Hearts of Warriors Ch. 12

"Oh God, we've got another charmer in the family," Loretta laughed. "I'm going to try for another baby. We need more girls to counteract all this male charisma." She gestured for them to enter the house.

"Your father's in his study," she said to Lily as she ushered them inside. "Have you had breakfast? Having a vampire for a mate can be a complete pain in the ass. They forget we need to eat just because they don't."

Mac flushed red and frowned at his mate. He had no idea if she'd eaten and was chagrined to admit he hadn't considered that she would need to. He would need to rectify his way of thinking now he was responsible for taking care of Lily. Loretta's unladylike snort of amusement made him blush harder.

"See, this is what I've had to put up with for years, Lily. Hopefully you can train Mackenzie better than I was ever able to train Andrei. Go ahead and see your father. I'll give your mate a crash course in cookery while you're talking."

The low growl that rumbled from Mac's chest didn't even faze Loretta as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Trust me; Lily knows how to handle Andrei. Give them time to scream at each other and they'll join us when they're ready."

Mac's expression was comical as Lily watched her mother override his objections. He was obviously trying hard not to offend her but he was clearly unhappy at the thought of not being with her when she saw her father. It was his expression that had her resolve hardening and her lips twitching with a smile.

"Mom's right, Mac," she said, moving to wrap her arms around his waist. He was gathering her close, securing her protectively in his embrace in an instant. "It's better if Dad lets off steam when you're not around. He'll only shout for a little while. Just stay with Mom until he calms down."

"I said we'd do this together, Lily, and I meant it," he argued, anger lacing his tone. "You're my mate and I'm not leaving you to face Andrei alone." His arms tightened around her to emphasise his point.

Loretta gave them some privacy heading into the kitchen but remaining close enough in case Andrei became tired of waiting for his daughter to come to him and reacted negatively to seeing her wrapped around Mac so intimately. Not that she thought he would do anything too stupid but it was always wise to err on the side of caution after he'd been through such a volatile few weeks.

"You agreed to trust my judgement on this," Lily whispered, tilting her head back to look at Mac. She searched his face intently. "Don't repeat your mistake from last night, please. You have to learn the difference between protecting me and taking over my life. My father would never hurt me."

Mac struggled with the conflicting emotions raging through him. He rebelled at the thought of Lily facing Andrei alone and yet if he didn't let her do this then he'd hurt her as he had this morning. He was damned either way whatever he decided. He'd go quietly insane not knowing what was happening in the study if he let her go alone, and she'd hate him if he refused to let her deal with this herself.

"You call me immediately if you need me," he finally said. There really had been no choice for him. He couldn't do anything that would hurt her so he would just have to suffer through wondering what was happening.

Her big brown eyes sparkled with such joy he knew he'd done the right thing by her. It was the completely wrong thing for him but when she pulled his head down and kissed him so thoroughly he forgot all about where they were, he conceded that he could live with the choice if this was her reaction.

"I love you, Mac." Lily knew how hard it was for him to agree to this. Though he kept his expression as neutral as possible she could feel his emotions through their bond. He was fighting hard to tamp down his protectiveness so he could do the right thing.

"I love you too, sugar," he rumbled quietly, kissing her again before reluctantly letting her go. He stepped back and watched as she squared her shoulders and headed over to a closed door towards the back of the house. He turned and followed Loretta into the kitchen, trusting his mate knew what she was doing.

Lily smoothed down her skirt nervously before she opened the study door and stepped in side. Her father was standing staring out the window with his back to the door and he didn't turn as she entered. She knew he was well aware when they'd arrived and that he'd most likely given her mother time to greet them first.

She closed the door and took a deep breath. "Dad?" She wanted to cringe at how tentative her voice sounded. She was a mated woman now not a child but being around her father always regressed her back to childhood. She hated disappointing him or her mother but she always managed to.

Andrei inhaled the scent of his daughter, reaching out mentally to lightly brush their familial bond. He'd deliberately given Loretta time with Lily, fighting his own urge to go to their child the minute she'd arrived home. His mate hadn't had any contact with her since she'd left the compound. Loretta deserved a moment to ensure herself of her daughter's safety and to meet Mac and form her own opinion of him.

He'd doubted Kal's words the night before. He hadn't thought Lily would be ready to come home so soon after their last discussion, after he'd revealed so much about himself. He'd been frightened she'd think him a monster after his confession and never come home. But she had and she sounded so unsure of herself as she waited for his reaction.

He'd never been one to hide from the difficult things in life but for the first time ever he wanted to stay staring out of a window so he didn't have to turn around and see disappointment in his child's eyes. He'd failed Lily; he knew that now. He'd loved her too much, been possessive and overprotective to the point she had been forced to run away from him. He'd given her his genetic flaw and she'd spent her entire life fighting that inner darkness.

Was this his real punishment for all the wrongs he'd done over his long life? He'd once believed Loretta's abduction had been his punishment but maybe it was more than that. Maybe his entire world of happiness built around his family was the real punishment, where someone somewhere laughed at him as those he loved suffered because of his actions or his physical flaws.

"Dad?" Lily's hesitant voice filled the room again and he forced himself to turn to look at her.

Andrei wanted to look away immediately. He didn't want to see the uncertainty on Lily's face or the gathering moisture in her big brown eyes. It killed him to see her cry, it always had. It killed him knowing that he was responsible for putting those tears there. His heart twisted painfully as he looked for signs of change within his daughter and found them instantly.

She had already mated with Mac which meant she was already leaving his world to embrace the other male's. Losing Lily had always been one of his greatest fears, now it was becoming a reality and it was a blade to his heart knowing their relationship would never be the same again.

He could see the telltale signs of strain in her eyes. It was so subtle most people wouldn't notice it but he did because he knew what to look for. He saw it every day in the mirror, the strain of wondering if today would be the day his battle with his nature was lost.

He knew he should say something, reassure her somehow but he couldn't force his mouth to open as he struggled with the conflicting emotions whirling inside him. He didn't know what to say to make it right, to take away the gathering tears and see her smile again.

Andrei's silence was ripping Lily to pieces inside. He was so still, so unmoving with his neutral expression and cold brown eyes. She had no idea what was going through his head but she knew she'd hurt him badly with her actions. She had to keep swallowing to try and fight the misery inside, knowing he hated it when she cried but feeling the tears coming despite her best efforts.

She loved her father so much and she'd let him down. She was honest enough with herself to admit that she would have done just about anything to claim Mac as her mate. She couldn't regret loving Mac but she could have tried to do things differently so her family wouldn't have been hurt.

The tears spilled over and her breath hitched in her throat. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you, Daddy," she choked out, dropping her gaze from his because she couldn't bear to look at him and see that disappointment cross his face.

Her father moved then, so fast he was standing in front of her between one breath and the next. She was hauled tightly into his arms, squeezed so hard she thought she might break.

Andrei's heart shattered the moment Lily spoke and her tears began to fall. His baby was hurting and he just couldn't tolerate that for an instant. No one was allowed to hurt his children, not even him. "You could never disappoint me, Lily Rose," he whispered gruffly, releasing control of the tight hold he had on his emotions.

His daughter's tears were his undoing and he let his own fall as he ran his hands over her body to reassure himself she was uninjured in anyway physically.

Yes, she'd made mistakes but only because his had been the greater ones. If he'd been less overbearing she would have been able to talk to him safe in the knowledge he would've listened to her. She wouldn't have had to put herself at risk to claim her mate if he'd been more reasonable and less hot-headed. Loretta was right when she'd said he'd driven his children away. He hadn't meant to but that didn't negate the truth of it.

"I let you down, Lily," he groaned hoarsely. "I sheltered you too much because I loved you so much. I was warned years ago that I'd pay for my actions but I was so arrogant in believing I knew what was right that I ignored the words and went on doing things my way. It was never my intention to hurt you though. I just needed to keep you safe."

Lily was hugging her father as tightly as he was hugging her. The relief of being home, of knowing he wasn't still angry with her made her tears flow harder. She'd expected angry words, their usual clash of tempers when things became strained between them but she hadn't expected his apology or his tears. It was just so wrong to see her father like this and yet she felt honoured that he was letting her in, treating her as an adult rather than a child.

"I know that, Daddy," she whispered tremulously, running a hand soothingly down his back because she hated seeing him so miserable. "I've always known that, so has Kal. We might not have known all your reasons for doing things but we've always known they were done out of love for us."

She pulled back so she could look up at him and give him a tentative smile. "I guess I'm just too much like you sometimes. I don't always think through the consequences of my actions and then pay the price for them later."

Andrei brushed the tears from her cheeks and stared at his daughter in amazement. She had Loretta's big heart when it came to forgiveness, instantly absolving him of all his wrong doings. He was so proud of the woman Lily had become. It may have taken him a long time to acknowledge that she had grown up but now that he had, he was so full of pride at how wonderful she'd turned out.

"I was afraid of losing you," he admitted, pressing his hand against the side of her face. "I didn't want any other male coming along and stealing your heart from me."

A burst of laughter escaped Lily and she rolled her eyes. "You're so silly sometimes. No one could ever replace you. You're my dad." She said it with such finality as if it was carved in stone for the world to know. "I love you, Dad. I'll probably still have moments when I'm reaching out to you when I feel insecure about something. I know you'll always be there for me no matter what."

"But you have Mac now, Lily. He's your mate and it's his place to take care of you, not just your physical well-being but your emotional well-being too," Andrei pointed out, hating to say the words but knowing they were true. He still had his exceptionally close bond with Alexei but it was Loretta he turned to now when he was troubled which was how it should be with mates.

"Well, I can't very well turn to him when he's pissing me off, can I?" she retorted with another laugh, though her expression softened as she spoke of the man she'd chosen as her mate. "And boy, does he know how to piss me off already. He actually thought he could fight the mating pull. The stupid male even tried to go to Europe to get away from me!"

Her indignant tone eased the last of Andrei's sadness and he burst out laughing at her outraged expression. She looked so much like her mother the way she tilted her chin up and her eyes flashed with indignation. It reminded him of when his mate had caught him with Marcia all those years ago. She'd that same steely determination that nothing and no one would get in her way of claiming her mate.

Andrei actually felt some sympathy for Mackenzie. If Lily had been as determined as Loretta, then he hadn't stood a chance against her just as he'd never stood a chance against his Rose.

Maybe he could handle this whole mating thing better than he'd initially thought. Seeing Lily so alive, the love and happiness on her face as she spoke of her mate...that was priceless in his eyes and if it was what Mac gave to her then he could accept it.

"You love him." It was a statement rather than a question. He could see her emotions clearly in her expression.

"He's everything to me, Dad," she smiled softly and then her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed. "You're not going to do anything silly like play the overprotective father routine, are you?"

It had crossed his mind, he couldn't deny that, but he knew he wouldn't do anything to let his child down again. She had made her choice and despite the few misgivings he had about Mac's past, he conceded the other vampire was an excellent choice of mate for his wayward daughter. He had the strength to not only protect her but to keep her in check when she needed it.

"I told you I wouldn't." He kissed her forehead and hugged her close again, enjoying this moment with her. "If he gives you even a fraction of what your mother gives to me I could never take that away from you, honey. I'm surprised he's not in here with you."

Lily laughed and gave him another squeeze before moving out of his arms to perch on the edge of his desk. "He would've been only Mom and I managed to persuade him to stay away until we had time to talk."

Andrei knew just how hard that would've been for Mac. Any mated male would struggle to allow his mate to go into a potentially hazardous situation alone. It would be doubly worse on a newly mated male who was being subjected to all manner of extreme emotions. He could remember his own instincts going haywire when he'd first mated with Loretta.

"Dad, you're growling," Lily sighed, amusement creeping into her tone.

He shot her a lopsided grin. "Sorry. Thinking about what newly mated couples get up to isn't a wise move in the same context with my daughter."

"Dad!" she blushed scarlet, scandalised laughter filling the room. It filled Andrei with such joy to hear the sound and see the happiness on her face. It was all he'd ever wanted for his children, to be happy. The changes in Lily were so easy to see and they were all good changes.

Leaning against the desk beside her he tackled the topic he'd been trying to avoid and knew he couldn't. ""Your wolf...she's respecting Mac's dominance so far?"

Lily sobered at the serious note in her father's voice. She could tell he was still feeling responsible for something which wasn't his fault. He probably always would and she didn't know how to convince him otherwise. She'd felt his pain and despair when she'd told him about it. It was buried deep within him. Cauterising that wound would be nigh on impossible.

"This morning my wolf was content for the first time ever," she admitted in a quiet voice. "She listens to Mac, respects him as her mate. I know it's not always going to be easy and there will be times when Mac may have to be very harsh to help me, but I know together we can achieve anything we set out to."

That brought a raised eyebrow from her father and her own curiosity to the fore. "How does Mom help you?"

The smile that crossed his face was so full of love she found herself automatically smiling too. Her parents' relationship had always been beautiful to watch as she was growing up, the way they just fit so well together and obviously adored each other. It was the template from which she'd built her own dreams of what her life would be with her mate when she grew up.

"Your mother soothes me with her love. I guess it would be different for you and Mac because I'm the aggressor in our relationship and while your mother is pretty formidable herself as a Beta, my beast requires her love to be tamed rather than aggression."

She nodded her agreement. "My wolf needs to be dominated when she gets out of hand. She needs someone stronger, more aggressive than her to make her submit. Mac does that instinctively though I don't think he likes it very much. The one time he had to do it, he wrecked a room right afterwards."

She sighed deeply at the memory, and then she smiled ruefully. "Hopefully we won't have to redecorate the house too much even if it's badly in need of it. That man sure does like dark wood."

Andrei was quiet, taking in her words and working on the guilt he felt inside. It was good to know Lily had the safety net she needed but still he felt bad that she even needed to have one. If he had been stronger then maybe she wouldn't have had to deal with this aspect of her personality.

"I haven't thanked you for all you've done for me," Lily said quietly, her expression sombre as he turned to look at her with a surprised expression. She gave him another smile so full of love he wondered how he could have been so lucky to be blessed with such a wonderful family.

"You've kept me balanced all my life, Dad. Kal has too to a certain extent but the reason I was able to control my wolf for so long was because of you. She respects you as a dominant male in her life. I know you feel as if you've given me some kind of curse but you also gave me the means to fight it by loving me and protecting me as you have. I don't want you to feel guilty about this. It's just one of those things and it has shaped me into the person I am today."

Andrei slipped an arm around his daughter, pulling her against his side as she wrapped her arms around him. "When did you get to be so wise?" he asked gruffly, his emotions once more close to the surface. "You've grown into a wonderful young woman, Liliana. I'm so proud of your strength and integrity. You're everything a father could wish for and more. I love you so damned much it hurts sometimes."

She felt tears gather in her eyes again but they were happy tears this time as her father's love and approval surrounded her in a warm cocoon. She adored him so much. Having his love and respect meant the world to her. "I love you too, Dad," she whispered. "So much that I get scared sometimes I'll let you down so badly you'll find it hard to forgive me."

"Never, Lily," he ground out hoarsely, pulling her tightly into his arms and kissing the top of her head. "There is nothing you or your brother could ever do which would make me turn away from you. You're my children. You're my life just as your mother is. I would forgive you anything and give my life to keep you safe. Don't ever think otherwise, honey."

Silence filled the room as they hugged each other tightly. Lily had always had a special connection to her father but it was different now, stronger in a way she could never have imagined. He was no longer treating her like a child. He'd opened his heart and mind to her, shown her his fears and his deep love for her. She hoped she'd given him the same feeling of peace and acceptance he'd given her.