"Nothing sweetie." He tried to pet my hand, but I pulled it away and that made him a bit upset.
"No Dad. I need you to tell me about her! Weird shit is happening, kids survived a car accident that they should know have survived, someone was lit on fire a tiny bit, and I disappeared in a crowded party tonight after shifting!" I screamed at him and watched him gulp, and the color drained from his face.
"I didn't know, you never told me... I thought..." My father trails off, lost in thought.
"Dad, I've known since I was sixteen that I wasn't like the other wolves, I didn't shift like the rest, so it was pretty obvious. But now things are getting weird, I didn't want to ask because I know mom is a sore subject for you. But I have a right to know dad, what am I?" I asked, looking my father square in the eyes.
He let out a defeated sigh before removing himself from the couch and stepping into the kitchen, saying he'll be right back. And he returns shortly with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and something clenched in his fist. He opened the wine, poured the glasses, and offered me the other.
"You've obviously been drinking, you're basically an adult and this conversation... it's going to be hard." As my eyebrows knitted together, I watched him down the glass's contents before filling it again, he sighed and began his story.
"You remember, but I'll start at the beginning. 19 years ago our pack was plagued by rouge attacks, and one night they got too close to our shelters. I noticed them get into the shelter our Luna was hiding in, and a few men carried her off. I broke ranks and chased them, Claire was able to escape them with my help, and I led them away from the pack with her scent-covered sweater.
During the chase, I managed to kill all the attackers that chased me, and I was incredibly hurt. I was unable to find my bearings and wound up collapsing in the snow and waiting for my heart to stop. But that's when a beautiful woman came from behind the trees, she had strange icy-teal eyes, and light blond hair. She smiled at me and asked my name, but I was too far gone and lost consciousness. When I woke it was in a cave, she had many herbs tied up along the walks and was grinding plants to create some sort of paste that she later used on my wounds.
As soon as she touched me I knew she was my mate, but her smell, and what she could do... she wasn't human or wolf, she was something thought to be extinct. Vampires hunted witches to almost extinction, the magic in their blood makes them a delicacy to them." My father wrinkled his nose in disgust at the thought of his mate being hunted for her blood, but I had just frozen and my jaw fell ajar.
I'm a half-witch?
"The rogues used some silver daggers and had done enough damage that without your mother's aid I would have died. She said that we were destined to meet as we did, and I couldn't help but agree and wasted no time trying to convince her to mate with me.
Eventually, she allowed it when I was able to move around with her help, and she instantly showed signs that you were in her belly." He smiled fondly at me before continuing.
"But that's when things started to go awry, by the time I was healed, your mother became very ill. I panicked as she went into labor, she was so weak before she started, but she assured me everything would happen as it was supposed to. You were born in that cave with just me and her, I cleaned you a bit and she held you we waited for her placenta, but it never came, just more blood and so much more... Your mom, Aria, went pale and cold.
There was nothing I could do but hold you and her as she left us, but she named you before she did, Stella. Knowing that your mother was special, I hid you away and made the cave collapse so that no one would ever disturb her sleep.
Then I figured out where we were and made it back to the back, they were completely shocked at my return, they were trying to figure out who to replace me with when we walked into the Alpha's office together." My father started getting to the end of his tale and began wiping away the tears from his cheeks as he gave a dry chuckle.
I threw myself into my father's arms, giving the man the biggest hug I could. My father had hidden so much from me, but he carried it all alone for years.
"So mom's name was Aria, and she was a witch?" I asked him as my own eyes began to tear up.
"Yes, sweetie, She was a witch, I waited to see who you would take after, me or her but I should have known the moment I saw you Silver hair that the moon goddess led me to Aria. To make you, that you'd be special, you're a Hybrid of a wolf and a witch, the only one known.
Alpha and Luna agreed to keep your mother secret for me, to help protect you. I worried that you'd become a target, so we raised you as a wolf.
It's also why I wanted you to train when you couldn't shift, If you were a witch, physical training wouldn't hurt to help keep you safe. We don't know of any other witches, so to learn your magical side I can't help you." My father patted my head and let out a heavy sigh, he suddenly seemed to have become exhausted.
"Janna, I know you deserved to know that, but it was a bit harder to admit it than I'd like. I hope you don't mind if I head to bed now. Night sweetie." His eyes seemed to droop, and he slumped as he stood to leave for his room. I finished the wine and ventured to my own bed, stripping out of the sweatpants and falling asleep quickly.