Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
“Are you worried?” Rika asked me after hearing what I had just said.
“I would be lying if I said that I am not worried. I mean, a lot of things can happen tomorrow. However, I know that this is necessary. I know that we need to do this. We can’t stay hidden, not with what is going on right now. And we have all agreed that it is for the best for us to control how this happens. I know that, we all know that, but it is still a little nerve wracking.”
“I agree.” My Little Bunny leaned in toward me, placing her head on my shoulder as she let me support her. She just needed the contact, I knew that, and I would give it to her too. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her chair closer to me. I was going to make sure that she was as comforted as she needed to be. “There could be instant outrage at our reveal. There could be riots and other violent episodes. So much can happen, and I just don’t know what we’re going to do.”
“I know that it can be scary to think about, Mom, but we will be together. We will make sure that everyone is safe. Talia, Zachary, Zander, Zayden and Zaley will all be with Lola, Nona, Papa and M贸ra铆. They will be safe, and that is what matters. We will make sure that no matter what happens to us tomorrow, which is hopefully nothing, but if something does happen they will be safe. Rika and I will be there with you as well, and we will support you in anything that you need from us.”
“How did we get so lucky as to have kids like you?” Riviana, my sweet Little Bunny, smiled at Reagan in a very loving and motherly way. She was such a good mom, she always had been.
“It wasn’t luck Mom, you raised us to be who we are now.” Rika answered with a tender expression in her eyes.
“Maybe.” My Little Bunny nodded at her before continuing. “But a lot of it is just the way you are. All of you, you’re amazing kids. Seven amazing and wonderful kids that are all unique and special in your own ways.”
“With number eight on the way.” I put my hand on her belly and rubbed it gently. “And you kids, all of you, you are the reason why we need to follow through with this. We can’t leave a future for you that is so uncertain. Not with what is happening right now. Not with how things have been happening for a long time. There is a lot that we need to fix for you all. Your mother and I are the ones that made so many changes to our world and messed it all up. So now your mother and I are the ones that need to set them right.”
“Joaquin?” My Little Bunny’s voice was a little sad when she spoke. “We didn’t mess anything up.” She looked a little offended at what I had just said. “We just did what we needed to so that our people were safe. We never messed anything up.” She was a little defensive about that for a moment.
“I know that we didn’t mess anything up, not really. That wasn’t really how I meant it. What I was trying to refer to was that we are the ones that ended up making us all immortal. It was because of that, and our newfound long lives, which has led to a lot of suspicion about us.” I tried my best to explain things to her.
“Yes, I know that, and the long lives, extremely slow aging, and even the older people in our community getting younger over time, that has led to a lot of people being suspicious and scared of us.”
“Exactly.” I smiled at her and nodded vigorously. “Still, I wouldn’t have changed anything. If you hadn’t done what you did, then Vincent wouldn’t be alive right now. That is something that I don’t think either of us would be able to deal with. There was a lot that was going on, and since that day we’ve had to deal with a lot more.”
“Mom?” Zaley’s voice called out from across the table. “Is it this immortality that kept me alive before Grandpa Edmond gave me his soul? I..I know that I should have died. I can feel it inside of me sometimes. And I was wondering if it was the way that you made everyone immortal that kept me alive.”
“I don’t know if that was what helped you, sweetheart, but if it was, then I am happy. I love you, sweetheart. You are my precious little miracle baby.”
“Don’t worry, Zaley.” Zayden took his sister’s hand just then. “Zachary, Zander and I protected you. We made sure that you were safe inside of Mommy. We would never let anything happen to you.”
“Yeah, just like we won’t let anything happen to you now.” Zachary smiled at her.
“We will always protect you, Zaley.” Zander added firmly.
“There is a lot of love in this family.” I beamed at them all. “And I know that no matter how much apprehension I have inside of me at this moment, I will never regret what we are about to do tomorrow.” I firmed my voice, straightened my spine, and looked as much like an Alpha as I could in that moment. Considering that I was feeling strong as hell with all of them and their love surrounding me, I had to have appeared as the strongest and most powerful man in the entire world.
“We will make sure that the world knows who we are, what we are, and that we have always been here with them. They will know that we are not a threat to them, and that they have nothing to fear. It might be tense for a little while. And we might have a few more restrictions for you all temporarily, but there is nothing at all to worry about. We will be together, and we will always protect each other.” I spoke with love, conviction, and determination. I was hoping that this alone would make things go well tomorrow.
“Don’t worry Dad, we will make sure that it all happens smoothly.” Reagan leaned across the table and held his hand out toward me. I rose and met him halfway across the table.
“Yeah, together we can do anything.” Rika added her hand next, a smile brightening her face.
“Together we are unstoppable.” Talia put her hand on top of her sister’s.
“We will make it through this, and we will all be unscathed.” Zaley’s eyes were filled with determination as she put her hand on next.
“We will fight with you, Dad, directly or from the sidelines, but we will be there with you.” Zander’s eyes were focused and strong.
“If we are together, then nothing can beat us.” Zachary forcefully added his fist.
“The Gray’s won’t be beaten.” Zayden declared as he joined us all.
“Reeselynn and I are right there with you as well. We will stand together as a family, no matter what, and in the end we will all be safe and together.” The smiles that were spreading across everyone’s faces, and the determined looks in their eyes, was enough to spur on anyone with righteousness.
“Yeah, we will be fine together. No matter what happens tomorrow, we will still be a family that is united.” I put my other hand on top of everyone else’s, trapping all but Reagan’s hand between my two.
“Together.” Reagan, not wanting to be left out, put his other hand on top of mine as we bonded as a family.
The apprehension that I had been feeling was actually starting to ebb away. I was feeling a lot more calm and serene now. I knew that it was the magic of family that had done this for me, calmed my mind, heart and soul. That was fine with me though, whatever it took to make this night a lot easier on me.
After we were done eating, I didn’t want to be without the kids. I wanted to keep the family together as much as possible. I wanted to make sure that we kept this peacefulness going strong. It was important, not just to me but to all of us.
I suggested a movie in the living room, something lighthearted that we could all relax while we watch, and laugh at as well since laughter was a good medicine. Riviana agreed almost immediately, and so did all the kids. Then I took it a little further. I suggested that we push the furniture out of the way and cover the entire floor in blankets and pillows. We would lay all together in a giant puppy pile as we watched the movie. We would all be there, close enough to sense, to touch if we reached out toward each other, and that was what I wanted. I needed someone to soothe my soul for the night.
We had popcorn, snacks and drinks. We put on a goofy comedy that the little kids seemed to love. And we all laid there until the kids started to fall asleep. Looking at my Little Bunny, Reagan, Rik, and Talia, we all understood that we weren’t going to leave this pile. We were going to stay where we were until the morning. This was too good of a moment to let it pass us by. So, for the first time in a long time, we slept together as one big family, soothing and protecting each other with just the presence and warmth of each other. Finally calm, I slept soundly and deeply until the sun came up in the morning.
****
Riviana
****
The kids were not going to school today. In fact, as the people that own and technically run the school, Joaquin and I had told them that it should be cancelled today, so that the kids and their families would be safe no matter what happened. So, there was no school today.
Reagan and Rika had already finished the semester, so they weren’t skipping classes, which made today easier. Not that I wasn’t completely sure that they would have skipped classes to be here with Joaquin and I today. Still, it was best that they weren’t missing school either.