Daddy Dearest

*Hezzlie*

No one speaks as we wind our way through my father’s kingdom to the castle at the top of the mountain. It takes a long time to get there because the roads are narrow, windy, and head up the side of a steep mountain. I stare out the window at the beauty of the forest and the expansive villages that spread out across the cliffside. Way off in the distance, I can see the outline of Moonstryker mansion. I hope that my room has a room that looks out on the other side of the kingdom so I’m not constantly having to look at where I came from and be reminded of Rowan. My heart hurts a bit just thinking of him.
Marcus, the older man who got out of the vehicle to retrieve me, sits next to me with Zeb, the man with the scar on his face, in the passenger seat next to the driver. I expect them to speak to one another, but then I wonder if maybe they’re using the mind-link. I wonder if I am capable of speaking to them through my mind since this is my family pack, but I don’t want to try. I have nothing to say to them.
I want to text my mom but decide I’ll wait until I get in my room. It’ll be difficult for me to explain all of this, and she’ll probably want to chat. I take a deep breath and stay focused on the road ahead of us. I’m going to be meeting my father and his family soon, and I don’t even know who that entails.
We approach a gate so tall I can’t see the top of it through the window when we emerge from the trees and it comes into view. It looks old and a bit ominous with its dark metal gleaming in the sun, but I tell myself to stay calm. If I survived the last prison, I can survive my father’s home.
The gates open, and I notice a few guards standing around in their human form. We drive through and continue winding our way up to the castle. It’s hard for me to believe that our final destination is actually a castle. Once again, my mind tries to wrap itself around the idea that my father is a king, but I can’t grasp it. I’ve never felt like a princess.
We pull up in front of the huge wooden doors. I am a little surprised there’s no moat since this place looks like the kind of castle you see in the movies. It’s massive, made of stone, and has lots of turrets and walkways near the top. As big as Rowan’s mansion is, this place has to be at least three times larger in every way. I imagine there are at least six or seven floors. It’s insane.
My door is opened by a servant, and I step out. Someone grabs my suitcase, and Zeb motions for me to follow him inside, even though he hasn’t spoken a word to me. I don’t think I like him very much. He seems quite cocky, like he shouldn’t have to be bothered with someone like me.
I follow him through the massive doors which open as we approach. I see two servants pulling them open with winding chains on the other side. It’s a bit much for a front door, I think.
Inside, the floors are paved in stone. It’s dark due to a lack of windows and heavy tapestries and large paintings hanging on the walls. Like in the mansion, this artwork is also wolf themed, but many of the illustrations are gruesome, with blood and gore. My stomach turns a little at a painting of a wolf devouring a woman, and I have to avert my gaze.
We walk for a very long time down narrow, dimly lit hallways until we finally reach a large wooden door. Zeb knocks, and what sounds like an older man says, “Come in.”
At least he sounds a bit more civilized than Rowan with his bark of, “Come!”
We step into a large office. A row of windows on the other side of the room might let in lots of light if they weren’t covered in thick red drapes. Only a small lamp on the desk lights the area, but I can make out heavy wooden furniture and a sitting area next to a massive fireplace with a row of bookshelves and the heads of some animals hanging on the wall. They appear to be too big to be deer, so I think they might be elk.
“Your Majesty,” Zeb says. I can’t see the man behind the desk yet because he’s blocking my view. “Here she is.”
Zeb steps aside, and my eyes strain to focus on the man behind the desk.
His hair is dark, like mine. He’s tall and has a narrow build, though he’s muscular. He looks like he might be in his late fifties or early sixties, but only a few wrinkles and a hint of gray at his temples and in his beard gives that away. His eyes are the same shape as mine, though not the rich brown. He moves his arms to fold his hands, and I notice his cufflinks. Silver wolves–with ruby red eyes. Just like Mom remembered. Just like King Moonstrayker’s image except for red, not blue. It must be an Alpha King thing, I guess.
He looks me up and down and then waves Zeb away. Something tells me the hinchman won’t be going far. “You’re Hezzlie Stone?”
I nod. “Yes… sir.” He’s my father. What should I call him?
He nods. “And you can shift?”
“I can.” I know Dean made a video of me shifting. I assume it was for him. “My wolf is black.” It seems like a stupid thing to say, but I’m not sure what else I should tell him.
We look at each other in silence for several long seconds before he clears his throat. “Any magic?”
I remember what Dean told me about my mother coming from a line of witches, but I feel like there’s no reason to tell this man I just met anything he doesn’t need to know, not until I’m sure I can trust him. “No. Why?” I act surprised.
He shrugs. “Just curious. Have you found your mate yet?”
At the mention of the word, my heart feels heavy in my chest. “No,” I lie.
“Good. Maybe he’s here somewhere. Better yet, maybe he’s a prince of a distant land, and we can use you to solidify an alliance.”
Oh, so I’m not done being a pawn. Great.
“You should know that my wife is not happy about you. She’s no fool. She’s known for years that I have certain… needs she’s unable to fulfill. But I should’ve been more careful. If I were you, I’d stay away from the queen.”
My head rocks back and forth as I search his desk for an image of the woman in question. He does have a photograph, but it’s facing away from me.
As if he understands my thinking, he lifts it and turns it around. I see him alongside a woman with bright red hair and the expression of someone who can’t be bothered with anything trivial. There’s another person in the picture, a young man who looks to be about my age in the photograph, though I can’t tell how old the picture is.
“This is your half-brother, Prince Aiden,” he explains. “He is also not thrilled about your existence.”
“Noted.” I’m not sure what else to say.
“Zeb will show you to your room. You should rest. You will be expected at dinner this evening with the royal family and the nobles. If I were you, I’d speak only when spoken to and avoid saying more than a few words should Queen Dura speak to you.”
“Yes… sir.”
He doesn’t invite me to call him anything else, so I don’t.
“Do you have a cell phone?”
His question catches me off guard, and I almost lie and say no, but his intense stare won’t allow me to. I nod. “My mother gave it to me for my birthday.”
“Does she know you’re here?”
“No,” I tell him. “Not yet.”
He stares at me for several moments before he extends his hand. I pull my phone out of my pocket and hand it over, terrified he’ll take it from me. He flips through it for a moment and then hands it back. “You need to charge it,” he murmurs.
I take it and put it in my back pocket, thinking that I just did, but I say nothing.
“You may speak to your mother and your friends back home, but keep the conversation light and positive. You have to know my wife will never allow your mother to visit here.” He folds his hands in front of him again. He has the posture of a man with an impressive upbringing, not the monster Rowan painted him to be. I want to ask if he really killed the enemy king, but now doesn’t seem to be the right time.
And I’m still a little upset at his mention of my mother not being able to visit here. I nod at him again, but I have to wonder if I’ll ever be allowed to visit her. It’s not a good time to ask.
“Welcome to Castle Darksky.” He gives me a solemn smile, and then the door opens. Zeb steps in and motions for me to follow him, so I do.
That’s it. I’ve met my father, the man I’ve wondered about my whole life. It was not the tearful meeting I’d hoped for. He seemed like I was an annoyance or maybe a thing he could use to barter.
I follow Zeb through the long hallways to a back staircase where we climb up into the castle proper. Then there are more hallways until he finally brings me to a room–at the back of the castle. Away from Moonstryker Mansion. At least something has worked out for me.
Inside the room, I see my suitcase on the bed. Zeb says nothing as he closes the door and walks away, but I don’t hear a lock. Out the window, I see a forest and mountains with a bright blue sky in the distance, but the window is small and doesn’t let a lot of light into the dark room.
It’s not warm and inviting. The furniture is heavy and dark, and the bedding and curtains are thick and a dark emerald green. Even with the lights on in the daytime, it looks depressing.
I take a small tour and find a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink with a small amount of space for my products–but there’s nothing in here. Likewise, the closet is small and empty. I’m glad I brought what I did with me. I wonder if I should even ask about an allowance or how to get something if I run out.
Deciding that now isn’t a time to try and figure it out, I lie down on the bed, noting the hard mattress and let out a loud sigh. All I can do is think of the people I’ve just said goodbye to–Dean, Dr. Bolton, Wilma, Natalie–even Rowan–and my mother. “I miss you,” I think aloud.
In my head, I hear a faint whisper. ‘I miss you, too.’
I’m not sure who that was–but it wasn’t my wolf.