Keifer POV

Relief is so tight in my chest, but I've never breathed easier in all my life.

Opal has fallen asleep in my lap. She's warm now, the small space flooded with stuffy air from the heater. It's uncomfortably warm, but it's put my mate to sleep, so I'm not changing it for anything.

I anxiously eye the windows, waiting impatient for Ace and Beau to return with fresh clothing. They've been gone for over an hour, and its not until well past midnight that I spot them walking down the sidewalk.

I breath a sigh of relief, adjusting Opal in my arms so I can roll down the window.

Ace approaches the door, large bag in hand, a cheesy cartoon moose on the side with words scrawled across saying "Come again!". I doubted they wanted us to come back after looting, but I never planned on returning to the town given the circumstances that brought us here.

I press a finger to mouth, pointing down at Opal in her slumbering little ball.

Ace glares at me.

"She seems knocked out to me." He hands the bag through the window. I carefully manuver it into the driver's seat beside me, turning back to Ace to see him holding his phone out to me.

"I called your dad." He tells me simply, and my eyes flick to the faeries standing on the icy sidewalk behind him.

"Did you tell him about...."

Ace nods, his nostrils flaring.

"And?"

"And he's pissed." I cringe as he takes a deep, drawn out breath. "But he understands."

I feel a little startle at that.

"Really? What did he say?" I press in a silent hiss, and Ace shakes his head at me, licking his molars with a smile on his face.

"You just need to talk to him yourself."

I gesture to the slumbering bundle in my arms.

"I can't just leave her."

"She's my daughter, so you better hand her over, kid, if you know what's good for you." I narrow my eyes, accepting his threat begrudgingly. I move Opal slightly to the side, cracking the door open to the winter chill.

I expect her to immediately wake by the shuffle of my body underneath hers, but she remains dead asleep. I start to become worried at her unmoving eyelids and dark circles. Her pale skin is dotted with blue veins.

Everything about her is delicate now, and giving her over to someone else makes my temper start to rise. The monster inside me is different now. Instead of sudden, white hot rage, I feel a strong desire to protect her at all costs.

I stare down at her and give a small smile, tucking her limp hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek.

I'll protect her, no matter what.

Ace takes my mate, tucking my jacket around her as she nestles close to his chest. He sighs, switching places with me, sitting in my seat and holding my girl. A tightness starts in my chest as I see him taking my place in the car with Opal. She snuggles into him comfortably, but her eyebrows scrunch up in confusion, even as she stays asleep.

I tuck Ace's phone into my sleeve, passing the Faeries on the sidewalk who seem to be in deep conversation. I glance around carefully before slinking into an alley, shaking the snow off as I open the phone and quickly type my Father's number that I've had memorized for years.

I'm used to the constant ringing. Alpha Cedric Veiler never answers on the first ring. He usually waits until the last possible minute to pick up.

When he does pick up, he murmurs one word.

"Keifer."

"Dad."

We both remain silent for a long moment.

"Is Opal safe?" He asks, and I confirm in a clipped tone. "I'm glad. You should have told me earlier Keifer, goddess son, I..."

Cringing, I kick at the clumps of snow on the ground.

"I'm so sorry." He murmurs, and I nod my head, suddenly touched and uncomfortable at the apology. My Father rarely apologizes for anything.

This one is warranted, even though I had a huge part in this mess, but it wasn't exactly made easier with him sending me away from Montana, from my home, from my mate. It just made everything worse on top of it all.

"It's in the past now, Dad. She's safe and I'm bringing her home." I say, scratching the back of my neck. "Now about the faeries..."

"Ace filled me in. I've expected this for a while. I knew he would be desperate enough to pull something like this."

I freeze.

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew, the man has been hounding me for years to see your mother. What was I supposed to do? Welcome him with open arms?" He says, and I hate that I agree with him, but I do.

Mom is fragile, her feelings tender. If Beau tried to weasel his way in, like he is now, of course Dad would send him on his way. The appearance of her father would rock my mother to her core.

"What are we going to do? About mom, I mean."

Dad sighs, and I can picture him in his office chair, pinching his nose between his fingers as he leans on his massive, oak desk.

"I don't know. Your drive home will give me time to break it to her. Hopefully she'll be prepared by then."

I nod, putting a hand in the pocket of my jeans as my breath fogs in the air.

"Well, we're leaving soon. We'll be there by morning."

"I figured. I'll wake her up early."

"Good thinking." I say.

We're both silent again, an inevitable thing when talking to the man who raised me as his own. I'm not exactly sure I'd call it awkward, just a comfortable pause as we gather our thoughts.

"I'm glad your mate is safe. We'll make all the proper arrangements when you get home, okay?"

"Okay." I agree. "I love you, dad."

"I love you too, son."

And with that the phone call ends, and the magnetism that is Opal draws me back to the car where destiny waits.

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