5

Emily's point of view.

Lemon Manor, 8:27 p.m.

My mother somehow accepted my decision, as for my father he did not accept it at all. Losing his daughter to get a wedding ring didn't make him happy, which I totally understood. Damien had left me the next day to say goodbye to the pack, and would pick up my bags in the evening. My dad hadn't said a word to me since I made the decision to leave so he could have this wedding ring, and this silence was really starting to get heavy. He had taken refuge in his office, and I had just joined him in an attempt to ease the tension.

"Dad..." I started.

- No. Don't make it more difficult…, he replied, for the first time.

- Try to understand..., I tried. I want to protect the pack, the one you took so long to build.

- You didn't have to agree to leave with that puff! You know perfectly well that if he had attacked us we would have repelled the attack without any problem! he enraged.

- I know dad! I shouted. It's my decision, so respect it!

- I can't ! he retorted, his voice choking. I can't accept seeing you leave like this!

- Dad..., I said, moved.

I walked around my father's large desk and hugged him. He imprisoned me against him with his muscular arms and placed a kiss on my skull.

- I'm going to miss you so much..., confessed my father.

"You too..." I confessed.

- Father and daughter reunited..., said my mother's voice, who was looking at us with tears in her eyes.

I pulled away from my father's embrace and opened my arm. My mom rushed over to us, and we hugged together for a long moment. I would so much have liked to put time on hold. My father ended the hug, and ran upstairs to change into his pajamas.

I went to the living room to watch TV. A wildlife documentary was broadcast and focused on wolves. A smile formed on my face, and I listened intently to what he was saying. A sweet smell of paella wafted through the house, making my stomach gurgle. My father came down from his room, certainly because of the good smell escaping from the kitchen. He had just put on a pair of sweatpants, exposing his beautiful, well-developed muscles. You had to admit it, my father was a real male bombshell.

- Say, ogling his father is very frowned upon! teased my father.

- Not my fault if you catch the eye of anyone! I retorted laughing. And I'm not ogling you!

My father laughed with me and went into the kitchen. He and my mother came out after five minutes, my mother carrying the plate of paella and my father the cutlery. He set the table, and my mother placed the dish in the middle of the table. We sat down and tasted the best paella that can exist on this Earth.

We spent the rest of the evening outside, racing through the undergrowth we were so familiar with now. We stopped in a deserted clearing, the one where my father was taking me. He gave me training, wanting to be sure that I could defend myself against an Alpha, even if I had already proven myself several times.

- Sorry to impose this training on you, but I want to be sure that you will be able to defend yourself..., justified my father.

- Don't worry dad, you'll be fine. Do you want to take a beating? I joked.

- It will be necessary to pass me on the body young girl! he laughs.

- No worries ! You are as nimble as a hippopotamus! I retorted.

I pounced on him, and he dodged at the last second. I crashed into the wet grass, and groaned in displeasure.

- Agile the hippopotamus isn't it? he teased me. Come on, let's go back!

He gave me time to get up, and attacked me. I deftly dodged his attack, and retaliated by attempting to bite his left flank. Hit. A growl escaped his throat. He was satisfied. In the euphoria of my success, I didn't see him jump off me and bite my right shoulder.

- Never be satisfied until the fight is over young wolf! he reminded me.

I growled and jumped back at him, determined to bite him back. Failure. He had anticipated my attack and had taken advantage of the moment when I fell to the ground to push me and make me fall on the right flank. I then rolled on myself, and straightened up to the great surprise of the gray wolf that was my father. I took the opportunity to make him lose his balance by jostling him, and he fell heavily on the left side, snatching a small moan of pain from him. I jumped on him, and closed my mouth on his throat, loosely because it was a training.

- Ok, you're ready to face an Alpha, noted my father.

Sadness was present in his voice, probably because it was the last practice we would do together. I cleared his throat and moved so he could get up. He got up and his gray blue gaze pierced mine, the pain of seeing me leave was omnipresent there. But I detected another feeling: pride.

- My daughter, you have grown so much…, he said with emotion. I feel like just yesterday you were a wolf cub. If you knew how proud I am of you...

- Thank you dad, I answered, moved. Can we still talk to each other telepathically even if I change packs?

- Fortunately yes..., the parents are linked to their child, and even the change of pack does not destroy the link which unites us to you, he confided to me.

I was extremely relieved to know this. I approached my father and rubbed my muzzle against his head, a way of cuddling between wolves. My father walked away from me and we went home, where my mother was patiently waiting for us in the living room.

Pack Village, 10:16 a.m.

Everyone was gathered in the village square, it was very moving. Several emotions overwhelmed me: the pain, the sadness, the melancholy because of my departure, but the joy of seeing them all around me to say goodbye.

The little ones were the saddest with Gabriella, each of them hugged me and hugged me as tight as they could with their little arms. Except Gabriella, who had an iron fist.

I had wished to simply leave the pack, saying goodbye to everyone. My parents wanted to have a party, but it would be too hard to say goodbye afterwards.

The morning passed at breakneck speed, I had played with the little ones until noon and then I went home with my parents. I checked that I hadn't forgotten anything to put in my suitcases, my heart breaking little by little, tears welling up in my eyes and despite my efforts to resist, I burst into tears on my bed, holding a frame where a photo of me and my parents was inside. That day, we had hiked, the weather was beautiful. In the photo, we could see the forest behind us, as well as the sunny weather. Me and my parents were laughing at the time of the photo, I couldn't remember why. My mother came into my room and hugged me, her eyes watering.

- Hush... It's going to be fine my baby..., whispered my mother in an extremely soft voice.

- I will miss you so much…, I sobbed. I love you so much !

- Honey, if you only knew how much I love you, she said hugging me even tighter. It's going to be empty without you... Promise me you'll let me know every day, and the way he treats you.

- I promise you mom, I said. I promise you.

On this promise, she released me and helped me to finish my suitcases. When we finished it was three-thirty. A silence reigned in my room, and it was interrupted by the beautiful growl of my stomach. I hadn't even eaten at noon. My mom laughed, and we went into the kitchen. A plate of paella was in the fridge, I took it and reheated it in the microwave.

The rest of the day had passed very quickly, my parents and I had enjoyed our last hours together. I watched TV quietly, to take my mind off things, when the doorbell rang in the mansion. My stomach clenched as I knew who was ringing. Damian. My father left to open it and came back into the living room, his face livid.

- Emilie, Damien is here... my father informed me, trying to hold back his tears.

I nodded, and turned off the television. When I turned my head to look at my father, Damien was behind him. Eyes sparkling with happiness. Asshole. Like what, this proverb was not totally false: The happiness of some is the misfortune of others. Totally true at this point.

- I'm going to get my suitcases, I said in a neutral voice.

I walked past Damien, royally ignoring him, and mounted. I entered it, and realized that he had followed me.

- I will take them. Get in the car, I'll be there as soon as possible, he said.

- I take them myself Mister muscle! I snapped back.

He looked at me disapprovingly and before he could say anything I grabbed my two suitcases, which were very heavy, and jostled him down the hallway. I put my suitcases on the doorstep, panting, and rushed into the arms of my father, who hugged me to him, taking care not to suffocate me.

- My daughter, take good care of yourself there. And if he dares hurt you, tell me I'll shoot him! said my father.

"Don't worry about me Dad," I reassured him.

I pulled away, holding back my tears. Damien had probably witnessed our embrace, because he was looking at my father longingly, which disturbed me slightly. He already had my suitcases, and given their weight I didn't want to take them back. Damien stepped through the threshold, and I was about to do the same when I stopped in the doorway, and looked at my father one last time.

- Dad ?

- Yes ?

- I like you. Never forget it! I said before leaving to rush into the elegant black car.

- I love you too Emilie, declared my father, his voice quivering.