Longing For My Rejected Luna

*****Erika's POV*****

What was my father doing here?

I thought I had asked Jace to keep any visitors away from my room for the time being.

I didn't want any disturbance.

I pretended I was asleep, maybe if he knocked several times with no response, he would go and leave me be.

But the knock persisted. "Erika Blackwood, open this door right this instant!"

I was going to kill Jace. I swear by the Moon Goddess I was going to end him.

Just one little request and he couldn't successfully carry it out. I knew father was here to offer comfort but I was just not in the mood to answer questions or give explanations.

Having no choice, I sighed, climbed out of bed and went to open the door for him. Head bowed, I greeted my father. "Good day, Alpha." Until I was publicly announced as Alpha, he was still the Alpha.

He suddenly pulled me Into a hug, I fought tears from welling.

Father is hugging me?!

I put my arms around him, reveling in the warmth and parental affection he was dishing out. "hank you, father."

"For what?" He rubbed my back comfortingly.

"For this." I held him tighter.

Cindy also couldn't help it and purred in my head at the kiss my father gave me on my forehead.

I appreciated it greatly, even though I didn't want him to see my vulnerability "We needed this, Cindy"

"Yes, we did" Came her calm response.

"Now, tell me how it went." He pulled away from the hug and led me to the velvet sofa in my room.

Seating as regally as the Alpha he was, he faced me.

I couldn't say anything. I watched his patient and expectant expression, studying mine. Waiting for me to begin to tell him how it went.

Ever since I had lost my mother, he had been there for me, carrying out the role of both parents.

I'd heard people complain of having an Alpha or a Beta parent who had no care for them, and only focused on their duty. But my dad had been different.

Alpha Jerome Blackwood of Iron Claw the fourth, was not like every other parent I knew.

He was both a ruler and a parent. Over the years, he had managed to combine both responsibilities and made it look like it was that simple especially with two children Jace and I.

He was here because he cared. He was here not because he wanted to rub the wounds in, but because he genuinely cared.

He had opposed the union between Alpha Alex and I from the onset, even though he was my mate, father had said he didn't think Alex was prepared to have a mate and because all I had wanted was to be happy with my mate, I had refused to listen.

And here I was, back in my father's pack.

"We dissolved the mate bond, father"

My voice trembled with shame and pain.

I averted my gaze, unable to look at him.

Using his thumb, he held my chin so I was looking at him. "You're an Alpha, Erika. Don't let them know you're weak."

I blinked back the tears that shone in my eyes.

Dad was always teaching Jace and I to never show weakness especially in public, but for three years, that was all I'd been - weak.

I'd allowed my love for Alexander turn me into the version of a werewolf that father would have hung his head in disappointment at.

I'd allowed myself be played over and over just because I was trying to mend

what I wished I had realized sooner could not be mended.

"It's so hard, father. It's so difficult. I regret not listening to you, I regret not taking your advice." I broke into a loud sob, feeling the weight of past events and even today's, replay in my head.

"Come here" He pulled me closer once again.

I sniffled, trying to stop the tears.

He was patient with me and it took a while before I could pull myself together. I drew back and looked him in the eye. "I am done with the mate bond, father. Alex and Pare no longer mates."

"Tough choice, isn't it?" He inquired, studying my face, probably for any sign of another meltdown.

"Tough choice, but it should be done. It was hard trying to singlehandedly maintain a bond that was supposed to be maintained by two persons."

"The weight has left your shoulders?"

"Somehow. But father, I can't help feeling like I should have done more, I don't know."

"You have given your best for three years, Erika Alex is not ready for a mate-bond, and you can't force a grown werewolf Alpha to be ready for anything. Leaving was the right thing to do, your dignity and pride is in place." He said, trying to make me feel better.

"I guess so, father"

The door was suddenly pulled opened."Erika I'm so sorry, I told father but he..."

Jace began to say, but dad cut him shut.

"Get the hell out, Jace." Father ordered him.

"Father, don't make me have troubles with Erika." He pleaded sheepishly.

Father merely raised a brow. "What troubles?"noveldrama

"For one, the stink eye she's throwing my way right now."

I giggled, he was right. I was trying to mess with him.

I wasn't mad, I just wanted him to feel like I was mad.

Father turned to look at me and I immediately straightened my face, pretending a

calm one. "What stink eye?"

I shrugged, though I knew father had seen it.

"You won't see it." Jace sighed. Then he looked at both our faces and scowled.

He had caught on. "Nice one guys. Playing with me like that." He closed the door with a bang on his way out.

"He's going to refuse talking to me for a few days" father chuckled.

"Only for a short while, Jace can't hold grudge for long." I smiled a little, feeling lucky to have people like Alpha Jerome and Jace around me.

"I know that." He stared at me and I sighed. "I will be fine, father. Maybe not today

but I will be fine. I'll bounce back on my feet and be that badass Alpha you want

me

to be."

"You'd better be, else I'll be forced to hang you upside down at the center of the

pack." He threatened jokingly.

I chuckled. Yes, I was lucky to have him in my life.