Do as I Say

         Rose Angles found her way blocked from leaving the house by her father’s burly Beta, Jack Davidson. “Go see your father.”

         “What? Why?”

         “Go see him before you leave. Better yet, go now and get it over with before you interrupt something important.” Rose hated Jules’ father as much as Jules did.

         Jack disliked the fact his pup turned out to be a female and preferred to ignore Julia as much as possible.

         Rose, however, wished her father would ignore her and let her get on with her life. But he was sure that Rose’s behaviour reflected directly back to him, and it was never in a respectful way. She knew the only reason her father wanted to see her was to push his weight around and remind her she was an ungrateful, worthless pup. She wasn’t a pup anymore. She was a full-grown adult. He just failed to see it.

         “Fine, but it’s a waste of my time to do this. I have better things to do.” She did, but she’d not tell him any more than that. Jack couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

         Her father gave her an allowance because he wouldn’t let her get a job. So, she’d gotten a bank account only in her name. She claimed it was to manage the safekeeping of this allowance. What her father didn’t know was she’d opened a second account. One to save money in. A safety blanket, in case she wasn’t safe in her home anymore.

         Julia did the same. Today was a shopping day. The two of them would go to town and do their shopping. Meet their friends there and spend some time with them. Outside of her father’s overly watchful eye, and Jack’s rude, overbearing behaviour.

         Rose turned abruptly, giving Jack her back. He growled to show his annoyance, but Rose didn’t care. Though she was tempted to give him the finger, but thought better of it. The man was a grump right now and could be violent.

         She stopped at the door to her father’s apartment. He probably wasn’t even up, and she didn’t know if he was entertaining one of his many girlfriends. So, she knocked and waited.

         His many bedmates were nothing more than him blowing off steam. Her father didn’t care about any of them. But each one thought they were in some competition to be the next Luna. Rose knew her father didn’t want to weaken himself with a true mating. He’d failed to have a male pup and focused on how he could use Rose to benefit himself.

         “That better be you, girl. Get in here.” ‘Girl’ was her father’s way of putting women in their place. She didn’t know whether he meant her or one of his lovers.

         Rose opened the door. As she entered, Rose said. “Jack said you needed to see me before I head out for the day.” She schooled her face not to show her frustration or annoyance. If he saw that, he’d poke at her with a stick until he ruined her mood. Then he could rant at her for her unacceptable attitude.

         “Why must you always go to town? You never behave as you should. It’s causing me so many problems and you’re embarrassing the pack.” It was always the pack she embarrassed and that meant he didn’t like something. Nothing she did affected the pack or anyone belonging to the pack.

         “Julia will be with me. We’re going to see our friends like we do every Saturday, father.” She wouldn’t call him Dad or Daddy. In her mind, she was saying biological father and not someone dear to her. Just a means to bring her into the world and nothing more.

         “No messing up then. Behave as if I were there watching you.”

         “I always do, father.” What he didn’t realize was his presence changed nothing for her. She would do as she wished, and she wouldn’t ask permission to do it. Rose knew she wasn’t reckless or performed risky behaviour. Her father was lying to control her actions for some unknown reason.

         “I won’t have you ruining the reputation of the pack or me. Do I make myself clear? If I hear you’ve done anything unacceptable, I’ll take your privileges away. No allowance, and you won’t leave the pack’s territory until I say so.” There it was the threat he said to her every time she left the pack’s territory. Never mind, she’d done nothing in the first place to warrant this treatment.

         If she protested it too much, then he’d just put his foot down right now and she wouldn’t be able to leave the territory.

         “Why do you always say that? I’ve done nothing to warrant that treatment before, Father. I will never understand your thoughts. I’m a grown woman. Why would you think this was acceptable? Do you think no one knows about how you treat me? They don’t side with you because they believe you. They side with you because they’re afraid of you.”

As soon as she said this, Rose understood she’d gone too far.

         Her father was facing the window and not her before this. It was his way of reminding her she wasn’t worth looking at. Some days, Rose wondered if he could identify her if she went missing.

         Russel turned in place to glare at Rose, a silent snarl of disgust and annoyance on his lips. “What did you say?”

         “Great. Now that I have your attention. I don’t plan on doing anything embarrassing for you or the pack. You don’t need to worry that your reputation will suffer from my actions. I’m just going out to shop for the week and see my friends. Nothing more. May I please leave now?”

         One day, she hoped one of these stunts she pulled gave him a heart attack or stroke. Rose knew that was a horrible thing to wish on a parent, but she couldn’t see him as one.

         “This is your last warning. If I didn’t have back-to-back meetings today and don’t want, you are around. I’d punish you now. So go while I’m being generous, and no more smart mouth. If I hear about anything, I will restrict you.”

         “Bye, father.” Two slights in one. Bio dad, and saying goodbye to someone meant you didn’t ever want to see them again. Her father didn’t see it at all. She sometimes wondered how he stayed as the Alpha of the Hollow Wood Pack.

         Rose beat it out of there as quickly as she entered. She hoped she could get everything done today without some fool shadowing her from place to place, ready to report on anything and everything she did.

         Outside, she hopped into the passenger side of a Jeep and the driver took off a little too fast. “What took you so long?” Jules sat behind the wheel of the Jeep. She kept her eyes on the dirt road they were travelling along.

         “My father wanted to chitchat about behaving in town. Oh, and Amber called. She and Heather want to meet for dinner at the Watering Hole.”

         “Can’t wait!”