The sterile smell of the hospital was slowly being replaced by the scent of my father the rich, grounding aroma and power. I hadn't left his side since the moment we reunited. I refused to go back to Ms. Eleanor's cold estate or wander the streets. I slept in the plush armchair by Leonardo's bed, waking up every few hours just to make sure he was still breathing, still real, and still mine.
For the first time in twenty years, I felt a strange, shimmering sense of safety. It was as if an invisible wall had been built around me. Having Leonardo Khian as a father meant I was no longer a ghost in the world; I had weight, I had a name, and I had a protector.
"You're staring again, Hannah," Leonardo said with a soft chuckle. He was sitting up now, the color returned to his face, looking every bit the Alpha. He reached out and squeezed my hand. His skin was warm, a constant reminder that I wasn't dreaming. "Tell me more about the Ragnars. You said they were kind enough to take you in, but why do you have so many scars on your hands? An Alpha's daughter shouldn't have skin like a field hand."
I looked down at my lap, picking at a loose thread on the hospital gown I had been wearing. "It was a big house, Dad. I liked to keep busy. They... they were traditional. They believed everyone should earn their keep."
He narrowed his eyes, the silver slashes in his hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights. "Tradition is one thing. Exploitation is another. We will deal with them in time. But today, we look forward."
A soft knock at the door interrupted us. Laura walked in, followed by two young men carrying several garment bags and boxes.
"The Mistress sent these," Laura said, her eyes flickering to me with a hint of a smile. "She said a princess cannot meet the pack looking like a street urchin."
Leonardo grunted. "Oh nice, For once, I agree with her. Hannah, go. Change. My inner circle will be here at two o'clock. It is time the pack knows their blood is back."
"Okay dad"
I took the bags into the private bathroom. Inside was a dress made of silk the color of deep emerald, a pair of soft leather boots, and specialized creams for my skin. As I washed and dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror. With the dirt gone and the silk clinging to my frame, I looked... different. I looked like I belonged in a palace rather than a pantry.
I walked back out just as the clock struck two. Leonardo's eyes lit up with pride.
"Beautiful," he whispered. "Just like your mother."
Exactly on time, the door opened and five people stepped in. They moved with a synchronized look, a predatory elegance that marked them all as wolves. They lined up at the foot of Leonardo's bed, their eyes fixed on him with unwavering loyalty.
"You know I promised to introduce you to my pack mates," Leonardo began, his voice taking on a formal, authoritative edge. He gestured to the tallest man, a wall of muscle with eyes like flint. "This is Orion, my Beta. My second-in-command and the strength of my right hand."
Orion nodded, his gaze shifting to me with intense curiosity.
"This is Lyra, my Gamma," he continued, pointing to a woman with sharp, intelligent features. I opened my mouth to ask what a Gamma was, but he saw the question in my eyes. "She is the middle rank, Hannah. Her role is to support me or Orion. She is the strategist, the one who ensures our commands are executed without a flaw."
He moved down the line. "Sage, the Delta our scout and messenger. And Lila, our Omega."
I looked at Lila. I had heard stories about Omegas being the weak, submissive ones, but she was stunningly pretty, with a gentle aura that seemed to soothe the high tension in the room.
Leonardo took a deep breath and looked at them all. "Mates, this is Hannah. My long-lost daughter. My true blood."
The air in the room seemed to vibrate. The five of them didn't hesitate; they moved as one, bowing their heads deeply toward me.
"Welcome back, Princess," they said in unison.
A nervous laugh escaped my throat. "Princess? I... I've been Hannah for more than ten years. Let's not get ahead of ourselves." I turned to Leonardo, trying to process the sheer scale of his power. "If you are really an Alpha, what about Ms. Eleanor and Laura?"
Leonardo leaned back, a small smirk on his face. "Laura is the twin sister of Ms. Eleanor's personal Beta. As for my mother, she was the first female Alpha of our line during her time. She was a pioneer, Hannah. She eventually passed the title to me through pack politics and bloodright. Since I am the firstborn son of her generation, the transition was expected."
I sat on the edge of his bed, feeling the weight of the legacy. I was a hybrid, the daughter of an Alpha, and the granddaughter of the woman who had started it all.
Just as the tension in the room began to melt into a comfortable silence, the large television mounted on the wall flickered to a breaking news report.
"A report just came in that the vehicle of merchant and matriarch Ms. Eleanor Khian was involved in a massive explosion during transit. Early reports indicate the vehicle was targeted. Ms. Eleanor has been rushed to the emergency ward in critical condition."
The glass of water in Leonardo's hand slipped, shattering against the tiled floor with a sound like a gunshot. "What?"
His phone began to vibrate violently on the bedside table. He snatched it up, his face turning a ghostly shade of pale. "Laura? Speak to me."
"Alpha," Laura's voice came through the speaker, cracked and breathless. "I am sorry... we just got the information. The vehicle exploded... it's even a miracle she's even breathing. We are at the North Wing now."
The joy that had filled the room moments ago evaporated, replaced by a cold, suffocating dread. I stood up, my hands trembling. This was supposed to be the start of my new life. We were finally together.
Is it me? I thought, a dark cloud of guilt rising in my chest. Is it my mother's curse? Did I bring this death with me?
Leonardo dropped the phone, his eyes vacant. But as the shock hit him, something strange began to happen to me. My skin started to itch, a low hum vibrating in my bones. I looked at my hands, and for the first time, I felt a surge of something that wasn't just wolf or sentinel.
It felt like lightning.
The lights in the room began to flicker and pop, and the heart monitor attached to my father began to scream a flatline tone even though his heart was still beating.
"Hannah?" Leonardo gasped, looking at me with terror and awe. "Your eyes..."
"I feel it," I whispered, my voice echoing with the depth of three different souls. "Something is happening to me dad, something is coming out."