Chapter 30

　　Cherry 　　When my dad eventually returned, I almost leaped out of my skin. Yet as he rushed through the door and pulled me into a much-needed hug, I calmed down instantly. For a moment, I reveled in the fact that words were unnecessary. As part of the pack, he’d witnessed Dylan’s outburst and must have watched as he’d found me in the crowd, then pulled me out to the balcony. 　　“I knew I shouldn’t ever have come back,” I murmured forlornly into my dad’s chest. 　　He stepped away, taking a seat on the sofa opposite me, while I poured him a coffee from the pot into the other mug I’d already readied for him. My hands trembled, but doing something felt good. 　　“Thanks, love.” My dad accepted the drink. He drank it black, and although it was too hot to drink yet, he brought it up to his mouth, savoring the aroma as he always did. 　　For a while, we were quiet. With my dad for company, I no longer felt so jumpy. As I sipped at my drink, it felt good to know that even if the worst happened and