* * *

Hayes had truly thought that Harlow would have his back, but instead, Hera had been given a blessing. Arctic Crest held a very steady friendship with Mystic Grimm, which Hayes was thankful for.

But even that wasn't enough to clear his conscious, nor was he allowed to fly there with her. Even Willow seemed to be supportive as she admitted to wanting to see how Arctic Crest operated, and that truly sent him off the railing.

He made it painfully aware to both Xavier and his father that if anything happened to Hera—There was going to be hell to pay.
Which Alpha Ezra understood more than anyone, he had his own daughter and wouldn't dare let anything happened to Hera on his watch.

It was considered an honor, and while she could go and see her cousin in Blue Moon—Mom didn't have the best relationship with her brother, and that left her children to be slightly wary of them.

While Hayes was in a panic for letting his daughter go, he had to admit that Hera looked excited. More than when she was going to the pack meeting, so he reminded himself constantly that she was only going to be gone for a month.

One month.

Thirty days.

His daughter didn't find her mate, he already check that the acting Beta already found his mate. This had all been because Willow just had to push the idea into his mind that perhaps it was Hera's wolf that was pushing her to go.

There were other packs in Arctic Crest, and eligible males without mates. If any male thought Hayes wouldn't hop on a plane just to enact a Mystic Grimm formality of a father defending their daughter, then they were sorely mistaken.

And wouldn't hesitate to give his fist as a blessing.

Yes, he fucking would, and Willow couldn't deny him that right.
Nobody could.

Beta Josh's mate, Maria, would be dropping her off so she wouldn't be on the plane alone as well as discuss a few topics that Harlow wanted to have done in person. Something that Maria could surely do on her own.

Hera was a jittery mess the days leading up to her departure that she was completely oblivious to the fact that her father was a moping mess. It was only when she caught him outside on the porch on her very last day on pack grounds, that she caught wind of just how worried she should be about her father.

She pulled aside the sliding glass door and tried to manage the tension. "Daddy?" Hayes turned instantly to see his pup, it was clear that she woke up from her deep sleep but he smiled at her non the less.

"Come on dad...I'll be back."
"I know. But it feels—It feels like you were this big just yesterday." He said, motioning his hands together and she huffed, trying to stop the tears from coming.

She knew if he sensed any doubt or regret that he would stop this even before it starts.

"I might not be that size anymore, but I'm still your daughter. I'm still going to need advice, Uncle Holden can only help so much you know." He was thankful that she was teasing him, it allowed him to wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her close.

"You get homesick, hun...Call me right up. I'll drive up if I have to."
"You hate driving."
"When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I love you, sweetheart? You're my pup. I'll suffer through a drive to get you back on pack lands." The father and daughter remained in one another hold for a while more, basking in the moon's beautiful light before he urged her to get more sleep.

But of course, it was in a blink of an eye that he and the rest of the Mystic family were standing on the tarmac with the plane roaring with life.

Hayes refused to leave the tarmac until he could no longer see the plane, and his wolf howled the second he felt his pup leave the pack's line.

"She's growing up papa, you need to get that beast of yours tamed," Willow said, wrapping her small frame around his waist and cuddling into his side.

"I know."
"Then act like you know. Because once she gets the taste of freedom...It'll be harder for her to come home." Hayes' head snapped down to her and it caused Willow to laugh.

"It was a blessing to leave Blue Moon to come here, surely you knew that."
"I tried not to think about your father and brothers, not unless you plan on finally letting me hunt them down and—"
"And nothing. Wes is a horrible Alpha and it's showing."

She didn't want to point fingers, but there were only so many excuses that Blue Moon could give before the lies started to line up with one another.
But the misplaced loyalty that Willow still felt from birth still stayed high on her list.

It was why she didn't allow her mate to act against them, but that didn't give her the authority to help them either.

Hayes was working on distracting himself, he always knew that a hearty task would keep his wolf from thinking too far out of bounds. He was so in tune with it, he almost missed his phone ringing had his brother not taken the opportunity to pick it up for him.

"Mystic, Master of Arms, how can I help you?" Holden said with a grin, but the second Hayes heard his daughter's voice he scrambled to his feet.

"Nah I don't think pop's is busy at all, Hayes? Bubbles is on the phone—"
"Stop teasing dad!" It was surely an embarrassing declaration, especially when she was in the car off to travel to the packhouse.

"Sweetheart, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, course, you said to call when I land. Look at me, taking responsibility." A proud smile found its way trickling onto Hayes' face as he nodded, though his eyes started to betray him—Burning at his determination not to allow himself to cry.

"You call when you need to come home."
"Mama says I have to call at least four times a week. I have you on speed dial pops, and Maverick has your number too." His wolf growled, he had to pull the phone away from his ear to get it out without her calling him out on it.

"Dad?"
 "Right here hun, always. Go have fun alright? That's what you're there for."
"I thought you said I was here to learn the ways of another pack?"
"You're still young, your mother reminded me that sometimes you can't act the same way when you're parents are always there." It was silent for a moment and Hayes swallowed.

"Stay safe, no risking anything. Stay on pack grounds and—"
"And protect my neck. I know. I love you daddyo."
"I love you too, bubbles." And all too soon the call ended, and Hayes was left with his phone going black.

"Goddess, if you can't handle a month with her away—How are you going to survive when she finds her mate in another pack?"
"I'm not," Hayes claimed with the utmost honesty.

And Holden knew not to test the limits with that one.

______

Date: 01/12/2022

Time: 9:14

Words: 1255