Chapter61　Father To Daughter

The following day dawned cold and grey and it mirrored the mood within the Alpha’s mansion

perfectly. Breakfast was tense, even the delicious smell of Jessica's cooking couldn't lighten the

mood. Indigo sat there, a pout on her face, looking between Elijah and Jackson. She wished they'd

put aside their egos and stop this ridiculous issue between them.

“So do you both have everything packed?” Jessica asked looking at Elijah and Scarlett.

“Yep, all packed.” Scarlett said playing with the scrambled eggs on her plate.

“Yeah, all ready for this ball.” Elijah said in an antagonising tone. “I wonder if anything is going

to change. You sure you don't want to come dad? To see how I reject anyone but Scarlett?”

“Watch it, I'm giving you one chance. You might come home with no mate but remember, you

won't be taking your Alpha position.” Jackson said coldly, his eyes flashing dangerously. Elijah

simply scoffed.

“I don't mind, my wolf doesn’t seem bothered either. So I guess we're good and it might be for

the best right? I mean Scarlett's an Alpha with a pack...” He said smirking. Although the thought of

losing his own pack hurt, he wasn't going to let his dad see that. He had put a lot of work into this

pack and he loved it with everything he had.

“You're a fucking disrespectful asshole you know that Elijah? Your mother would be ashamed if

she saw you today!" Jackson snapped, slamming his cutlery down. Jessica closed her eyes trying not

to scream in frustration as she watched her China plate crack in half from the force. Her daughters

watched her try to control her wolf, her eyes flickering dangerously. Everyone knew Jessica's temper

when it came to her dishes.

“I wonder... Shame she’s not around or all this shit wouldn't be happening to start with.” Elijah

growled coldly.

“Elijah, please can you stop.” Scarlett said giving him a look. Indigo looked at her plate

suddenly feeling really upset.

“You know, I don't know what this mating ceremony will bring but can we at least have one

meal as a family? Before shit goes down?!” She said.

“Indigo, language!” Jessica snapped.

“No mom! I'm fed up with seeing all this anger between dad and Elijah! Why can’t we just go

back to normal, back to the way things were? Dad, I don't get it, why can’t you accept their love?

What's so wrong with falling in love? You did it didn't you? I hate being here when all you two do is

throw crap at each other every single chance you get! Dad if Elijah isn't the next Alpha who will take

charge?! Because you can't be so stubborn and make the pack become the ones that suffer because

of your ego!”

“Indigo. This is beyond your understanding.” Jackson said curtly, but Indigo simply shook her

head.

“No, dad. This time you're the one who is failing to understand!” Indigo said, terrified to see her

family breaking apart. “I hope they're mates! Because then I'd like to see how you break your

marriage with mom!”

With those words she ran from the room, not wanting anyone to see her tears.

“Indy!” Elijah said glaring at his dad before he ran out of the room after the girl he considered

his sister.

Jessica looked down at her broken China plate. “All you are doing Jackson is breaking this

family apart, where our own children want to see us separating because of your issues and

stubbornness.” She said, her voice breaking slightly, “Scarlett can you give us some privacy?”

Scarlett looked between her parents and nodded leaving the room, but instead of going too far

she silently pressed herself against the wall, not too close that they could hear her heartbeat but

close enough to hear what was being said.

“Jessica stop encouraging them.” Jackson said, his voice cold

“If this is about status, then I am ready to divorce you for their sake.” Jessica whispered, her

voice breaking. Scarlett clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the gasp that almost escaped her

lips. She heard Jackson's breath hitch and a chair tumble over.

Hess...

“I love you Jackson and I don't ever want to let you go but I love them too. I don't want to

watch them to go through any pain, Scarlett has been through so much already, I dont want her

future compromised because of me... And Elijah?! I took his mothers place; do you know how I feel

that I'm also taking away his Alpha position and that I am the reason he can't happily be with the

woman he loves? If we never fell in love... gotten married... then this wouldn't be happening right

now. I swear Jackson if you blackmail Elijah with the Alpha position and stand by it, get ready to see

those divorce papers!”

Scarlett quickly slipped into the bathroom as she heard the sound of footsteps, knowing her

mother had left the kitchen in a rush. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back out and walked back

to the kitchen once her mother had disappeared up the stairs. Entering the kitchen she saw Jackson

had dropped into a chair, his head in his hands. She felt a sliver of guilt fill her, looking at her

stepfather.

“Dad...” She said. She hadn't called him that in a while, after all, they hadn't been talking

properly and the word felt strange on her lips. He looked up as she approached, both not missing

the pain in the other's eyes. Scarlett didn't stop until she was in front of him, quietly she lowered

herself to the ground, her knees touching the ground as she slowly reached for his face. She hadn't

tried to talk to him but she wanted to give it one shot. For her mum, for Elijah and for herself.

“Scarlett.” Jackson said, looking away as he tried to hide the emotions in his eyes.

“Dad... can you look at me?” She asked quietly. Jackson sighed; he couldn't refuse his little girl.

That was the problem, he considered her his own and it was too much for him to just accept that

she wasn't biologically his. He looked into her sage green eyes, seeing the sadness and guilt in

them.

“What is it, Scarlett?” He asked. Jessica's words had hit him like a slap and he wouldn't deny it

hurt, the rejection and the fact she was willing to leave him so easily.

“I know this isn't the most ideal situation anyone would want to be a part of but it's happening.

You were and still are the father I never had, I still consider you my dad no matter how messed up

this is. Mama still loves you but she wants us all happy, all we need is for you to accept this, please?

If you ever considered me your daughter, will you not grant me this one wish? I've never asked for

anything growing up but today I just want to ask you to accept us. Do you hate me so much that

you can't stand to see me as Luna of this pack?” She said quietly trying to control her own

emotions, to hide the pain from her eyes, something that was becoming increasingly difficult the

longer she spent around Elijah. He had broken down all her walls leaving her exposed, even if he

was like that shield standing right beside her.

Jackson looked at her. “By loving Elijah, it's a sheer reminder that you didn’t consider us your

own.” He said now stroking her hair, thinking when did she grow up? She shook her head, her eyes

flashing defiantly.

“I considered you my father, I'm not lying and you know it. Elijah... I won't lie. I never saw him as

my brother, I never had that bond he and Indigo have.” She said quietly. “Please dad, this won't

change anything. Who cares what the world says? The only thing that matters to me and Elijah is

what our family thinks. Please?”

Jackson closed his eyes, sighing deeply before he took her wrists, removing her hands from his

face and held her hands in front of him. “You know Elijah doesn't care about what I think. Indigo is

angry at me, your mother threatened to divorce me... and now you're asking me to accept it so

calmly...”

“Won't even one of those approaches work?” Scarlett said, Jackson smiled wryly.

“I once said to you any boy you chose to love would be lucky, well that asshole is more than

lucky. What's to like about him anyway?” He said frowning. Scarlett smiled, reaching up from where

she knelt on her knees, she hugged him tightly.

“They say a girl looks for someone who's a lot like her father when it comes to love... I guess I

did the same.” She said softly, praying she could get through to him. “I don't want to lose my

father.” She whispered. Jackson felt his emotions surge as he gave in, he pulled her into a hug.

“You'll always be my little girl Scarlett, for you I'll try but you need to talk to him, tell him to

stop being a rude asshole too.” Jackson said almost complaining. “You know he doesn't even listen

to me.”

Scarlett laughed in relief and amusement as she moved back, she had a feeling she would be

pulled into a battle of tug of war more often than not between the two Alpha’s. “I guess I can try, we

both know Elijah has an ego bigger than the size of England.”

“Now that I agree on...”

“You should go to mom.” Scarlett said. Jackson nodded standing up, about to leave the room,

he paused.

“Don't tell Elijah about our conversation.” He said. “Let him come back from the ceremony at

least.”

“Got it.” Scarlett said standing up, unable to stop the smile that was gracing her face. She

slapped her thighs, heaving a sigh of relief. She turned to gaze out at the sky outside. It felt like a

weight was lifted from her, right now she felt like she could face the world.

“Blood Moon here I come.” She said turning and leaving the room. She needed to do a once

over, to make sure everything was packed

They would be staying the night there and spending the entire day there until the ceremony

which was starting at around 10 pm tomorrow night when the moon was at its peak, it was at that

moment that the mate bond would have a chance to snap into place. The thought made her

nervous yet excited at the same time.

She spent the next few hours keeping herself busy. Indigo and Elijah had returned, and they

even squeezed in a movie before those who were leaving for the ball got ready to go. Elijah and

Scarlett were going alone together, with the rest taking a few cars and making their own way there.

Tomorrow was indeed going to be a long day but both Scarlett and Elijah were prepared for

whatever it brought their way...00000