A Rogue's Redemption

Chapter 20- Dad

Juniper

He's here...my father is actually here.

My heart races anxiously as we wait in the Alpha's office, my hands ghost white as I clench them tightly into fists on top of my knees. I know this is what I need to do, whether it helps me shift or not, I need to meet my father face to face...and get answers.

But it doesn't change the fears racing in my head, that if he could reject my mother for being a witch, then not wanting anything to do with a hybrid like me isn't a stretch...

"Juniper."

I jump at both Mariah's voice and the feeling of her hand gently sliding over one of my clenched fists, the sparks sending a small wave of comfort to cut through my anxiety.

"Look at me Ollie." She murmurs, and I look up to see her brown eyes staring deep into mine. She raises her other hand to my cheek, cupping it and stroking her thumb just under my eye.

"Everything is going to be fine, I promise I'll be right the entire time, okay?" She assures, and I nod as I take in a few deep breaths and let them out slowly, helping settle my racing heart as I relax my hands so Mariah's fingers can interlace with mine.

I can do this, no backing out now.

"Sorry for the delay ladies, but Quill was just in the middle of patrol. He'll be down here shortly." The Alpha, named Roy, says as he comes back into his office.

"Thank you, Alpha Roy." Mariah replies, and I take another deep breath.

"If you don't mind me asking, why exactly do you need to meet with one of my best warriors?"

Mariah turns to me for a brief moment.

"It's a personal matter...family related." She answers, trying to keep it as honest as possible without revealing too much.

"Family? I know Quill's old man is still alive and kicking...but he doesn't have much family besides that old bastard. His mother died not long after he was born...and his older brother died in a rogue attack while he was the acting Gamma." He states as he sits down at his desk, and my eyes widen in surprise at his words, though I'm not really sure why. I guess I figured the family I grew up without was much larger...

"You talk as if you don't like Quill's father..." I murmur, and he sighs.

"Truthfully, I don't. The way he treated Quill after his other son died wasn't the way to treat a kid, no amount of grief justifies it..."

"You mean? He didn't..."

"If you're asking if he was physically abusive, then no...but he was mentally and emotionally, as well as verbally. I think he wanted Quill to be a replacement for his brother...and whenever he failed, he took it out on him." The Alpha murmurs.

My eyes drop to the floor, trying to wrap my head around how anyone could raise a child that way...or what it was like to have that kind of parent. My mother was always supportive of me and my dreams...even if it meant that I wouldn't be just like her.

"That old bastard made Quill fight for every bit of praise and love he got, and it wasn't much. He spent so much time trying to please his dad, he was never really happy himself..."