I took a deep breath and let it out before I slowly nodded, knowing full well that my father wasn't going to let this go. "Melody said something that had caused Serenity to get a little worried about my wolf," I said. "Serenity is scared of seeing me again in wolf form."

My father looked at me and then towards the cove where Melody was at. He didn't say a word before he looked at me again. 'And she doesn't want to see you?' he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shook my head no and stayed silent.

'What did she say?'

"She said that I had self-esteem issues that attacked females when I wasn't provoked," I replied. "She knows her mistake, Dad, and she has been trying to help ease Serenity's fears and say that I wouldn't do that."

My father narrowed his eyes. 'Do you?' he asked, and I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Do I what?" I asked.

'Attack females when you weren't provoked?"

I shook my head, no. "I do not," I said. "I don't attack anyone unless they hurt someone that I am close to or we're training."

My father nodded. 'Then why did she say that?' he asked and raised an eyebrow.

I didn't respond and shrugged, not knowing.

Dad slowly nodded and cleared his throat. 'I won't get involved, but I will be asking her why she decided to say that,' he said. 'She should have known that there is a chance you would come across her in wolf form.'

"She feels guilty about it," I said. "She's been trying to make it right."

'Hmph.' He nodded.

'Hey, where are you? Your mate is getting worried because you haven't shown up yet,' Bryson said. 'Did you get eaten by any big wolves?'

I rolled my eyes and scowled. 'No,' I replied. 'Dad's here. That's why I am not there yet.'

Bryson stayed silent, and I had a feeling that he narrowed his eyes. 'Does he need us back at the pack house?' he asked. 'And is he in wolf form?'

'Let me ask, and yes,' I replied. "Do you need us back at the packhouse, or why are you here?" I asked before I pointed at my head. "Bryson is wondering where we are at and what we need to do."

'Well, go on. Hop t-'

'Shut up,' I said, interrupting him while I watched my dad. 'I did. He is thinking.'

Bryson scoffed and rolled his eyes, but he didn't say a word while my father cocked his head and pondered my question. 'Fine,' he grumbled teasingly after a few minutes. 'Should I get the kiddies out?'

'I wanted to make sure that everything was alright with you all,' my father said, 'and to check on you, specifically.'

'He doesn't need us,' I said to Bryson and nodded, curious why he wanted to check on me but didn't question it. "Did you want to check on the others?"

My father nodded. 'Yes,' he said. 'Tell Bryson to warn your mate that I will be coming too.'

I nodded. 'Give her a heads up. Do something stupid but make sure not to do it super stupid,' I said.

'Then what do you want me to do?' Bryson asked while he mentally widened his eyes. 'Do you want me to do stupid or not stupid? There is no in between with me.'

I rolled my eyes and scowled, and my father raised an eyebrow and looked at me, amused. 'I don't know. Come up with something.' "Bryson is trying to come up with something so that he can act like he knew you were coming but not doing something stupid stupid," I said.

He chuckled. 'I don't think he will be able to,' he said and dipped his head. 'However, let's go that way and see what your mate has to say.'

I slowly nodded and started to walk that way, gesturing for Julius to follow me.

'Hey, TJ,' my dad said, and I paused and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

He smiled and dipped his head closer to his chest. 'Your mate will trust you when she sees you in wolf form no matter what Mel has said.'

I tried to stop the hope filling my heart, but I couldn't, and I couldn't help but stand a little taller, proud. 'Promise?' I asked, and he nodded.

'I promise.'

I bit back a sigh of relief before I nodded and started that way, praying that what he said was true, and he followed.

Please let it, I silently prayed. Please.

***

"Do you know when Tommy is going to come back?" Serenity asked worriedly while we walked back into the cove. "I mean, it's been quite a while. What if he isn't going to come back? What if he is hurt or injured? Aren't you worried that something bad is going to happen to him?"

"No," I heard Bryson said, and I held back an eye roll and a scowl, amused. "He can handle himself. He's a big boy. Besides, I have a feeling that the Alpha decided to hang around for a bit too."

"The Alpha?" Serenity asked while we walked closer. She didn't seem to notice that we were there, but the others did, even though they made no move towards us.

"The black wolf," I said, and Serenity looked over at us. I smiled and dipped my head when I saw the relief in her eyes, happy that she was happy I was back. "I'm sorry. I got caught up with something." I looked at my father who had sat down before I looked in her direction and continued to her side.

Serenity looked at my dad too before she looked at me. "You're safe," she said, and I bit back a small smile, amused and nodded.

"I am," I said before I cleared my throat and handed her stuff to her. "Here," I said. "Everything is safe, but I am sorry if the shirt and shorts are just a bit muddy."

Serenity shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she said and offered me a small smile. "Thank you," she said, and I smiled a little. "I appreciate it." She shivered a little, and I pressed my lips into a thin line worried.

I frowned and furrowed my brows while I looked at her, worried. "Are you cold?" I asked, and she shrugged and looked down, not meeting my gaze. "Don't do that, Seren. What is it?"

"I'm a little cold," she admitted and shrugged. "But I will be fine."

"Are you ready to go back?" I asked, and she instantly shook her head while her eyes grew wide.

"No," she said and shook her head again. "I'm still wanting to enjoy everything and swim some more."

'It's been a while. She needs to go back to her house,' my father said, gravely. 'They have been asking questions.'

I pressed my lips into a thin line, and my heart broke because I didn't want her to leave just yet.

However, I knew that for her safety, it would be best if we left before they started to ask more questions or try to find us.

'Act like you contacted us through the woods and want us home,' I said, and I could feel my dad's eyebrow go up while he kept his face neutral. 'I'll explain later but please, do it before she asks questions.'

My father subtly nodded before he whined and let out a small softish bark, and we looked at him.

"Oh," Serenity said softly in shock as if she didn't expect him to do anything. Her eyes grew wide while my father whined and started to walk towards us. "Uhhh..."

"It's his way of telling us that we have to go," I said, my heart breaking a little. I cleared my throat before I shifted on my feet. "Something came up, I think, and that is why he is acting like this."

Serenity looked at me and furrowed her brows. "What came up?" she asked, confused.

I shrugged and grimaced. "I don't know," I replied, honestly, "but the Alpha doesn't do this unless something happened at the house."

"Or if your parents want you," Bryson said, playing along without being prompted. He groaned and pouted while he looked at my dad. "Does that mean my father wants us to go back to the main house too?" he asked.

My father held back an eye roll but nodded, and Bryson groaned again.

"Fine," he said and slouched forward with a small pout on his face, and my dad scowled and narrowed his eyes.

"But I haven't gotten to swim," Julius said and looked at us with a small pout. "Alpha, are you sure that I have to go home?" he asked and looked at him. "Please, can't I stay?"

Our father growled and narrowed his eyes at my brother, and Serenity flinched just a little but didn't move away from me. He flicked his ears back before he narrowed his brows further, and his meaning was clear; Julius was to go home as well.

"We can go swimming again later," I said and my brother looked at me. "However, I need to get some food in my stomach."

"Can I join?" Serenity asked, hope appearing in her voice, and I nodded. She sighed before she nodded. "Ok," she said before she sighed and shook her head. "Then let's go." She hesitated before she looked at me. "Will I be able to see you again?"

"Of course," I said and nodded. "We'll see each other again." I looked at Mel and raised an eyebrow.

My sister scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I know, I am coming too," she said. She looked at our dad. "Can you let our parents know that we will be back shortly?"

Our father nodded and gestured for the others to go before he turned around and left, and we followed him until we needed to take a path to go down a different way.

Goddess, please let her stay safe.

Please.