THE BROKEN WARRIOR’S DAUGHTER BY COOPER - Season 1 Episode 53

When he asked me to dance, | stared at his hand for a moment. What is he doing?

When | collect myself, | put my hand in his. It’s his birthday and nearly the entire pack is here. There’s no way | can say no without it becoming a huge issue.

He pulls me into him, sliding his warm hand around my waist, and begins to dance. As | look up at him, | realize something | missed earlier. He’s dressed in at shirt that has a trim the same color as my dress. The collar, the cuffs and the trim down the buttons all match me. It looks like we are a couple that planned this.

When | look into his eyes, he is looking right at me, smiling, but I’m not having it. Thankfully, the music will hide our conversation as long as we keep it low.

“What is this?” | ask him, plastering a fake smile on my face for the crowd. “What is what, Cara?”

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“This. This dance. Why me?”

“It’s my birthday and | get to choose who | dance with, and | choose you.”

“Yes, but why? You have an entire entourage of women who would have given an ovary for you to ask them to dance but you asked me. Why? You didn’t even know who | was an hour ago.

“| didn’t know who Cara Nelson was, or | didn’t know that you were Cara Nelson?” “Is there a difference?” | spit the words at him, having difficulty maintaining my smile while we dance and talk.

If it was possible, his gaze on me became even more intense. “Cara Nelson is the daughter of Lily Nelson. Lily Nelson gave her life saving my mother and | when another pack attacked us. | was barely 6 years old at the time, but | remember that day like it was yesterday. Cara Nelson is also the daughter of Clint Nelson. Clint Nelson saved my father’s life during that same battle but it cost him the use. of his legs due to a massive spinal injury that could not be repaired, even though father brought in the best pack doctors from around the world and even some human spinal surgeons to try.”

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My mouth had dropped open a little as | listened. | knew Alpha Anders had tried to help find someone to help my father, but | hadn’t realized it was to that extent. “My father has dinner with Clint Nelson every Thursday without fail. | have asked every week for as long as | can remember if | could join him for those dinners,

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but my father insists that that is his time with his friend. And since my father ordered the pack to give Mr. Nelson his privacy, | have never been able to visit and pay my respects. So instead, | go with my mother every Thursday to Lily Nelson’s memorial to lay flowers and to thank her for her sacrifice.”

His eyes had gotten darker and | knew that Kai was present for this conversation. The absolute respect that Rik displayed while discussing my parents was shared by his wolf. | felt Artemis push forward as well to hear what he was saying and be present for this discussion.

“| thank the goddess every day that my parents and | are alive, which | know is only because of the sacrifice that was made by two of the most respected warriors that this pack has ever known. | have hoped to meet Cara Nelson my entire life. | have searched for her at every pack gathering, every pack event, at meals and events in the packhouse. But | have never stumbled across her.”

“Believe me,” he states as he continues to slowly spin us around the room, “I have wanted to know the woman that will be my Guardian. The woman that will swear her life to protect me when | become Alpha. | want to know who she is, but more importantly, | want her to know who | am. | want her to know that | am a man that is worth protecting. That | am a man that is worthy of the gift of a Guardian. | want her to know that | will be the kind of Alpha that deserves her respect, someone that she will be proud to say she is the Guardian for.”