chapter 2

Father did what he told me he would do, he kept his word. We went to the house and he finally saw the living condition I lived in down in the basement. He had gone ahead and grabbed all my books for me, he's known how much I love to read. Tara was livid and Marissa tried to grab me but dad wouldn't let it happen. He even had Tyler the other beta meet us at the house so nothing would happen. He told them to stay away from me, and to not even talk to me. They were still invited to the gala however, since Tara's father would be attending it also.

I slept so well at the pack house last night, probably the best sleep I've had in a while, if I'm being honest. As I laid in the soft bed, there was a small knock at the door.

"Come in!" I said as I got off the bed, and the door opened and my father appeared in my room.

"Good morning Tessie" He smiled at me. "Breakfast is ready if you're hungry."

"Yes I am, let me get dressed real fast." I said as I walked into the bathroom. Quickly changing out of my pajamas, I put on a pair of black jeans and a blue tank top.

After changing I walked out of the bathroom and my dad was sitting on the chest at the end of the bed.

"Ready?" he asked me as he smiled.

"Yes I am."

Dad stood up and walked towards the door and I followed behind him closely so I wouldn't get lost. Other wolves in the pack house were staring at me as me and dad walked past them, some of them whispering.

"I thought she was dead." one said

"Who's that?" another one stated

"Whoa she looks like Charlotte." an elder wolf said.

"See what I mean, people either thought you were dead or didn't even know who you were anymore. That's when I knew something was up." Dad said softly, you could hear the hurt in his voice. The fact people didn't even know his own daughter or had completely forgotten that I had existed.

Finally we had made it to the kitchen, In the kitchen sat Tyler and Alpha Jax. Alpha Jax looked sickly no wonder why father was taking over the position of Alpha.

"Good Morning Tessa '' Tyler greeted as we walked in, Alpha Jax looked up and smiled, but didnt say anything, which was very strange because the last time I saw him he wouldn't shut up about my looks.

"Good morning, sorry for causing any trouble for staying here last night Alpha." I said softly as dad sat down at the table.

Alpha Jax shook his head "No it was no problem at all, If I would have known the severity of the situation you would have been here sooner."

Dad growled slightly, he found out last night that Alpha Jax knew about the problem somewhat but never did anything about it, nor did he tell him about it. Alpha flinched slightly and looked down at his breakfast.

I nodded and sat down at the table next to dad, the servants brought us a plate each, with over easy eggs, some back and toast with butter. It looked great. Everybody ate in silence, the servants took all of our plates to the sink and began to wash them. I looked over at dad and he was talking to Tyler, Alpha Jax had already disappeared.

"Tessie we will be going out today, Tyler will be accompanying us if that's alright with you." He said as if he knew I was looking at him.

"Yes sir, that's fine." I said softly and stood up as the two of them stood up.

"I called the seamstress in town, she is waiting for us." He said looking back at me, Tyler motioned me to follow them. As they were walking away

"Okay!" I say as I caught up to them.

"We're just going to walk since it's not a far walk from here, if that's alright with you Tessie."

"Oh no, that's perfectly fine dad, I don't mind walking. It's a pretty day out." I say as I look up at the clear blue sky.

"Goddess you're just like Charlotte." Tyler exclaimed and my dad nodded in agreement with his statement.

I've heard that a lot as a child, everyone saying I'm like my mother, I miss her very much, I was always afraid of being blamed for her death since it was me and other children she was protecting when she was killed.

We all walked in silence down the sidewalk as we got into the main part of the town. Wolves in the pack have their own buildings here from clothing stores to grocery stores to hardware stores and so on, that way we don't have to go out in the human world often.

After going through the town for a bit we finally arrived at the seamstress shop, which specializes in gala and other types of partyware.

Tyler opened the door to the shop and I followed dad into the place. There were hundreds of suits, dresses, shoes, and even accessories. Which the seamstress makes herself with help of the other staff she has there.

"Oh Matt, welcome, it's been a while." a woman's voice sang, as she walked up to us. Her hair is salt and pepper like, bright green eyes and pale skin. She was quite beautiful, honestly.

"Hello Olivia, it has been a while." My dad smiles and hugs the woman.

"Now now, look who we have here, Miss Tessa, it has been a long time since I've seen you hun." Oliva said as she looked around my dad and saw me. "My you look like Charlotte."

"It's good to see you again Olivia, and thank you I've been told that a lot recently."

Tyler stood by the front door as if he was on the look out for somebody, however I paid it no mind, it's been a while since I've been dress shopping with my dad, we'd come here with mom and pick out dresses when we would be invited to a gala which was often when i was young.

"Now Tessa what color dress were you thinking of doing?" Olivia asked as she started looking through a rack of dresses.

"Blue, Gray or Burgundy" I said softly looking at her, as she smiled.

"Perfect, all three of those colors would look wonderful on you, now come with me, Matt go pick you out a suit, on the house alright." Olivia smiled at him and grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I looked back at my dad who nodded telling me it's alright.

"Take it easy on her Olivia." My dad called out to her.

"Oh I will, darling." she replied as my dad could no longer be spotted.

"Matt said you're hoping to find your mate tonight." Olivia stated as she started pulling some dresses putting them on her arm.

I started to look through the dresses with her, pulling a few different choices. "Yes I am, I'm almost nineteen so it's time to find him." I said to her,

"Also to get away from Tara." She said softly, causing me to gasp at her words.

"The pack already knows somewhat of what happened, word spreads fast, same with Alpha Matt becoming the new Alpha when the full moon comes." she says to me ushering me into a fitting room handing me a handful of dresses to try on.

"It hasn't even been a day since dad found out.' I say as I looked through the dresses pulling ones aside that I like and ones i dont like handing them out the curtain to Olivia who was taking them from me.

"Like I said, it spreads fast." she says cheerfully "Now try on some of those dresses and come out when you have one on." I could hear the sass in her tone, she's always been a sassy woman.

"Ok ok." I giggle and undress out of my clothes. Looking at the dresses I first tried on a satin navy blue dress, that goes down to my feet and is spaghetti strapped.

I opened the curtain and Olivia looked at me. "Nope, not that one." she shook her head.

I close the curtain back and get out of the dress, I trust her opinion when it comes to this type of thing. I then put on a short burgundy dress. That was strapless.

"Not even coming out in this one, I dont like it." I say loud enough for Olivia to hear me.

"Okay sweetheart go ahead and put on the other one." she responded

Getting out of the other dress I put on a light gray dress that touched the floor. There was a slit in the bottom that reached to my thigh, hugged me in the right place and it had spaghetti straps on it. I absolutely loved it, it made my hair and eyes pop.

I open the curtain and Olivia gasps "Oh darling that's the one." she squealed.

"You think so?" I smiled

"Oh Matt honey come look at Tessa" She called out loudly. A few moments passed and my dad appeared around the corner, he smiled instantly.

"Beautiful." he said, grabbing my hand and twirling me around as if I was a child.

"You're making me dizzy, dad." I laughed.

"Sorry Tessie." he said, giving me an apologetic smile.

"Here's some shoes to go with the dress hun." Olivia said to me as she handed me a pair of red heels.

"Thank you." I smiled taking them from her as dad handed her his credit card but she gave it right back to him.

"Nope everything is on the house today, she needs this so it's on me." Olivia smiled and winked at me then walked away.I walked back into the dressing room closing the curtain and got out of the dress and put my clothes back on.

"Tessa, do you plan on wearing make-up tonight." my dad asked me through the curtain.

"I would if I had some." I replied back as I opened the curtain.

"Olivia said go pick some out that you want."

"She's already done so much, I can't do that, I'll be fine without makeup." I say softly looking down at the shoes and dress in my hands.

"I'm not taking no as an answer darling." Olivia chipped in as she walked back over to us, one of her assistants with her with a bag. Olivia took the tux from dad and the dress and shoes from me, setting them in the bag, then the assistant walked away to the front of the store with it.

I sigh in defeat, Olivia is just as I remember, persistent as always. "Okay fine you win this time." I smiled

Olivia grabbed my hand again and led me to where accessories and makeup were. Carefully I looked through all the makeup, picking out some foundation and so mascara and a red tint lipstick.

"Here take these earrings also darling and this thigh necklace." Olivia says to me, handing me it. It was a black elastic band that had a red blood crystal hanging down with a line of diamonds that dangal down on either side of it, it was really pretty.

"Thank you, it's beautiful." I said as I admired it.

"You're welcome hun, i hope you find your mate tonight, i really do and i know Matt does also." She smiled and hugged me. Dad walked up to us as we pulled away from the hug.

"You ready Tessie, you need to get back and get dressed. We have about an hour and a half before we need to leave to head out to the Blue Moon pack."

"We're done now." I said as I looked over at him. "Thank you so much for helping Olivia."

"No problem darling, have fun tonight and good luck." She smiled at me and gave my dad a nod of approval.

Dad started to walk towards the door and I followed behind him. "Thank you dad." I said as I looked up at him.

"You're welcome sweetheart." he said as Tyler walked over to us. "Alright let's get back to the pack house and get ready. Tara and Marissa will be meeting us at the gala separately, there are rules of where they will not talk to you nor will they be near us, unless it's at the table."

"O-okay." I say softly, I really wish they weren't going but it is where Tara is from and her father will be there so she must attend.

All of us were quiet on the way back to the Pack house, Tyler carried the bag for us. Pack members stopped in their tracks when they saw me as I walked next to dad. They murmured amongst themselves. Moments later we were finally back at the pack house. Tyler handed me the bag that had my stuff in it.

"Thank you Tyler." I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"You're welcome dear, have fun tonight and good luck." He then disappeared down the hallway.

I headed to the room where I resided last night, closed the door behind me and locked it. I walked over to the bed, pulling everything out of the bag, laying it out so I could see everything. I undressed, taking everything off but my panties. I slipped into the gray dress, I walked over to the mirror to see myself. I couldn't help but gasp when I saw myself, I looked like mom. I'm missing her more often now, I really wish she could be here still.

I shook my head, getting myself out of that train of thought, before it would cause me to cry. Most humans would think that the way my dad is acting, wanting me to find my mate, and to move away is cruel. However due to the circumstances he's doing it for my safety and on top of that, that's just how my kind is honestly.

I walked back over to the bed, grabbing the thigh necklace and putting it on my right thigh where it's able to be seen through the slit of the dress. I then put on the dark red heels that Olivia picked out for me. I looked over at the clock, I have thirty minutes left to finish getting ready and I still have to do my hair and makeup, great.

Quickly I go to the bathroom, setting all my stuff on the counter. I brushed my hair, taking the side pieces braiding them around my head making it seem like a crown. Quickly I put on my makeup, making it look as natural as possible. Adding a bit of the lip tint on my lips to give just a small pop of color to my pale face. Last but not least I put on the ruby earrings that Olivia gave me to wear.

Just as I walked out of the bathroom there was a knock on the door. I walked over to the door and opened it, standing there was my dad in his black suit with a black tie.

"Goddess you look like..." He was speechless

"Mom" I smiled

"Yeah. Look Tessie, I'm sorry for being so blind about things these last five years. I know I can't take back everything from not being there, but I sure can try my hardest to fix it, and fix our relationship."

"I know dad, and it's fine, I'm just glad you're here now." I said as I hugged him, and he returned the hug.

"Now let's get going, or we'll be late." he said as he pulled away from the hug. I closed the door behind us as we left the room, to head to the car that was waiting for us to take us to the gala.