Keifer POV
The metal of the phone feels foreign in my hand, and I pause before lifting it to my face, my jaw clenching while I chew on the inside of my cheek in thought. It's call day. The infamous day that no one looks forward to.
I clear my throat, typing in the phone number that I know by heart for my monthly call. I never know what's in store when I call home, but I have a vague idea. I picture the phone ringing on the Alpha's tidy desk.
It doesn't ring long, Dad answers swiftly, he always does when he knows that I'm calling.
"Keifer." His deep voice says. His tone is more gruff and disapproving.
Usually, despite his rough exterior, he sounds happy to talk to me. I know they miss me, because he typically lets it show through his voice. But today is different.
Sometimes I think it would be easier if he talked harshly to me, I was wrong. I shrink away from his tone as I wrack my brain for what I might have done to make him so upset with me.
"What did I do this time?" I manage under my breath, glancing around the room as others stand around on the phones, or waiting their turn. There's not a whole lot of privacy at the phones, other than the few feet of spacing between each station.
I can't help feel the difference between this call and our last call when I had to tell him about my fight.
My dad sighs, and I can barely breathe when he finally talks again.
"Keifer, I am so sorry." The words have me reeling in confusion, and I don't know how to respond.
Licking my lips, I lean forward.
"What do you mean, pop?" I wonder, desperate for answers but not liking the one I receive.
"Why didn't you tell me that Opal was your mate?"
My stomach plummets. My palms slick with sweat. It's an immediate reaction to the truth.
The silence draws on for what feels like hours. I end up being the one who breaks it, my voice cracking with each syllable.
"Opal? She.. she told you?" I demand, feeling exposed and ill prepared. I wasn't ready for this, not now of all times. I didn't expect him to spring this on me. It feels unfair, like blackmail on my emotions.
What am I supposed to say? My secret is out. I expected to have to explain myself at some point, but not now, not here.
I was supposed to fix myself before I claimed her.
"No. Rain told me, right before she fainted. She's going through her first shift, she barely got to explain before she lost all her energy. Everyone's worried sick over Opal, nobody more than her. We sent some scouts out, but she was too far at that point. Did you encourage her?"
"What are you talking about!?" I demand, alarm shooting through me.
All I'm met with silence once again.
"You don't know?" He's incredulous.
"Know what?"
"Opal left. She went to find you."
My brain can't process the words, but my body reacts. I shoot to my feet, putting a fist to the wall, hearing it crack beneath the pressure.
Limbs shaking, heart pounding, I refrain from snapping the phone in two. I need to hold out, but it's hard. I want to destroy, to rip this whole place to shreds.
"What, the hell, did you just say?" I growl, demanding to hurt something or someone right now.
"I know you're upset, but you need to calm down. It won't help the situation." He instructs, but it doesn't help calm the raging fire whatsoever.
"You can't tell me to calm down, what if it was Mom out on her own? Or Rain? Shit. She's never been outside in the human world. What was she thinking? Why did you let her leave?"
My voice is rising in volume, my head pulsing with fury that I've never known.
My mate. My best friend. Opal. Alone.
It's enough to make me rip my own hair out.
"I didn't know she planned on leaving. I understand you're mad, but losing your control isn't going to help anything." He insists, lowering his voice in an effort to calm me. I grunt in response.
"What control?" I wonder, exasperated beyond reason.
It's a valid question. I've had meltdowns, anger attacks, short temper. But this is something new altogether. The idea of Opal in harm, the knowledge that's she's out there fending for herself and I can't get to her, it's driving me more insane by the second.
I've never felt like this before, like I'm desperate and bleeding out:
"That's another thing. Do you know how much pain and suffering could have been avoided if you would've just told me? It all makes sense now Keifer. None of this was ever your fault. You could've been fixed the moment you marked her."
My muscles ripple with awareness.
"What do you mean?"
"Your anger issues? Your short fuse? It's all because you've known your mate for years and didn't mark her. If a lycan is constantly around their mate but doesn't claim them, they slowly go insane, son. That's the reason you've been acting the way you have. Goddess. How did you not know?" He lets out a deep, frustrated sigh. "I suppose it's my fault. I don't know how I didn't see it before. I could have at least taught you enough about mates to know you shouldn't hide it."
"What? You mean... this whole time... I could've been back at the pack?" The pain that surges in my chest is unbearable, mixing and fusing with the anger already there.
There's never been anything wrong with me. My anger, the demon inside of me that's made a home out of my mind, it's all because of Opal. It's normal. I'm normal.
My heart thunders in my chest, a sign of hope through the darkness.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep this a secret? What good could possibly come from it?"
I don't know what to say, suddenly distraught. The swirl of emotions inside of me is a waging war, each new feeling fighting for its place.
I want to smash my fist through the wall, and choke someone with the phone chord. It's not lost on me that the room has gone silent around me. My loud conversation hasn't gone unnoticed. Everyone is watching me, waiting for me to do something volatile.
Admitting the truth to my own Father is something that inspires fear inside of me. It's not something I want him to know, but he has to. At this point, secrets have only worsened my life, might as well lay it all out there. I just don't enjoy his disappointment.
"It's common knowledge in the pack that I was different, and that's putting it lightly. Opal felt the same way about herself, being one of the only werewolves in the pack, being an orphan that was adopted by a single dad. I didn't want to alienate her further. If everyone knew she was my mate, she would have even more reason to be ashamed. I couldn't do that to her... I wanted to.."
I take a deep breath.
"I wanted to fix myself before we mated. I wanted to be a mate she could be proud of."
The silence draws on again. I can hear my heart thundering blood through my veins. The itch in my limbs tells me that fur wants to sprout desperately.
Nothing else matters except for making my mate safe.
"I'm sorry, son. You have no idea how sorry I am." Dad's voice is brimming with unspoken words. He always hated the fact that the pack criticized me relentlessly.
I know he tried his best to protect me from it. But it was practically impossible to shelter me from it all. It was inevitable. The most powerful alpha in the world adopts some no name lycan pup, I was bound to be subject to judgement. Especially with my issues.
But I don't blame my Father for my misfortune, I blame myself. One simple mistake and my life was infinitely more difficult.
"I'm coming home. I'm going to find her." I say gruffly, momentarily gathering my wits to speak my mind.
"I wouldn't expect any less. You have my permission." Dad agrees, followed by rustling on the other end. "I have to go. Rain isn't doing great. Her shift isn't over yet, and it's only getting worse."
My worry for my little sister is overshadowed by my fear for Opal. Shifting for the first time is not a pleasant experience, but it's something that every lycan has to go through. Rain is tough, she'll be fine.
But Opal, on the other hand, is in danger being out in the human world. She knows nothing of it. There are so many things that could go wrong, I have to refrain from listing them off in my head.
"I'll be there soon." And with that, I end the call, slamming the phone back into it's cradle and storming off.
The sea of people part to let me through. I watch my feet eat up the ground, making my way to pack my things.
I'm not sure how, but I will find her, no matter what it takes, Ill make her safe again.
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If you're reading this, you are brave :)
Double update, read on!