Behind The Alpha Series Book 1 Quinn

Chapter 1

Chapter 1
(Chapter song ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes' by Siouxsie and the Banshees)
2014

“Quinn!  Slow down!” 
“No way!  I’m beating you to mommy this time!”  My feet peddle my brand new red and silver two wheeler as fast as they could go. 
“Quinn!  You’re gonna fall!” 
My dad ran behind him.  He’s teaching me to ride and I caught on quick.  Way quicker than he was prepared for.  I took off and in a panic, he chased me down the street.
“Hurry up, slow poke!”  I look over my shoulder and smile. 
I fly down the tree lined, suburban sidewalk, giggling at my dad running behind me.
“LOOK OUT!”  He points frantically. 
I look in front of me.  My eyes widen to a big tree sitting right in my path.  “Whoa!”  I turn the bike handles fast, lose control and fall on my side on the sidewalk.  Immediately tears fell.  I wasn’t hurt.  Just scared. 
My dad skidded to a stop and scooped me off the walk into his arms.  “You scared da crap outta me.  Don’t ever do dat again!”  He said sternly as he hugged me tight in his big, strong arms. 
“I’m sowry.”  I wailed on his shoulder.
“Here.  Let me look at ya.”  He pushed me back and looked me all over.  “You’re not hurt?”
I shake my head.  “No.”
“Scared ya, huh?”  He asks.
I nod with a big frown and quarter sized tears in my eyes. 
“Got it.  It’s OK to be scared of something, but you can’t let it ruin what you want to do.  You can’t be afraid of the bike.  You have to learn, next time, don’t go so fast and watch where you’re going, ok?”  My dad looked at me with his smiling, brown eyes. 
I place my hand on his scruffy cheek. I look into his eyes and play with black hair.  He looks so much like me, but that’s why he’s my dad.  “It’s too hard.” I whine.  “I wanna be big like you and it be easy.”  I mumble.
“Ya know dat day will come.  Right?  Soon you’ll be big and strong and riding the bike like a pro.  Just like your old man taught ya, but right now, you need ta practice because why?...”  He tilts his head to me.
“Pwatice makes…um…”  I furrow my brow as I think and sniff.  “Pwatice make perfect.” 
“That’s my smart boy.”  He tickles my belly and I giggle into his shoulder.  He sets me down.  “Ok. Let’s clean ya up and dry those tears.  You know how Ma gets when she sees ya crying.”  My dad wipe my cheeks.
“Yeah.  She’s a drama queen.”  I reply.
His eyes widen.  “Where did ya hear dat?” 
“Uncle Ben.”  I shrug, I rub my runny nose with the back of my arm.
He looks at me hard.  “Quinten, I told you, no listening ta Uncle Ben, ever.”  He points at me.
“But…What if he tells me to brush my teef?”  I innocently ask.
“Ok.  If he tells you ta brush, ya brush, but if he tells ya Ma’s a drama queen, ya tell me and I’ll set him straight, got it!”  He says holding my shoulder and pointing in my face.
I nod.  “Got it.”
That’s was my dad.  Always supportive.  Always cheering me on.  Always trying to set me straight.  The world was my oyster and he wanted front row seats to see what I wanted to do with it.  I loved him so much as a kid. 
Then it was over.  Just like that.  It all ended that night. 
“I stared the mean, old Lycan down, ya see.  I told him.  ‘You touch my kid.  You’re getting what’s coming to ya.’  The ugly, bad guy gave me the evil stink eye.  Like this.”  He made a funny bad guy face.  I giggle from my pillow, under my space blanket. 
“What did you do?”  I ask.
“The only thing I could do.  I popped him in the nose.”  He punched at his nose, making me laugh again.
“Then what happen?”  I say with a yawn.  “Did he cry?”
“Oh, he cried.  He cried so much he ran away and I got ta hold my boy again.”  He leaned down and wrapped his huge arms around my tiny 6 year old body.  I took in the smell of his cologne and felt the strength of his hug.  I wanted so much to be like my dad. 
“I love you, daddy.”  I say to his neck.
“I love you too, Quinney.  To da moon and back.”  He whispers. 
He sits up.  “Good night, little man.  See you in the morning.”  He leans down and kisses my forehead.
“Good night.”  I smile and settle myself into the sheets. 
He shuts off the light, closes the door and I drift off into a dreamland filled of superhero’s and space commanders.