“You were the butterfly,” Kian noted.
Dad’s eyes crinkled as he smiled, and my heart warmed seeing it. “I was. I am. It's my power. A power that I didn't want the humans to have.”
“But you are with humans now, are you not?” Rowan asked, his brow raising.
Dad nodded. “I am because these humans saved me. There is a small faction. Only about two hundred pledged to the group, but there are humans who want peace in Kalista with everybody—including the supernaturals.”
“It's true,” the woman beside him said, and he snapped his gaze to her.
I watched the pink in his aura grow. The woman had blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes. She was shorter, unlike my mom, who was taller—yet, something about her reminded me of Mom. Maybe it was the way he was looking at her. It was the same way he looked at my mother.
“You're my dad's mate. Aren’t you?”
Both her and Dad’s eyes snapped to mine. “Yes, Wren. This is Faith. She is a human, but she’s my mate.”
“A human for a mate,” Blair mused. “Very interesting. There haven’t been many cases reported, and all of those ended in bloodshed and rejection. I will say you are the only human-supernatural couple I have ever met that has accepted their bond.”
Faith’s fingers laced through Dad's hand as her gaze met mine and softened. “Your father has been trying to find you ever since we rescued him. I’m glad we finally found you.”
I smiled and nodded. “I’m glad too.”
“There was a fox named Jackson captive with you,” Damien mentioned. “We rescued him. He wanted us to let you know.”
“Good. He deserved to go back to his family.” Dad squeezed Faith’s hand tight.
“I knew it!” Simmons jogged over from the Training Hall. “Cooper, I knew you didn't die on us.”
Dad chuckled and shrugged, though pain lingered in his eyes, and Faith winced as if she could feel his pain of losing Mom through the bond—which I’m sure she did. “What can I say?”
“I see you found another mate.” Simmons clapped his hands.
“Yes. My magic has finally calmed. I'm positive that she’s my last mate.”
“So you only had two.” He turned toward the Training Hall as he waved to my dad. “I’m overjoyed that Wren has you again.”
“I am too,” Dad murmured as Simmons walked back to his class that was outside waiting for him.
“We have questions for the humans you are with,” Rowan told my dad.
“We are more than happy to answer,” Faith said.
“If you make so much as one wrong move, I'll kill you.” Rowan growled.
“Rowan,” I hissed.
He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. “Aside from her dad, of course.”
“Rowan, Wren’s firedrake mate. Older than me yet looks more of my daughter’s age,” Dad said.
“That's right. I am her mate, and I don't really care what anyone thinks about it. I’ll protect her, even from her father if I have to.”
“Good. She needs mates like you. I’ve been keeping an eye on my daughter since I've gotten out while I regained my strength.” Dad shifted his gaze to me and smiled. “I made sure you saw me when you were with Simmons in class.”
“So your father’s a habitual stalker too,” Damien muttered under his breath excitedly, and I smiled as I leaned against him for support.
It was like seeing a ghost when looking at my dad. I’d believed he was gone for so long, and while it wassogood to see him alive and aged, it was surreal.
“Why don't you come in?” Blair raised her hand and made a small tear in the wards for them to walk inside and patched it back up as soon as they were in. “We should talk about the war. I have seen no outcome within my visions of betrayal.”
