3.

Sophia pov.

A large crash woke me up again, and I sat upright on my bed.

I looked up to see Sam and Sunny at my door, with Sunny holding a tray with food, and Sam just standing there. It seemed he was the one who dropped the tray.

“Forgive this clown. My mum said since you'd be too weak to come down for dinner, we should bring dinner to you." Sunny said and placed the tray down on the bed before me.

I loved the way Aunt Kathy made her chicken. My cousins left me to eat, fortunately, and soon enough, I was done eating.

I took the tray downstairs and met Aunt Kathy clearing the dining table.

“Has dad eaten?" I asked her.

“No" she said sadly, “He barely eats. Ever since he got sick."

That wasn't right. He had to eat to make sure he sustained himself.

“Aunt Kathy, are there any leftovers?" I asked her.

She handed the tray to me and I walked into dad's room, placing the tray at the side of the bed.

My dad turned his head, and smiled when he saw me.

“I smell Kathy's chicken."

I knew my dad had always liked his sister's food.

“Dad, Aunt Kathy said you haven't been eating. That's not right. You need to eat to have strength-."

“A dying man doesn't need strength." He said with a final tone.

Even on his death bed, he was still intimidating. I didn't even know I had started crying, until it dropped on his cheek.

I quickly wiped it away, but he already felt it.

“Are you crying?" He sighed. “Alright, pass me the tray."

I quickly cleaned my tears and helped him sit upright on his bed, before placing the tray on his lap.

He went for the chicken first, leaving almost nothing, not even the bones.

I watched my father. The strongest man I knew, most disciplined, most impartial, and loving man I knew, reduced to a weak dying man.

He slowly picked up the food and slowly chewed. I hated seeing him like this.

I promise. I will find the person that did this. And I will make them pay.

“I'm done." My dad's voice brings me out of my thoughts.

I took the tray and placed it on the table. I held his hands and sat in the space next to him.

“Sophie, my little one. Growing up, you were always the vibrant one. You never let your cousins or anyone in fact, cheat you. As little as you are, when Seth was getting bullied, you were the one who stood up for him. I don't know how you did it, but you made those kids so afraid, they never bothered Seth again."

“Seth was bullied? By who, giants? No one can bully Seth. No one can even look him in the eye, sometimes." I was amused.

“It seems you've forgotten. Your cousin wasn't always like this. As a matter of fact, he was a shy and quiet one. He couldn't look anyone in the eye. After that incident, he came to me and told me to train him, to be just like me. He said, he wanted to protect you in turn, if those kids ever came back. He became like this, for you."

“Protect me? What about Sam and Sunny?"

“Do you think anyone can hurt or bully those two? They can work and talk their way out of anything. I know my children. You and Seth have always been there for each other. Sometimes, not even realizing it. Sam and Sunny, are like two peas in a pod. Perfect together. Sometimes, as their father, I think they're twins. Their strength, is in each other"

We both laughed.

“Now, each and everyone of you, is going to have to look out for one another."

“More importantly, you need your mate by your side, to rule these people effectively."

The mention of my mate got me thinking about what happened last night.

“I knew the thing with Alex won't work out. I knew you weren't destined to be with him. The man that is for you, is also a strong man. And in you, his strength lies. Because of you, he will pull down kingdoms and clans. Just say the word." My dad said, staring me deeply in the eye.

I listened to my dad talk, but I couldn't just tell him about what happened. I don't want to believe my destined mate was still from Alex's pack. I didn't want to believe in any man.

Gently, i took the tray and told him to get some rest. As I got to the door, his voice pulled me back,

“I am an elder. More so, I am still an Alpha. I may be bedridden, but I know everything. You'll come to understand this power, when you take over."

I successfully walked out of the room, straight into the kitchen and dropped the tray.

All of a sudden, I felt hot and suffocated. So I walked outside and stood on the porch and I just stared at the moon.

I decided to go for a walk to clear my head and I didn't realize when I started running.

I ran to the field and then I stopped. I had no idea why I was crying, but my heart did feel so empty and void. More so, my wolf was not happy, not even in the slightest.

“I'm sorry." I apologized to her.

As I closed my eyes, I could feel that sensation again. That tingling.

Then I saw him, the Grey Wolf, standing at the edge of the river, when he last smelled me.

I blinked and opened my eye. I think I just had a vision.

I wiped my tears and stood up from the grass, walking back to the house.

As I got closer, I saw Seth, sneaking back away from the house. I slowly got closer to him, hiding behind the wall. And then jumped out.

“Boo!"

Seth clutched his chest and fell back on the wall. I couldn't even control my laughter.

“The strongest man in the 5 packs was scared by a boo."

Seth recovers himself and cleared his throat.

“I wasn't scared. I was just trying to make you feel good.. I totally saw you."

“Of course you did." I kept laughing

“Where are you coming from at this time? Isn't it past your bedtime?" He said, trying to change the topic.

“No, it is not, and I went for a walk. I should be asking you where you're going. It's almost your time for bed."

“I'm a grown adult. I don't have bedtime."

“Does your dad know that? Maybe I'll just remind you to give you bedtime."

“You wouldn't do that."

“Try me." I said with a smirk.

“Okay fine. " He threw his hands in surrender, “What do you want?"

“Tell me where you're going?"

“Uh.... I'm going to..." He was hesitating, which only meant one thing.

“Oh my God, are you seeing someone? Is she pretty? Or he? No, you can't be gay. You're too mean for that. Is she pretty?" I said, getting too close to his face.

“Yes." He pushed my face away, “She's pretty. Really pretty."

“Awwww, that's so nice. Well, hurry up. Don't keep a lady waiting."

“Thanks". He said with a smile and jogged away.

I smiled at his back, happy that my brother had finally found someone he liked. But I still felt a little sadness within me, wishing I too, could have something like that.

Sam's girly scream, brought me back and I walked Into the living room to see Sam, Sunny and Aunt Kathy and Uncle Fred, in the kitchen, covered in flour from head to toe.

When they all saw me, they froze.

“What in the 5 packs, is going on here? " I asked horrified.

Our kitchen looked even worse than a flour making factory.

There was dough stuck to the ceiling and red food coloring was poured all over the kitchen counter. Aunt Kathy and Sam were both dragging a bag of flour and Uncle Fred and Sunny were both on the floor, with Uncle Fred on top, trying to shove cake icing into his mouth.

“We were trying to bake a cake, to celebrate your return." Aunt Kathy started.

“And how's that going.?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest.

“I don't even like the color red." I said, referring to the food coloring on the table.

“Oh, then I guess it's a good think this turned into a disaster then." Sunny said with a mouth half full, with icing.

I just shook my head and started walking away, when I felt something hit my back.

I touched it to see, I had been egged.

“Game on." I ran back to the kitchen and picked up eggs throwing it in every direction.

I hid behind the counter, to protect myself from Sam throwing flour and Uncle Tim throwing icing at me.

By the time we all got tired and decided to stop, the kitchen was a disaster.

“You all have fun, cleaning this up." I dusted myself and stood up but slipping on some eggs and falling down.

Sam and Sunny burst out laughing and I pick myself up.

“When I become Alpha, I'm sending the both of you to the dungeons for laughing at your Alpha. "

I took some flour in my hands and went to my dad's room. He was already asleep soon gently walked up to him and smeared the flour on either sides of his face.

I held back my laugh, and tiptoed out of his room. Taking a shower was not easy, as there was egg and dough, stuck to my hair. There was flour, everywhere!

I was finally able to wash off the flour, but the dough and egg, were still in my hair. My scalp was beginning to hurt from how much I was pulling my hair.

A knock came through my door and I asked who was there. Aunt Kathy came into the bathroom, with a tray of hair products

She looked at me with pity and then dropped the tray in the bathroom counter.

“Let's get you cleaned up."

She conditioned my hair and then brushed it out, taking one layer at a time. She gently massaged my scalp, seeing how red it had become.

“Thank you, Aunt Kathy." I was truly grateful she came to help me.

“Of course, anytime. I meant it when I said I want to take care of you and your brothers. Your dad is my brother. His children are mine. He talked about his child alot, that I knew every little detail."

“What did he say about me?"

“Your father said a lot about you. But one thing he said, will stick with me forever. He said and I quote,

“She would give up anything and everything for her family."

I loved my cousins to death, despite their many, many flaws.

“And your dad, loves you dearly. He will always be there to protect and guide you, no matter what may happen."

I believed every word she said. She hugged and left my room.

I lay down on my bed, thinking of how me being the Alpha would be like.

As an Alpha, I'm going to be like my dad. Fierce, fast wise and impartial.

I was going to make my parents proud.