Julian Peterson :
"You kids should get home and rest." We had been staying to my baby girl for almost a day now. I could see the twins getting exhausted despite trying to act tough as if exhaustion wasn't in their dictionary. Sophia had been talking about her school's life and how she found this boy attractive (I hated it but it was her way of coping with Elly's coma), and Will gave a few remarks. They fought like normal but it just didn't feel like the usual.
"I want to stay here." Sophia whined while she sat on my thighs and snuggled onto me. She wasn't getting smaller but she's always my baby and she acts like it all the time. "I'll make your favourite dish. Sammy and dad can stay here to look after Elly for tonight. You two, troublemakers, can be in charge of morning lookout." My wife seemed like aged finally caught with her but her beauty still outshine any wrinkles. Sophia whined before finally, but with reluctance, got up and gave Elly and I a kiss each. "I'll come later to bring you two fresh clothes and dinner." She did the same to her boys and sleeping baby.
"Do you want coffee?" I had enough of the bitter taste which was a surprised because I love the taste especially in the morning. But that was when everything was fine and the kids kept the house noisy. "Sure. A bit sweeter, would you." Sam nodded before trudging to the small and empty cafeteria. "Elly, it's going to be your birthday soon." I finally talked for the first time.
"Do you want a birthday party at the beach again?" I remembered her last birthday party, we had so much fun and put more effort on the decorations and snacks because she was coming home. "Were you really happy then?" I took her hand. It was warm but it felt cold to the touch. It made me scared of how dead she looks except for the machine beeping and her chest rising slowly.
"You were smiling brightly. You looked like you had so much fun that night. But I wonder if that smile was because you finally got to escape from this hell even if it was just for a few days." Now, her face had no expression except for a pale and sickly look.
"The twins even got to stay past their bedtime which Sophia loved that very much." I laughed when Sophia tried to pretend like the adults and partied the night but ended up giving up after two hours. I had to help her crawl to her bed while she snuggled to that monstrous looking teddy bear. Honestly, I have no idea what kind of animal it was.
"Did you have fun?" The beeping was the only thing that answered me. "I have a great idea!" My voice rose up a notch because a bile was forming in me and I wasn't going to cry. Not in front of my daughter, who is fighting. When will your fight end?
"Why don't we-" My voice broke at the word that defined us in whole, meaning you need to wake up princess. "Why don't we go on a vacation on your birthday?" It was a great idea to get away from all of this thing. Get deep enough, you'll drown.
"You can choose whichever place you desire. I'm sure we'll love it either way." I stroked her hair. It looks longer and duller. We'll fix that when you wake up. I'll make sure Charlotte takes the girls for a spa day, top to bottom. Including Kayla of course. You like her, don't you?
"I heard that you can swim now. Maya has been telling us how you practice everyday with a little girl. I want to meet her. Darling, you made a lot of lovely friends here and I'm so proud of you for being brave." She was always an introvert and keep in her shell when she's in a new environment. "Do you want to bring your friends as well?" I was willing to do anything to make her happy again. "But should Maya even travel with her tummy almost exploding?"
"We'll buy you a big cake, a grander cake than a wedding cake. The tastiest and most delicious flavour this world has."
"And what else should we do?" The quiet atmosphere always pulled me back to reality that my daughter was never going to answer me. She wasn't sleeping peacefully, she's fighting for her life. "If only I knew." I cried and cried.
"I'm sorry." I should have noticed how you were enduring so much. "Do you not love me anymore, Elly? Why didn't go run to me like you did when you were a little girl? Why didn't you hide behind me when Sammy bothered you? Why didn't you clenched onto me like your life depended on it when you almost drown?" I would have been able to save you.
"Please wake up. I'm begging you." Everything was blurry and the beeping from the machine wasn't the only sound echoing in this empty room. "When you wake up, I'm taking you home for good. We will never step foot onto this land for the rest of time could spare us with." The anger burned at what they did to my daughter.
It took Sammy awhile to bring the coffee and when he did, I didn't spoke of his running nose and blood-shot eyes. The coffee was cold but I drank it, nevertheless. "Sam, we're going right now." He looked at me with a dumbfounded face, obviously clueless of what I was spouting. "We're going to go to that jackass's house and show everyone how a bastard of man he was."
"I don't care if their shitty warriors stop us because they don't mess with a father." Never mess with a father because they'll come with a bat to beat the hell out of you. "What about Elly?" As in que, the door opened to my wife and Kayla with bags for our food and clothes. "What's going on?" Sensing the tension in the room, Charlotte when to me with a worried look. "Talk to me." She looks exhausted.
"We're going to that bastard's house." I said with every determination I could muster from my body. "Their guards and I mean well-trained guards that are designed for war."
"If Elly could handle them, I think I can." Sammy smirked. "Are you stupid? This pack is known for their strong warriors." Kayla was panicking. "Please, Sammy. Please, let's just calm down and think this through."
"She's right, Julian. You're old and their young." My wife stated the very obvious. "Age doesn't matter. What matter is that our daughter is in coma because of that bastard!" I yelled, it wasn't to her but she flinched. "Julian, I'm not going to lose another person."
"You could end up like Elly or worse."
"Sammy, please. I don't want to lose you. You promised me you'll stay with me forever!" Now, Kayla was screaming and trashing her hands onto his chest. "Let's stop this. If you want to fight, their other ways."
"What other ways?" Kayla kept quiet and I wasn't sure if she even knew the answer to that question.
"A duel." She spoke from a clenched jaw. "A duel until one surrender."
"Isn't a duel with an Alpha means fighting for the seat?" She nodded. "I don't want a god damn throne! The throne was the cause of all of this in the first place." The curse only affecting the Alpha's bloodline, it was pretty obvious the family was curse and I'm not sitting on a cursed chair. Look what they took from me, my precious daughter.
"Then, not for the position of the Alpha. But to show everyone, all pack members that had pledge allegiance to the Alpha for generations, that their Alpha is a bastard. Force them to admit their crimes." She suggested. A humiliation might not be the best but for now, at least we'll get to kick their ass without any interference from the warriors and all the pack members' trust will be shaken when they know how rotten their Alphas are.
"It's going to be a fair fight. A fight where both of you have a chance to win." Sammy glanced at me and I finally nodded. "In three days. That might give them enough time to make a glorious speech for their defeat and shame."
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I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS A GOOD IDEA BUT I'M ROLLING WITH IT. A FIGHT BETWEEN FATHER AND FATHER, SON AND SON. A FIGHT FOR THEIR LOVED ONE.
NEVER WRITE A SAD CHAPTER WHILE LISTENING TO UPBEAT AND HAPPY MUSIC. YOU'LL NEVER GET THE MOOD.
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