before the last three years.

I had a tight, tight chest.

Because it was exactly the same.

The guards remained sunny. The servants bowed down still, respectfully. Every uniform was still adorned with the Nightbane insignia.

Nothing had changed.

Except me.

I wasn't the heiress they once guarded anymore. No longer the future Luna everyone respected.

I was just the one who ran away, like a little girl.I was just the one who ran off, like a little girl.

The girl, the thrower of it all.

I followed my dad, in silence, to the car. No one spoke. No one stared.

But I still couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

It took several hours for them to make their way home. The majority of it went unspoken. The drive was long and boring, staring out the window, watching the familiar forests grow, watching the familiar roads come back to me one by one, watching the pieces of my old life come back to me, one by one.

We arrived at the Nightbane estate, and my feelings were now drained.

The mansion was just as big, imposing and grand as I remembered.

For years I had dreamed of returning.

I was not certain that I was still welcome there.

As we approached the front doors, they opened.

My mother was standing waiting.

Selthora Arden.

Former Luna of Nightbane Pack.

Beautiful. Composed. Untouchable.

She was wearing a simple dark dress with her silver blonde hair pulled back and pinned.

I wanted to run into her arms for a short while. I wanted to cry. I wanted her to hold me, I wanted her to hold me.

Rather, she gave him a friendly nod.

“Vaelora.”

The formal welcome was more effective than it hurt.

“Mother.”

Her face had a friendly expression. “Welcome.”

Not welcome home.

Just welcome.

The contrast was tremendous.

That night's dinner was the worst meal of my life!

The dining table seemed cold, but it used to be warm.

At one end, my dad was sitting. My mother was seated across from him.

I was seated in the center.

Like a guest.

Not family.

A guest.

The servants slipped around me without making a sound. Throughout much of the meal no one spoke. Each morsel was too big to swallow.

Finally, my mom put her fork down.

“What happened?”

The question loomed in the air.

I understand what she was saying.

I saw between the two of my parents. Neither interrupted. Neither offered comfort.

They simply waited.

So I told them all.

I told them about Kaiven's affairs, his humiliation, and his insults, his loneliness. I needed to keep going, but there were several times that my voice shook.

I explained to them what happened with Nysera, the attack, the blood, and the miscarriage.

My dad's jaw clenched visibly. My mother's fingers were clutching around her wine glass.

Neither spoke.

I continued.

Then there was rejection—the broken mate bond, the change, the doctor, the lack of fertility and the cancer diagnosis.

When I was done I had tears in my face.

It was now completely quiet in the room.

Both parents were not taken aback. Neither looked shocked.

Maybe they did know.

Perhaps they had investigated before coming for me.

I wiped my eyes.

At last, I blurted out the words I had been holding since the morning.

“I’m sorry.”

Neither responded.

I kept going, I pushed myself to do it.

I was a fool. I was a very foolish fool.”

More tears fell.

“It seemed like I knew better, I thought I loved her.”

Silence.

“I made a mistake.”

Still silence.

Lastly, I put my head down.

“Please.”

The word was split in half.

Give me another chance please.”

They stood motionless for a few seconds.

Then my father slowly stood.

An instant urge to hope came over me.

Maybe—

“Vaelora.”

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

My stomach dropped.

The hope was quickly dashed.

“Three years ago I disowned you. You no longer had the status of being my daughter in the eyes of this pack.

I could not breathe, I could not look away, I could not look at him.

It is only through blood that we are united now.

The words broke the small hope that was still there.

I felt like I was going to vomit.

My mother didn't say anything.

Neither agreeing.

Neither disagreeing.

Theron folded his hands behind his back.

“You can stay for two nights here. By then I am sure you feel better.” 

I blinked.

Two nights.

Only two.

“Then you will depart.”

The room spun.

“No.”

Before I could stop it, I had said the word.

My dad didn't say anything.

“Please.”

I got up from my seat.

“There is no place I can go.”

No response.

“Please.”

Tears streamed down my face again.

“I’ll do anything.”

Nothing.

“I will work, I will prove myself.”

Still nothing.

I was becoming desperate.

“Don't turn your back on me, please. Please father…” 

My father looked at me for a few long seconds.

Then suddenly he turned about and walked out of the room.

I frowned, confused.

Several minutes passed. It was becoming very quiet.

Then he returned.

There was a thick file in one of his hands.

My heart was beating rapidly and nervously.

Without speaking, he placed it in front of me.

I gazed down and carefully began to open it.

I gasped at the sight of what was inside.

No.

Not this.

My eyes widened.

The alliance contract, the one that I took years ago and gave to Kaiven.

Below it lay another document.

One I knew straight away.

A marriage contract.

My hands began to shake as I read the front page. 

Lucerian Veyth.

The Lycan King.

The exact same guy that I was supposed to marry before I left.

The same man that I embarrassed in front of everyone.

The same man, to whom I had betrayed myself.

There was a hush in the room.

I raised my gaze to my father.

Then my mother.

Neither looked away.

Neither softened.

This wasn’t forgiveness.

This was a precondition.

A final opportunity.

Or perhaps a punishment.

Maybe both.

I held onto the papers tight.

I thought of Kaiven.

About my baby.

About my cancer.

Of what is waiting for me outside these walls, that I do not know.

I had no home. No mate. No child. No purpose.

Now only one road was left.

I slowly closed the file,

So raised my head.

There was hardly a sound in my voice.

“Fine.”

My father was silent.

I held my breath.

Then brought forth the words.

“I accept.”