The Early Years of Martha Johnson (Special/4th book of the Almaire Series)

Chapter 3

Thunder boomed close to the house where the baby was finally asleep in her crib, and John was safely tucked in bed in his room again, asleep too.

The rain picked up around their house, pounding harder and harder against it while it gently rained everywhere else, and two wolves watched the house, not caring about the rain that hit their fur.

Lightning flashed close to the house, and thunder boomed right after it, shaking the whole house, but the two wolves didn't flinch while they watched the clouds roll by.

The wolves sat on a cliff that overlooked the houses and the woods that connected each house together, forming a huge backyard that made a huge community area for the Halftons that lived there.

Dark Forces appeared from the clouds and started to attack the house, trying but failing to get in and get to the young girl that was still asleep in her crib.

One of the wolves, a wolf with dark gray fur and dark brown eyes, watched the house and the Dark Forces trying to break in. Worry filled his body, and he flicked his tail while the Dark Forces moaned and moved around the house trying to find a way in but couldn't.

The Dark Forces moaned angrily, shaking the house just as the thunder did, and the wolves flicked their ears back while they watched them.

"They know that she is the Almaire," the dark gray wolf said and flicked his tail again. He stood and started to pace in front of the other wolf, nervous and anxious for the baby that resided in the house, praying that nothing would happen to her until she was old enough to fend for herself.

The worry grew in his chest, and he silently wondered when they would attack her and kill her, praying that it wouldn't happen but not knowing the future.

He didn't want his daughter to die; no one did, especially since what she meant for the pack and not only pack but for the clans that lived in a stalemate with each other.

The other wolf nodded and stayed seated. He had the same concerns as the other wolf, but he wasn't as worried because that wasn't his child, no matter how much she meant to the pack or to his friends.

"Don't worry, Jack," the wolf said softly and watched his friend pace back and forth. "She will be fine. She will be protected."

Jack sighed before he nodded and sat down beside the other wolf. "I know," he said and flicked his tail while he cleared his throat. "But that doesn't mean I am not going to be worried, Lobo. She's my daughter; my you- second youngest child."

Lobo hummed and nodded. "Is this going to be your last pair?" he asked, and Jack nodded in confirmation.

"It is," Jack confirmed before he cleared his throat. "I think we are tired of having twins. John has been our only single out of the nine of them."

Lobo nodded again. "Are you going to keep the traditions in place?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "Will you tell her about who she is at twelve?"

"We're going to play it by ear," he replied while he shrugged. "We are going to listen to what Almi and Anmi say before we do anything."

"It is her right to know," Lobo said and gave him a pointed look. "It is custom, and it is custom to take them out of school at that age too."

"I know," Jack said and held back an eye roll but scowled at the Beta. "However, she is also different from the other shifters." He gave Lobo the same pointed look before he looked away from him and sighed and shook his head.

Lobo held back an eye roll before he slowly nodded, knowing that what his brother-in-law said was true. "Of course," he said before he cleared his throat. "What do you think they will suggest?" he asked and looked at the father of the Almaire, changing the subject.

Jack shook his head and cleared his throat, grimacing. "I do not know," he replied truthfully before he sighed and shook his head again. "We will be taking her near them soon to see what they have to say."

Lobo slowly nodded. "Do you think that is a good idea?" he asked, and Jack shrugged.

"I don't know what else to do," he replied with a soft sigh and a shake of his head. "However, that is what will happen for the time being."

Lobo hesitated before he nodded again. "What do you think they will say about her?" he asked, and Jack shrugged and grimaced.

"Most of what I already know," he replied and dipped his head closer to his chest before he cleared his throat, "that she is the Almaire and the one that we have been waiting for to help bring the clans back together."

"Hmph," Lobo said and slowly nodded, and he flicked his ear a little. "Will there be stuff that you don't know?" he asked, and he sighed and shook his head.

"There might be," he said, not phased. He sighed and stood before he shook his fur. "However, that will be something for me to worry about in the future and not right now."

"And what will you do right now?" Lobo asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Go back and check on my mate and daughter," he replied, "and make sure that my daughter stays safe until she is old enough to protect herself."

Lobo slowly nodded and cleared his throat. "And entrusting your son with Lea," he said, and Jack nodded in confirmation. "When will you tell your daughter about her brother, her twin?" he asked and looked at him.

Jack sighed and shook his head, his heart breaking and becoming filled with guilt because he knew that she would never know about her twin until later on in life. "When she knows about us," he replied, talking about them being Halftons. "She might know sooner or later, but for right now, she will not know about him or about us."

"Then I hope that it will be the right decision and won't hurt her in the end," Lobo said, and Jack sighed another time before he nodded.

"I know, Lobo," he said. "I know."

He cleared his throat and dipped his head. " I have to go. I will see you later, Lobo," he said, and Lobo stood.

"Jack," he said and dipped his head. "I will see you later."

And with that, both men left and went their separate ways, each going back to their own houses with their waiting and sleeping mates, praying that whatever happens wouldn't change their community for the worse.