Chapter 157

Chapter 0157

“Rich, I’m here. Alone. The other wolves with me aren’t close. I want to talk. I want to understand. We were friends. Help me understand why this” Jude gestured around him, “is better for your family.”

He wasn’t lying. I don’t know if my father could smell them, but the other wolves. had gone in a different direction. This man seemed honest, and Alessia could not catch a scent of any deceit on him.

We make the decision and walk out of our hiding place to stand next to my father. I may still be a fairly short girl, but Alessia is a large wolf. We come up to my father’s waist. I felt more than heard him sigh. “Alessia, you should have stayed put.”

When I look at Jude, his gasp was audible. “Guardian.” He whispers it with

reverence in his voice. His eyes begin tracking back and forth between me and my father. Then he points at me. “This….”

“Is my daughter Angel and her wolf Alessia.” My father finishes. “On her 10th birthday, Alessia awakened as a Guardian.”

Jude face breaks out into a huge smile. “But, this is great! Alpha will be so pleased. The whole pack will rejoice…”

He is cut off by my father’s feral snarl. “I will NOT take her back.”

Jude looks at my father as if he hasn’t heard him properly. “But why not?”

My father rubs a hand over his face. “Jude. Think! You have a daughter. What do you think would have happened to her if her wolf was a Guardian? What would Alpha Peter have done? What will he do if he finds out my daughter is a Guardian? Would you want that for your daughter?”

I watch as the realization of our situation dawns on Jude. He takes a step toward me. My father growls at him.

Jude looks at him. “I would never hurt your daughter Rich. And no, I would not want my daughter claimed by an Alpha that may not be her mate just because of who and what she is.”

He crouches down and looks at me. “Hi Alessia. It’s nice to meet you.

I look up at my Dad, who nods his head, before I walk over to greet Jude. He runs his hands through my fur, so much like my father does to me. I can tell that this is how he interacts with his own daughter.

He pats my head before standing up. I move to stand beside my father again. * Where’s Katie?”

“I’m here.” My mother says and walks out from behind some bushes.

“You don’t look as bad as I would have expected. Obviously, you’re doing something right.” He looks at my father weighing his options.

“I have a cabin. It’s in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s not on any pack landhs. You can hide there. They won’t look for you there and I’ll try to divent the hunt in another direction to give you time to get away. You need to hide your scent as much as possible on the way to help me out. Do you have something to write on?”

My mother found a piece bark that we’d been using to write with and a piece of coal that we’d found. Jude gives us the address and general directions before stepping back. “I need to go meet my group. I’ll send you money when I can. Stay there as long as you’d like. Good luck old friend.”

He looks at me. “I expect great things from you Alessia, and you too Angel”

“Thank you, Jude. I owe you.” My father says to him as he turns to leave.

“You’ve saved my life countless times Rich. I’m glad I can finally do something to pay you back. Be safe. All of you.”

With that, he takes off in the direction of the other wolves.

It took us several weeks to find our way to the cabin. When we arrived, mom and I cleaned it up and dad was able to find a local job working in construction.

It became a quiet and peaceful life. We were happy and life was good. Until it wasn’t.

Chapter 0158