Pierson's POV

It's been a few days since I've seen Elena and I feel a hundred pounds lighter. She knows. She knows I have always wanted her and still do.

I meant what I said. I'm going to make her mine. Noah will not have her.

I thought about her every second of everyday when she was away. I can't let her slip through my fingers. Not again.

I open the door to my father's room and cross through the darkness over to his bed.

I sit in the soft black recliner placed next to it and turn on the lamp that lies on the table beside me. The room fills with a soft dim glow.

I look at the bed and see his peaceful sleeping body. His thin, dark hair is swept across his forehead and the same eyes we share are closed hiding the pain I see in them when they are open. He looks thinner from the last time I saw him. He's cheeks are hallowing in and he looks pale.

My frown deepens. He doesn't look good at all.

I ball the white sheets next to his bed into my hands and lower my head. Why can't I take the pain this disease has caused him. He has done nothing wrong in his life. He's a good man.

A few moments later a fragile hand pats one of my fists. I look up and meet my father's tired eyes. They look lifeless.

"Hey son," he whispers giving me a soft smile for a brief second.

"Hey dad. How are you?" I place a hand on his forearm. His skin is cold.

"I'm doing better," he lies. I know he says it because he doesn't want me to worry, but how can I not he's one of my best friends. I don't know what I would do without him.

I nod anguish encircling us and squeezing tight, taking us both prisoner to its effects.

"How are you my boy?" He asks.

"I'm doing ok," I reply.

"That's good."

He closes his eyes, his face facing towards the ceiling.

"Done anything exciting lately?"

His question catches me off guard. Why would he ask a question like that? It's odd and random. There's no way he knows about me confessing everything to Elena.

I look to him. He opens his eyes once again to face me. He seems genuinely interested and not at all trying to pry information out of me. It must be in my head, but then I catch a little glimmer in his eye. He must know something. He gives me that look to tell him the truth knowing full well I'm hiding something. I roll my eyes playfully.

"I talked to Elena."

His eyes widen a little and his features soften when I mention her name. The old man has always had a soft spot for her.

I told him she was my mate after everything had happened all those years ago. He said I was an idiot for letting her go, but he understood why I did it.

"I thought you had something to do with her acting a little strange lately."

"What do you mean?" I ask surprised.

"She comes to see me everyday she works. We always talk for a bit. She's just seemed a little distracted lately," he explains.

Really? Wait, she sees him everyday. I smile internally at the thought.

"So what did you tell her?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

"I told her everything. I told her the truth. I also told her that I want her to be mine," I say proudly.

He uses his strength to give me a full fledged smile now.

"It's about time." He chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah, but you know why I did it dad. I wanted her to finish school. You know if she had found out about everything she would have come back here instead of accomplishing what she needed to first," I reason with him.

"I understand my boy. If your mother and I were in that same situation, and if I had told her she would've been on the first flight back. I'm proud of you for not being selfish and letting her do what she needed to," he explains.

I'm glad he gets me. Being an alpha and luna is hard work. There's a lot of responsibility that comes with those titles. There's no way Elena would of finished school if she had been with me. I was lucky my mother was by my side and helped me when needed.

Times were tough, but I got through and look at my girl now. Top of her class and happy doing what she does best.

"Now I just have to get her to agree to go on a date with me," I sigh.

"Woo her," he offers.

Woo her? How am I supposed to do that. I've never had to woo a girl before. They just kinda offer themselves to me even though they knew they would be denied. But then again Elena is not like any other girl. She's my mate. A stubborn, firecracker at that, but still beautiful and perfect at the same time.

She deserves to be wooed. She deserves everything. I'm the one that doesn't deserve her, but I'm too selfish to let her go. I need her.

"How do I do that?" I voice.

My father looks at me like I'm stupid.

"You know...buy her flowers, compliment her, make her feel special, all the things you see in those movies," he waves his frail hand in the air as he lists each suggestion.

"Whatever you do though you better do it quick. I see how Dr. Hart looks at her. He's smitten and I can see that Elena is starting to feel something for him too," he says knowing how his words would make me feel.

I know Elena doesn't have to be with me just cause we're mates and I'm not gonna force her. I want her to want me as bad as I want her. She has to choose me over Noah.

If Noah wins her heart I'll take my bruised ego and broken heart and deal with it. If she's happy then I'll accept whatever circumstances I have to for her happiness, but right now I have a chance.

They may have known each other for awhile now, but they have barely started dating. I know she doesn't love him.

"I know dad. I'll ask her out soon."

"You better. If I lose my future daughter in law to the doctor I'm going to disown you and make Noah my new son," he threatens jokingly. At least I think he's joking.

I love when I can catch him on a day like this. Where he has the energy to talk and joke. It makes everything seem normal in my life. I let out a small chuckle.

We continue with small talk until he asks the question I've been dreading.

"How's the pack?"

I tense and take a deep breath in as stress floods my body. The meetings we had coming flooding back to my mind.

"It's still not looking good. The rogues are back and they're stronger than ever."

My dad lays back and looks to the ceiling.

"Dad don't worry about it. I'm handling things. I was just in California and Oregon meeting with some other packs to help us out. I got a woman named Victoria to come back with me. She was captured by the rogues and managed to escape. She heard a lot of things while she was there and wants to help us out," I let him know.

"I know you can handle things son, but I still worry about you. I don't want you getting hurt or worse...killed." The Adam's apple in his throat moves up and down as he swallows hard at the thought.

"You don't have to worry about me. I got this. I'm gonna find out who is leading them and we're gonna destroy him and his pack."

My dad looks worryingly at me, but says nothing more.

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Another chapter down. ✔

I just saw Black Panther last weekend and it was sooo good. Y'all should go check it out if you haven't yet.

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