Forget Me Not (Book 3 of Acceptance Series)

Chapter 26

My brother didn't say another word but gagged, and I couldn't help but laugh.

Goddess please make sure that he is ready for this job that you have given him, I silently prayed, turning somber. Please.

I want him to be as happy as he can be...

***

I stopped walking to the entrance in the cove when I smelt our dad stalking us. I held back an eye roll and looked to see that my dad was hiding but failing to hide behind a tree. 'I know that you are there, Dad,' I said through our link. 'What is it? What happened?'

The wolf didn't move and acted like I didn't see him, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.

"Is Dad hiding behind a tree?" Julius asked, his voice barely above a whisper while he leaned closer to me.

I nodded. "He is," I confirmed.

"Is he acting like we don't see him?"

"Yep."

"Does he know that it isn't working?"

Our dad didn't say a word while we talked about him and didn't move. He kept hiding behind the tree, and I was sure that he was barely breathing.

"Apparently not," I replied.

Julius shrugged and let go of my hand. He started to walk to him, and I followed close behind because if it wasn't our father, then I didn't want Julius to get hurt.

'Hey, Mom, is Dad in the woods?' I asked, linking my mom just to make sure that this was him.

'Yes, because I am mad at him,' Mom replied instantly. 'Why?'

'He's hiding behind a tree and isn't saying a word,' I replied. 'With everything that happened these past few days, I wanted to make sure that it isn't anything to be worried about.'

'Hmmm,' she said. 'Does he know that you see him?'

'He should,' I replied. 'I don't think he is blind.'

Mom snorted. 'Do I need to intervene?'

We were getting closer to our dad, and we could hear his heartbeat pick up.

'No,' I replied. 'If anything happens, we will let you know. Most of the cousins are in the cove too, and they will look after Serenity.'

Mom chuckled. 'If you need me to say something, then let me know,' she said. 'I will say something to him and make him answer you.'

'I will,' I promised.

Julius scowled and narrowed his eyes when he stopped in front of the tree, and I stopped behind him. "Dad, I see you," he said. "Why are you trying to hide from us?"

'Tell him that I have no idea what he's talking about,' my father said but didn't move from his spot, and I held back an eye roll. 'I am not here.'

"He doesn't know what you are talking about," I said, repeating what our father said. "He isn't there."

Julius huffed and rolled his eyes before he looked at me. "Can you shift and tackle him, please?" he asked and pointed at our father.

I shook my head no and pressed my lips into a thin line. "Sern is way too close for comfort for me to do that," I said. "She isn't my biggest fan at the moment."

My dad pricked his ears forward and moved his head so that he could stare at me with a scowl on his face. 'What did you do?' he asked and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, so he moves for that," Julius said and rolled his eyes while he scowled. "But what did you do?"

"Nothing," I said and shook my head. "I did nothing to her." I cleared my throat and moved a hand across the back of my neck. "She is cautious about me because of what Melody had said."

My father raised an eyebrow and stayed silent, waiting for me to add on to what I said.

I cleared my throat again and shifted on my feet while I tried to come up with something but not make him upset with her.

My father scowled and narrowed his eyes when I took too long to answer. 'What is it?' he asked, and I couldn't help but bristle slightly at his tone. 'What happened?'

I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, feeling nervous and prayed that Melody wouldn't get into trouble, especially since she didn't mean it.

'Thomas Junior,' my father scowled and narrowed his eyes further while he waited for me to answer. 'What happened?'

I bit back a sigh and shook my head before I cleared my throat. "Can you promise me that no one gets into trouble?" I asked. "It's no one's fault and just a huge misunderstanding."

My dad studied me through his narrowed eyes before he sighed and nodded, relaxing slightly. 'Ok,' he said. 'No one will get into trouble for what you tell me. Now, what is it?'

"Promise me, Dad," I said, and he growled softly. I didn't make another sound and waited for him to promise that no one gets in trouble.

'I promise,' he said, finally and dipped his head in acknowledgment. 'I promise that no one will get into trouble. How? Speak. What happened?'