Amber POV
I just kept running. How could my dad have been here all this time? I can't wrap my head around the fact that I was pretty much living in hell since he left, and he was OK this whole time. Free to do as he pleased. He never came to save me. He never even came to check on me.
I could feel my heart squeeze at this new information and the tears stinging my eyes. After running nonstop for what seemed to be hours, I stopped at a lake. It was a beautiful lake, with the sunset reflecting in it. I didn't have a change of clothes with me, so I just stayed in my wolf form. Finding a comfortable spot I just laid down. I couldn't stop all the emotions coming at once and my tears began to pour out endlessly.
Why wasn't I good enough for him to come back for me? What did I do to deserve him leaving me there? Did he even ever miss me at all? All these questions were swirling around in my head as I began to feel myself drifting off. Sleep quickly consumed me.
I woke up to the sound of twigs snapping. Panic suddenly rose in my chest and my breathing became ragged. My sight was better in wolf form, but I still couldn't see anyone around. I started to growl lowly as the hair on my back stood up.
Suddenly a Dark red wolf emerged from the trees. I started snarling and growling louder to try to scare the wolf in front of me, but instead of doing anything the wolf just laid down.
Seeing that the wolf was not coming to attack me, I calmed down and stopped growling. The hair on my back still stood up, as my wolf and myself were still nervous that there was an unknown wolf so close. Don't wolves travel in packs?
The wolf got up and went behind a tree. Then emerged a man from behind the trees, just dressed simply in a pair of shorts. He had dark red shaggy hair, the same color as his wolf fur. His skin was pale with freckles all over, and he had blue eyes. He was tall, and muscular in form. Gosh, was there ever a werewolf whose body was NOT perfect? I looked at him, studying him closely. Seeing that he had something in his hand, I took a closer look. It looked like a small bag.
"Miss Amber, we have been looking everywhere for you. Here are some clothes for you to change into. Please change so that we can talk." The man spoke quietly seeming as he was trying not to scare me. He took a few steps back again and turned around. I'm guessing he was giving me the all clear to go ahead and change right there. I shifted back into human form and quickly put the clothes on.
"You can turn again, I am dressed." I said to him.
He turned around and took a couple steps closer to me.
I took a few steps back, "Not so fast! I have no idea who you are or what you want from me. Start talking!"
The man looked at the ground and chuckled a little bit. "I am sorry Miss. Amber. My name is Todd. I work with your father. Damien, your father, and a couple of other wolves have been trying to find you for hours."
I took in a sharp breath at the mention of my father. "Well Todd, I don't need my father's help! Please just take me to my mate so I can get the hell out of here."
Todd looked utterly shocked at how I spoke. "Miss Amber…if I may-" he started but I quickly cut him off.
"You may NOT. I don't need any unnecessary talking between you and I about anything having to do with my father. Where is my mate? Please bring me to him." I commanded.
Todd stood there quietly for a moment looking like he was torn between what he should do. He dropped his head down and mumbled, "Follow me then. I will take you to your mate."
I followed behind Todd, not too close because I still didn't trust him a hundred percent, but not too far either in case there was someone else out there I needed protection from.
"So if I may ask Miss Amber…why did you run?" Todd asked.
Letting out a deep sigh, I proceeded to tell Todd about everything. I let him know about how he left years ago, and not only did he leave, but he left me with a psychopath mother and her deranged boyfriend. About how I prayed for my father every day and I was so scared that he was dead. And now that I now he is not dead, I am left with knowing that he could have come for me anytime, but chose not to.
Todd was quiet for a few minutes after I finished telling him everything. Then I heard him clear his throat. "So Miss Amber…I don't know if this makes any bit of a difference, but I do know for a fact that your father worried about you all the time. I don't think he knew you were in any danger or that your situation was bad at all. Your father is not a bad guy, in fact he is the best man that I know."
I let out a small chuckle. "Well then Todd, I'm sorry to say, but you must not have known very many men in your lifetime. No good man would leave his child, let alone his daughter behind for so many years without checking on them."
Just then an all too familiar voice came from right in front of us. "Amber Rose!"