Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
“OK, but how did that turn into this?” She was still looking at all the sobbing people and the smiles on their faces.
“I wanted to help people more and more. I have always wanted to help people, ever since I could remember. So, over the years, Joaquin and I have added more and more things to our charitable donations. We help out all year round, but we want to make the holidays perfect for the people that are struggling. We have a rehabilitation program as well, to try and get as many people off the streets as possible. We find them jobs and get them into housing. We have a lot of investment properties that are meant for the lower income families in the city. These houses and apartment complexes are some of the cheapest places to rent in the country, but they don’t lack for upkeep or quality. We make sure that the families are able to survive.”
“And yet, there are still so many people living in poverty and homeless.” I could see the sadness in her eyes as these words passed through Lara’s lips.
“We are doing what we can, and our efforts are nationwide. There is just too much for us to handle all at once. I want to help everyone, and I would have done it all already, if I was able to do so with magic. However, we are limited to what we can do physically.”
“What would magic do to help them?” She asked me with more intensity and curiosity than I had expected.
“Well, for one thing, I could build an apartment complex that had several homes in it but wasn’t limited to the same spatial confines as a traditional building. We could have a home that was three thousand square feet in the space that took up no more than fifty square feet. The amount of space that we would be able to save would allow for a lot more homes to be put into one building. If we can get these buildings approved and built, then we would be able to get so many more families off the streets.” I explained to her what it was that I had meant when I talked about using magic to help these people.
“Ahh, but that takes away from the construction crews that build these apartment complexes. I can see why that would be a bad thing.”
“Yes, and that is a downside. However, there are other things that the construction crews could be doing at the time. And building more traditional buildings would still be a thing. Not everyone is going to want to live in one of these magical buildings that we would be constructing. I would like to mainly use those buildings for people that are not able to afford other housing. And having a building that can house everyone in this shelter with ease would be a good thing, don’t you think? If those people all had their own homes and didn’t need to live on the streets or in a shelter, but in their own beds, in their own homes, I think that would help the world a lot more.”
“I can see that.” Lara agreed as she picked up a small toy dog and handed it to an adorable little two year old boy. “You won’t hear any objections from me, Riviana. I think that the homelessness issue that is plaguing the world needs to be taken care of. No one should be freezing in the streets at night.”
“I am glad that you agree.” I smiled at her and continued to pass out toys to the little boys and girls that were crowded around us.
After the first shelter was done, and then the next three after that, when all the gifts and food had been delivered, it was time for us all to head back home. We had eaten lunch while at the shelters with the people that we were donating to. This was something that we usually did every year on Christmas, and it wasn’t just me, Joaquin and the kids. There were a lot of other people that were there with us as well. Our family would alternate who came on which holiday to deliver food to the shelter, but Joaquin and I were always there. This was our mission, our idea, so we weren’t going to abandon these people.
Back at home though, the rest of our family started to arrive. Shawn, Dietrich, Shane and Falina, David and Rawlynne, Vincent and Heather, Gabriel and Roisin, Juniper and Paul, Cedar and Acacia, Carter and Emmalee, Noah and Nikki, our parents, Riley and Katie, Bryce and Bree, Landon and Ava, Trevor and Aunt Glory, Athair m貌r and Daciana, Griffin and Lana, Ella and Devon, Jackson and Melita, all of the people that were considered our family now, and oh how there were so many people that we had come to include. And all the kids that were part of that family as well. There were close to a hundred people when it was all said and done.
Of course, joining us this evening was also Lara. She was a little nervous because there were so many people there, but no one was making her feel like she was the odd one out. They were all trying their best to make her feel welcomed and part of the festivities. I loved that about my family. They didn’t try to make the one lone human in the group feel like a needle in the haystack. Then again, Jackson and Devon used to be humans, and they were more than happy to tell her about how they had decided that they wanted to live lives similar to the people that they had mated with. And that, even though they had been human at the time, they had mated for life with the person that they had fallen for.
“I love that.” Lara was heard saying as she listened to them all. “Thank you for telling me about that.”
The dinner started soon after we all arrived at the house. Once again we were eating before gifts that were taking over the living room. After everyone had gotten here, all their gifts had been added to the others and there were now more than when the day started.
“Riviana, can I ask why you insist on having the meals before the gifts?” Lara was perplexed by this part of my tradition.
“Well, to be honest, it is because I believe it helps to instill patience and appreciation in the children. It is also how my parents did things when I was little.”
“You parents? That would be Eve and Wesley Cervantes, correct? Isn’t Wesley your mother’s brother?”
“Yes. My mother died when I was a baby, and I was raised by my aunt and uncle. When I was pregnant many, many moons ago,” I paused and laughed with everyone as I pointed out how old I really was, “I went to my parents and talked to them. I didn’t want to forget my mother’s memory, and I never have, but I wanted them to know that I saw them as my real parents. We cried, we hugged, and ever since that day I have called them Mom and Dad. It just felt right to me. And I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”
“You have a lovely view of the world and of family, Riviana. I am honored to be able to see it with you all like this.”
“Well, we are happy that you could be here with us to celebrate. This means a lot to us as well, Lara.”
After the sentimental moment passed, during which Mom and Dad came over and hugged me tightly, we enjoyed the dinner that Abigail had made for us. The food was, as always, delicious, but it was nothing when compared to the company that was there with us. Everyone ate until they were full before we moved into the other room.
Like Joaquin and I, the others hadn’t wanted to make Lara feel left out. And that meant that along with all the other gifts that had been brought for everyone, Lara had gotten a gift from each family that had arrived. They had thought hard about the gifts over the last few days and had managed to get her a lot of things, none of which were repeated at all.
“Ha ha ha, I think that my house is going to be overstuffed now.” Lara laughed as she looked at the pile that was sitting before her.
The night ended with no issues. It was, if I might be so bold as to claim this, the best Christmas that any of us had ever had. And I was happy to see that we were all able to make Lara feel welcomed.
Now, all we had to do was wait for the footage to be edited and put on the air. It was supposed to be airing on the twenty eighth. Three days. That was all that we had to wait for. Just three days to show the world that we weren’t monsters. That we were just a normal family, if a little larger than most.
I had every confidence that, before too much longer, we would be able to overcome any and all issues that came from the reveal. This day, and the lack of major riots since the initial press conference, has led me to feeling a little more secure in that thought than I might have been last week. This was all going to be OK. These last four days have been perfect, or close to it, and I was starting to let myself relax a little. Everything would be fine, and I would be able to focus on the New Year and on the birthday celebration that was coming up for us all.
****
Riviana
****
Friday the twenty-eighth came around, and that meant that it was time for us to sit down and watch the special that Lara had filmed of us on Christmas. We knew that there was nothing to worry about with it, but we needed to sit and watch it anyway.
With bated breath, and while gnawing on my lip nervously, Joaquin and I settled into the special with all of the kids and a large group of other people. We were airing the show in the theater room so that there was more than enough space for us all to sit.
The show started with Lara standing in front of the gates to our private community that had been here long before I was even born.
“Good Evening America, my name is Lara Timmons, and I have a special show for you this evening.” She was smiling as she looked at the camera. This had obviously been filmed the day that she came to visit with us, but, by the lightening of the sky, I was sure that she had done it in the morning as she got ready to come to the castle. How long had she been out there trying to get it just right?
“I am going to show you what it is like to spend the day, specifically Christmas Day, with a family of supernatural beings. I am going to be spending all day with Riviana and Joaquin Gray, known among their people as King Joaquin and Queen Riviana. Together they lead their pack of werewolves as well as the entire shifter and magic community worldwide. They have invited me to have a first person look into their lives. And I am bringing all of you along with me as well.”
The show moved on to start incorporating all that we were doing that day. Lara showed a lot of the interpersonal interactions between us and the kids, as well as the interactions with the people in the shelter and the family at dinner. She showed a very human looking family. None of us looked like monsters. None of us acted like monsters. None of us were monsters.
…..
When it was all done and over with, that entire day being shortened down to only an hour long show, I felt like I had been given another Christmas gift, just three days after the actual holiday.