Chapter 2: The Truth Unravels

Daggy's hands were still shaking when she pushed the hospital doors open.

Britty heavy in her arms being almost too big to carry anymore.

Her mind was still back in that marketplace watching Dynan's face as he realized what she'd been hiding for five years.

Her father's room was on the third floor and she took the stairs because waiting for the elevator felt impossible right now.

Britty had stopped crying but her face was still buried against Daggy's neck, her small body trembling with leftover fear from the bad guys.

Or maybe from the way Daggy had grabbed her and run like their lives depended on it. She didn't even close the shop, she hopes everything gets alright.

Mitchell Johns looked up from her chair beside the hospital bed when Daggy stumbled inside, her weathered face creasing with immediate concern. "Daggy, what happened? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Daggy set Britty down carefully and the little girl immediately climbed onto the empty chair in the corner, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Her father was asleep, his breathing shallow and labored through the oxygen mask, and Daggy was grateful he couldn't see her like this because he'd always been able to read her too well.

"Men came to the shop," Daggy said, trying to keep her voice steady and failing. "They wanted protection money and when I refused they started breaking things."

Mitchell stood up quickly, her eyes scanning Daggy for injuries. "Are you hurt? Is Britty okay?"

"We're fine, someone stopped them before it got worse." Daggy sat down on the edge of her father's bed, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her up anymore. "But that's not why I'm shaking."

Her mother moved closer, that familiar look of gentle worry settling over her features. "Then what is it, baby? You're scaring me."

Daggy opened her mouth to speak but the words stuck in her throat.

Britty was watching her from the corner with those big brown eyes that looked so much like Dynan's it made Daggy's chest hurt, and she knew she couldn't keep running from this anymore.

"The person who stopped those men," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was…. Mama, It was the Alpha."

Mitchell went very still. "The alpha? But I thought you said things ended between you two before travelling, why are you still so scared of him."

"I lied." Daggy said, sobbing harder.

Her mother sat back down slowly, like her legs had given out. "What do you mean you lied?"

Daggy's eyes burned but she refused to let the tears fall.

"Five years ago when I told you I was looking for Britty's father, that I wanted him to be part of her life, that was a lie. I wasn't looking for him because I already knew exactly where he was."

"I don't understand." Mitchell's voice had gone softer. "If you knew where he was then why didn't you tell him about the baby?"

"Because I was running from him, Mama." Daggy's voice broke on the last word and she had to stop to breathe. "I found out I was pregnant and I ran because I knew what would happen if I stayed."

Mitchell reached over and took Daggy's hand, her grip warm and steady. "What would have happened?"

"He would have kept me there, kept me tied to him and the pack and that life forever." Daggy looked down at their joined hands, unable to meet her mother's eyes.

"Dynan is the alpha and I was nothing, I was just some girl he had a thing with. When I found out about Britty I knew he'd either reject us completely or try to take her from me, and I couldn't risk either of those things."

"Oh, Daggy." Her mother's voice was full of pain and understanding. "All this time you've been carrying this alone."

"Lincoln also knows Brittny is not his child," Daggy said quickly, needing her mother to understand the full scope of everything.

Mitchell pulled back slightly, her expression shifting from sympathy to confusion. "And he agreed to still marry you?"

"Our marriage was supposed to be a short argument, but we ended up loving each other." Daggy felt sick admitting it out loud.

"So he never questioned it because he had no reason to."

"And now Dynan has seen Britty." Mitchell murmured.

Daggy nodded, her throat too tight to speak. She could still see the look on Dynan's face when he'd caught Britty's scent.

Werewolves couldn't hide bloodlines from each other, not when the bond between parent and child was written into their very DNA.

"He knows she's his," Daggy whispered. "I saw it in his eyes, and the way his wolf reacted. He must have known and everything is going to fall apart."

Mitchell was quiet for a long moment, her thumb rubbing circles on the back of Daggy's hand. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Daggy looked over at Britty, who had fallen asleep in the chair with her head resting against her knees.

"Does Lincoln know you used to be involved with the alpha?"

"No, he knows I left pack territory but I never told him why or who I was running from."

"I just told him I'm pregnant looking for a man and I wanted a fresh start, which wasn't completely untrue."

Her mother stood up and moved to the window, looking out at the parking lot below.

"Daggy, listen to me carefully. If Dynan knows Britty is his daughter then he's not going to just let you leave again. Alphas don't work that way, especially not with their own blood."

"I know." Daggy's voice came out tired. "That's why I'm so scared, Mama. Because I finally built a life away from all of this and now it's going to come crashing down around me."

"Maybe it's time to stop running," Mitchell said gently, turning back to face her. "Maybe it's time to face this head on and figure out what's best for Britty."