Eleven

Chapter 11 Cherry

In a whirl of airport lounges, queues, and cramped airline seats, I eventually found myself stepping out of the terminal at Tacoma International Airport. Massaging the strain in my neck, I dragged my small trolley bag out of the airport and went to the taxi rank, relieved when it was finally my turn to climb in and collapse in the back seat.

"Horizon View, Lake Forest, please," I told the driver.

The driver was chatty and asked whether I was here for a holiday or work. "Visiting my dad," I explained.

"Ah, a local, are ya?" He caught my eye conspiratorially in the rearview mirror.

I smiled. "Used to be. I've been living abroad in Berlin for a while."

The driver soon shared with me his plan to take a sightseeing tour of all the states with his wife when he retired. He asked me about Berlin, and I told him about how the city's history and architecture were amazing, and I admitted that I missed my home city. Something I was increasingly aware of as the cab took us south and Seattle's cityscape loomed ahead of us.

We lapsed into a comfortable silence, and I took in the sight of the Space Needle dominating the skyline. I remembered fondly how thrilled I'd felt as a kid first looking out from it across the heights of the city. I remembered

the beautiful, arty Chihuly garden and glass exhibition space near it too. I'd been captivated by the colorful hues of its glass exhibitions, and even the memory of them flooded me with warmth as if I still stood beneath their dazzling shades.

Before my mom passed away, we'd spent some of the happiest weekends there, enjoying the glass sculptures and lush gardens illuminated by lights in the dusk. Bittersweet memories of my mom and dad's smiling faces as they wandered around the place occupied me. Feeling nostalgic, I wondered about revisiting those artworks while I was visiting. Maybe my dad or Bert would be up for coming with me. I wondered if I could use the place as inspiration for a new range of designs next summer. The exhibition's bright color palette amidst the amber lights had always reminded me of summer blending into fall. I mused about coming back to Seattle for photo shoots with my next clothing line, but my stomach somersaulted.

I remembered the text from Bert I'd received during my stopover in London while waiting for my connecting flight. I scooped my phone out of my handbag and opened his text:

I didn't want to overwhelm you when I visited you, but I need to give you the heads up before you get to Starsmoon. Dylan's got a fiancé now. He's engaged to Lucy, who's the Bloodmoon Alpha's daughter. They're getting married in a few months.

As much as I missed things about Seattle, I didn't think it was a good idea for me to come back too often. Not since I already felt my stomach knotting at the thought of seeing Dylan with his new mate. At first, I'd been annoyed Bert hadn't told me in Berlin, but I realized that if I'd known, I'd have struggled even more to come back. My friend knew me well. He'd kept me

in the dark to try to protect me from how it would make me feel. I just needed to get through this trip, I reminded myself. That was all.

I glanced at the next text Bert had sent me,

I'll be over to pick you up this afternoon when you get in. The old Alpha and Luna want to see you this evening. I've made up the spare room at my place for you to stay the night. See you soon!

I knew the time frame was tight. With the stopover in London, it had taken me twenty-four hours to get here. At least with Berlin being nine hours ahead, I'd arrived in time for the new Alpha's Ceremony tomorrow. And I guessed it made sense for me to stay at Bert's to be around for the ceremony, but my stomach cramped at the thought of staying at Starsmoon again. And at the thought of seeing the old Alpha and Luna.

My dad's house was near Horizon View Park, and when the cab finally pulled up, I climbed out of the back and gazed at the green space I'd spent so much time in. My chest twanged as I felt Fern's absence, and imagined sharing the sights and places that had meant so much to me growing up with her.

As the driver deposited my case on the sidewalk, I thanked him and trundled up to the gate of my childhood home. My head was chock-a-block with childhood memories and experiences. As my dad appeared in the doorway of the house, my eyes teared up.

He bounded down the path and cried, "Here's my baby girl." Before wrapping me in his arms.

Taking my case from me, he carried it with ease up the garden path. I admired how well he looked, pleased that he seemed as strong as the last time I'd seen him a couple of years ago.

I was majorly jet-lagged and didn't have time for sleep, so my dad put on a strong pot of coffee instead. I hurriedly freshened up a little in the bathroom, putting on a clean dress, a moonstone-hued midi from my spring range, then dragged a brush through my hair.

With coffee, my dad and I sat outside on the veranda. "So, how's work, Darling?" he asked.

I smiled. "It's good, thanks, Dad. I'm looking forward to getting my fall collection out. With the interns I've got helping, I should make Milan's fashion show."

My dad nodded, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Of course, you'll make the show. I always tell my colleagues there ain't no one with a better work ethic than my little girl."

I heard the pride in his voice. Yet, I knew he thought I was a workaholic. He'd tried to encourage me over the years to focus on my personal life, but I always steered the conversation away from it. Too anxious about coming close to the topic of… Fern.

"I'd love for you to come out and visit me in Berlin soon," I said, sipping my coffee in an attempt to seem more casual about the proposal.

Surprise slackened my dad's wide features. "What's brought this on? I know you've had to come back for the naming of the new Alpha, but you've never asked me to Berlin before."

I appreciated my dad's tact in not referring to Dylan by name but reminded myself I was going to have to grow tougher skin. Soon. I will be seeing him tomorrow.

"I'm more settled in Berlin now," I explained, "than I was in the first few years. And work's finally starting to calm down." I added, "I mean, it will be once I hire someone to cover weekends at the store."

My dad's lips twitched beneath his bushy beard. "It's good to hear you're starting to slow down, love."

I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. "I am; I need to. I mean, I know the whole work-life balance is important, but if it were only me, it wouldn't be such a big deal." I realized I'd started waffling. The jetlag was catching up with me, and I tried to explain more clearly, "I'd like you to come to visit and see what you think of the city. To consider if it's somewhere you could, maybe, relocate to."

When my father's jaw slackened, and he stared at me, I knew he was thrown by my request. I knew I'd started this conversation the wrong way around. I should have opened by telling him about Fern. About why I wanted my dad there with me in Berlin.

"Darling, all my friends are here," he said.

"There are preternatural areas in Berlin, too," I said brightly. "The Mitte District is the main one with many witches and warlocks trading there. And I've met a few shifters hanging out in the area too." The area was where I'd gone to find the scent blocker for Fern. I knew my dad wouldn't cope well adjusting to spending too much time in human society, so I wanted him to know that Berlin had a thriving preternatural community too.

"I've still got my work here with the pack, love," My dad continued. "And I don't think another pack would hire an old codger like me," he said.

I kicked myself for not being considerate about how much it would mean relocating. My father had worked for the Starsmoon Pack his whole life. He was in his late fifties now, and I had to admit relocating cities for him meant starting over completely, with friends, home, and work.

But the truth was I had to tell my dad about Fern because sitting around with both Bert and Fern the other night had been a real eye-opener. I wasn't just me; I was hurting by cutting myself off from my past. I was hurting those I loved: my dad, Bert, and especially Fern.

With my thoughts swirling, I owned up, "I'll visit every year if you do stay here," I said firmly, knowing I wanted my dad to be a bigger part of my life… and my daughter's. "But the reason I want you to visit and consider if it could be somewhere you'd, at least, spend more of your time is because I have a daughter."

My dad's jaw dropped open, and he almost spilled his drink. As he gathered himself, he managed, "A daughter?"

I nodded, but before I could say anything else, a familiar scent flooded my nose.

The grassy, woody scent of another pack member.

Bert came around the side of the house and up onto the veranda. He took one look at my dad and said, "So the Fern's out of the bag then?"

My dad spluttered. "You knew?"

I scowled at my friend. "Bert just found out about her." I fixed my eyes on my dad. "You're the only two who know about her, okay? And I want it to stay that way."

A thousand questions seemed to dance in my dad's stare, but he finally nodded. Perhaps already suspecting the reason for my secrecy. I knew from his tight expression that this conversation wasn't over. But with thoughts about the pack clearly on his mind, he asked, "What's up, Bert? Does the Alpha need me?"

"It's Cherry here I'm for, actually. The old Alpha and Luna want to see her this evening. They asked for her to stay at the compound tonight, too, so she'll be staying at my house. I promise you can have her back tomorrow, Mike."

With a promise to my dad that we'd talk more tomorrow evening after the Alpha Ceremony, I hopped into Bert's truck, and we were soon trundling along the rural road leading to our pack's compound.

We were silent most of the way, and I was pleased that the falling dusk obscured the fields and woods that might have been too much for me to look upon after the whirlwind of the day I'd already had.

In no time, Bert stopped the car outside the old Alpha and Luna's house, and I followed Bert into the beautifully converted barn. Then, I found myself face-to-face with Chris and Heather. The years had been as kind to them as they had been to my dad, and I was happy to see them looking so well.

Heather had tears in her eyes as we broke apart from our hug, and Chris beamed at me as if my leaving was all water under the bridge.

"I know you must be exhausted, but we couldn't resist having you come today when it's been such a long time since we had you with us," Heather said. Chris invited Bert and me to take a stool at the breakfast bar as he offered us drinks.

"How could I mind fulfilling my Alpha and Luna's request when you're stepping down from your role tomorrow?" I said, my eyes running over them with gladness.

Heather beamed, handing me ginger tea as she sipped her own.

Chris cracked open a beer for him and Bert, then said, "We're up to our eyeballs with prep for Dylan's ceremony tomorrow, but we couldn't let the opportunity to catch up with you, slip by."

I smiled. "And what are your plans when Dylan takes over? A well-earned holiday I hope?" My stomach fluttered as I said Dylan's name, but I was proud I managed to keep my voice steady.

Chris chuckled. "I wish, but I think I'll stick around a while in case he needs me. Maybe after his and Lucy's wedding in a few months, Heather and I will take a break."

I noticed Heather's eye on me, and I mustered myself, eager to hide the fact that the mention of Dylan's mate twisted my insides. "A summer wedding will be lovely here," I agreed.

Heather's expression eased. "That it will. Which reminds me, I hoped you might consider designing the wedding clothes for Dylan and Lucy. We'd be so honored if you'd consider it."

Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to act so nonchalantly about the news of Dylan's upcoming nuptials. But now, not seeing a way out of it, I said, "I'd be happy to."

At that moment, the front door clicking open sounded, and my heart galloped as heavy steps, matched with the clip of heels, echoed from the hall.

"Perfect timing," Heather said, and I knew, as I swiveled around on the bar stool, exactly who I'd see.

Dylan and his mate Lucy.