UNDERESTIMATING THE RAT

ROSA'S POV.

My heart lurched in worry, as more time passed after Ryan and Logan had left.

"Don't worry, love. They would both be fine." Audrey patted my back affectionately.

"But....."

"It's only been 20 minutes. Don't worry."

"Okay." I nodded frantically, still feeling uneasy. I definitely didn't think that pathetic man stood a chance against my mate and king Logan, so why was I feeling this way? "Why can't I connect to his mindlink then?" I muttered.

"Maybe he purposely shut you out, knowing you were going to get this way." She reasoned.

Fair enough.

"Alright then.... you should try mindlinking Logan as well." I suggested.

"No, darling." She smiled at me in disbelief. "I should try getting back to my baby, and feeding her."

"Oh, Blaze." I whispered, feeling guilty for having forgotten her.

"Yeah, she should be awake anytime now. And when she does, she would certainly be hungry. Lady has a huge appetite." Audrey said, standing up and excusing herself. "Would be back soon, love."

With that, she exited our chambers, leaving me to my intrusive thoughts and unnecessary fears.

If only I knew how valid my fears had been....

After a shortwhile, I sniffed a different but familiar smell around, indicating that someone else aside the gaurds was here. It took a few more seconds for that scent to finally register in my brain.

It was my... Dad. Father.

Just then, the doors were pulled open and he stepped in, looking quite tensed.

The moment our eyes locked, my heart did a smooth flip. There was something about the way he looked at me. It was raw and untapped love, just waiting for me to finally claim it.

Oh, the goddess knew how much I wanted to. How much I had missed seeing his face. How much I just wanted to get over the shock of everything, and become accustomed to the reality that he was my father.

But what was stopping me? Why did I find it difficult to just embrace this obviously wonderful change in my life?

Or had I gotten so used to suffering, that being happy was so hard to accept?

But then, what was he doing here by this time? I thought the council chiefs had all returned home after their meeting a while back?

"Father....?" I trailed off, realizing that was the first time I was actually referring to him as that. The shock on his face, told me we had the very same thought going through our minds.

"You....." He was about to speak, when I cut him off.

"What are you doing here?"

"Rosaliiine....." He released an exhausting sigh, suddenly covering the distance between us and pulling me into his warm embrace. "I've been worried sick about you." He managed to say, pulling back to look at me. He breathed more actively, causing me to worry.

I looked into his eyes to see them clouded with tears, and it provoked my own tear glands as well. "Earlier tonight, I begged Alpha Ryan to let me see you, but...."

"I'm sorryyyy!" I cried. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...." I repeated, not sure I knew what next to say. "I just...."

"It's okay." He rubbed my arms affectionately. "I know." He said, nodding in reassurance. "I just had to see you, because I thought the Alpha was keeping something away from me. Everything seemed off in the castle today. The soldiers were no where to be seen. The Gamma was absent as well. To top it all, you also weren't out for dinner. I thought something was wrong, my sweet." He whispered the last part, leaning down to give me a chaste kiss on the tip of my nose.

My mom used to do that too.

I suddenly felt this familiar wave of childhood wash over me, making it more apparent that this man was a parent. My parent.

"Father....." I whispered, feeling more audacious to repeat the word. "Father!" I yelled out, a bout of tears following suite as I leaped into his waiting arms. I could perceive the reach smell of sandalwood, mint and coffee on him. All together, giving a burst of familiarity and peace. it smelled like HOME.

I was home. Finally.

He squeezed my body, bending to percieve my scent on the crook of my neck.

If Ryan had done that, I would have probably felt turned on. But with my father, it felt filial.

"Why did you.....?" I was about to ask why he didn't find me sooner, but the sudden whooshing sound that I heard at the other side of my chamber doors, had me trailing off.

The look my father gave me, was enough to tell me that he also heard the sound.

Was Ryan back already?

Naturally, it was actually supposed to take them nothing to arrest Guildford and bring him down to the castle. But somehow, something within me knew it was going to be a tough one.

Why did I think such stupid things?

Just as soon as we heard the whooshing sound, I heard someone groan in pain, before a low thud sounded on the floor.

Wait...

Why did that sound like one of the soldiers stationed to guard our chambers?

"Something is off, right?" Father asked, to which I gave a hesitant nod. I wasn't quite sure. "Something is definitely off!" He suddenly growled, turning to the door just the very same time it burst open and an unidentified creature sped towards us in unbelievable speed.

A vampire?

No, vampire's''. Because the next second, two others sped into the chambers, all standing before father and I. In that moment, I didn't panic because I knew we had a peace treaty with the other three kingdoms. They couldn't be here to hurt us.

That was what I thought, until I sniffed the air and realized.....

I could feel my father's protective instincts shoot in, as he pulled me closer to himself, hiding half of my body behind himself.

'Vampires. And rogues, for that matter. How did they get in here?', Father's voice filtered through our mindlink.

'I... I... I don't know!', I replied in a full on panic state, when it occured to me that they may have just killed the soldiers standing guard at the entrance of my chambers.

"Guilford wants her. Give her to us, and we'll leave peacefully." The one who looked to be the leader amongst the three vampires, said out loudly.

Oh, goddess! There was a problem. There was definitely a problem, if these were Guilford's men! So he had been in contact with rogues?!

'Guilford?!!', Father's voice bursted through our mindlink, literally chastising me now of all times. 'What are you all not telling me? I am your father for goddess sake!'

"Rest assured, we wouldn't leave without her." Their leader whispered, making his way towards us in predatory steps.

"I guess we're up for a fight then." Father muttered, a low growl reverberating through his chest as he pushed me further behind him. The next thing I knew, he shifted into his wolf form, his giant wolf standing tall before me.

One of the vampires lunged at father's wolf in crazy speed, and a deadly fight began.

Not wanting to leave father alone in this, I got into a fighting stance. Tears instantly clogged my eyes as I had a quick flashback of how things went with Theo and Vera.

These were rogue vampires, and they could probably do more harm than Theo and his sister had done to me.

My baby!

'Do not make a move!', father warned through our mindlink, while he successfully tackled one of them to the floor, sinking his fangs into the bastard's neck.

What I didn't think, was the fact that these people weren't here to fight fair. Before I could comprehend what was happening, one of the other vampires jumped onto father's wolf from behind, and a scream tumbled out of my lips.

A lot of things ran through my mind at the same time, and I didn't know what to do.

Finally, I managed to salvage a single thought in my mind. It wasn't a thought after all. It was father mindlinking me.

"Get hold of the Gamma or Beta Philp! Luna Audrey or Ralia? Anyone. Now!"

All these people he mentioned weren't in the castle. All except Ralia and Audrey.

'Audrey!! Ralia!!!' I tried connecting to both of them at once. After a few seconds, Audrey's voice filtered through.

'Rosa! Are you okay?'

'No....!! there are some ro....', I trailed off when my father's wolf suddenly let out a loud howl.

I watched in inexplicable fear, as his wolf tumbled down the lifeless body of the vampire he had attacked, falling onto the floor with a loud thud. He shifted back to his naked human form, breathing difficultly.

'Rosa!! I'm coming to you now!', Audrey said, but I was too lost to even comprehend her statement.

"Father!!!" I yelled out, tears blinding my eyes. As I made my way towards his figure, I felt someone else run into me, grabbing me firmly by the waist, and speeding off.

As we breezed through the hallway, we ran past a group of soldiers marching towards my chambers.

They were too late.

I felt as though a bucket of ice had been poured over me, making me too numb to put up even the weakest fight against my captor.

Had I just....?

Did I just...?

My father!