Side Story 6

Aira When my father later came back from work, the house smelled faintly of the dinner I had prepared. Soon, my mother would also be home, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t take today’s events out of my mind. Owen’s sudden intensity, the way he had acted—it kept playing over and over. My father was the only one I felt I could talk to freely about things like this. So, when I found him sitting in the living room, a book in hand, waiting for my mom so we could eat dinner together, I knew I had to speak up. I cleared my throat and called, “Dad.” He looked up immediately, his warm eyes meeting mine. “What’s up, dear?” I took a deep breath, sliding into the seat across from him. “Um… what does it mean when a male wolf sniffs the scent of an unmated female wolf?” My voice came out quieter than I expected, almost hesitant. He slowly set his book down, removing his glasses, and leaned forward, his brows knitting with curiosity. “What do you mean by that?” “Well… I wouldn’