Chapter 7: Family expectations are rarely met.

"Can I help you?" A female hissed from the desk beside another set of doors. " Dean Fenix doesn’t have any appointments on his schedule for this morning."

“He will want to see her.” Ajax stated taking a seat in the little attached waiting room.

“Her who?” She rolled her eyes before they landed on me. “What do you want?”

"Oh ummm Hello. I was brought here to talk to Dean Fenix by these two." I put my hands in my pockets unsure of what to do with them or say to this stranger who was eyeballing me like I had sat in shit before coming in here. "Could you just let him know I am here?"

"And who are you?" She sneered. 

"Sy-Emersyn, his granddaughter?" It came out sounding like a question but I still didn't believe it myself. I couldn’t expect them too.

"Bullshit. He lost his son years ago and hasn't mentioned any other family." She grabbed her phone and started dialing. "I am calling security to get your filthy ass out of here. Ajax, Jarek, you two know better."

She turned to face her computer before speaking to whoever had answered the phone. Using her ignorance, I ran to the doors ripping them open and fleeing inside. I could hear her yelling with the guys, but I just kept running. I ripped open the door to his office and leapt onto one of the chairs in front of his desk. 

The doors flew open with a shrill voice screaming about the guys lying about me and the Dean would never have someone like me brought there. Her eyes were settled on something in front of me. I turned back toward the front of my chair and noticed for the first time a big ass desk with a bald man sitting there hand holding a pen midair and a smirk on his face. The same smirk that used to sit on my father’s face.

"I am so sorry sir. She ran past me when I was busy. I was just on the phone with security and they will be here shortly." Grabbing a hold of my shirt she tried to pull me up from my chair but I had a solid grip on the arm rests. "Get up. Get up right now. Goddess I am going to have to bleach that chair to get your smell off of it. I have a mind to make the boys do it since they brought you here."

"Theresa, Calm down. I know who she is." He put his hand up and waved her back. "Head back to your desk and let security know it was a misunderstanding."

"What? Why?"

"I knew she was coming. I was the one who invited her here so go on." He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. Her mouth was still hanging open but she headed back to the door. "Oh and Theresa dear if you ever talk to my granddaughter like that again I will sell you to the Grimhorns."

She gasped and ran out the doors slamming them behind her leaving us in silence. I kept my eyes on him as he studied me before taking a good look at Freya who had remained silent this whole time. Jerk didn't even growl when her hands were on me. I could feel her smiling beside me about who knows what but we were gonna have a talk later.

"Hello, Emersyn. It is nice to finally meet you in person." He walked around his desk and took the seat beside me. "Thank you for coming."

He was tall, taller than my father had been based on how high I had to look to see his face while he was walking toward me. He had green eyes unlike my dads blue but his upturned nose and thick lips were like seeing my dad all over. It was starting to be painful to look at him.

"Like I had a choice." I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Somebody sent someone who doesn't know how to take no for an answer or how to make a proper threat to girls who aren't sissys."

He chuckled. It was a deep in your chest kind of chuckle. Just like my dad used to have. A pang went through my heart as I thought of my father and his continues laughter.

"I miss him, too." He admitted with a sad smile. "I wish we could have kept in contact after he left but he was right not to trust anyone. I still can’t trust many of our kind and neither should you."

"Should I not trust you? Did you bring me here for a reason?" I sat up straighter as I took in the room. I needed an escape plan if this went south. "How do I even know you really are my grandfather and not one of the magical beings that can shapeshift?"

"The only reason I brought you here now is because you are now old enough to attend this school. Before if I had brought you in early you wouldn't have been safe." He crossed his legs. "I didn't even know you were still alive until about five years ago and it took a few years to find you. You are a sneaky little devil, you know that."

I didn't reply. He thought I was safer out there than here, yet he didn't come see me out there? Maybe he needs me for some political bull crap and decided now was the time to bring me in. He had another thing coming if he thought I would be any use to him. 

"I know you don't trust me, and you have good reason. What can I do to prove that I am your grandfather?" He hesitated before speaking again. "What can I do to make you trust me? I only want the best for you. I found you but knew if we met or you knew about me it would get you killed. I wanted to bring you home and shower you with love the instant I found you but I knew I couldn't.”

“What would have killed me? Do you know what killed mom and dad?” I asked hoping he would have the answer for me. “No one ever had an answer for me. I remember the bodies…” I choked up.

“You found the bodies? An eight-year-old?” He looked shocked. “That wasn’t in the report. I am so sorry.”

“It wouldn’t be. My mother’s friend lied and said she did. She promised it was to keep me safe but really she wanted to be the victim and get the attention.” I shook my head. “Tell me what happened to them and what the hell I am.”

“That is a long story but I will tell you everything I know.” His smile dropped. “I would like to ask Ajax and Jarek to join us if you don’t mind. They can bring us some food.”

Freya’s ears perked up. “Food would be great. Raw steak for this girl and I would love a big fat juicy burger, onion rings, and a sweet tea.”

“Deal. Give me a moment.” He picked the phone up off his desk and started to make a call.

‘I can feel your sadness. Is this too much for you?’ Freya asked moving to lay her head on my leg.

‘I am fine for now but be ready to run.’ I rubbed her ears.

‘Deal. But after the steak.’ I laughed causing Wilder to look over at me. I just shook my head and went back to staring at his huge personal library with envy.