The Alpha's Daughter

VIII

Linus’ visit was cut short when it was time for the child’s lunch. She seemed unwilling to eat in his presence. He didn’t mind. He’s strangely satisfied with the time he had to hold her against his body. He felt himself smiling when her little fingers lightly touched his loose curls. Her innocent fascination with the softness of the chocolate locks was evident and adorable.

He could understand why Emma was so taken with her.

Linus was convinced it would be a while before he saw her again but was proven wrong the very next day.

Linus had just returned from the university’s campus and headed to the pack’s cafeteria since he skipped a meal at school. It was some time after lunchtime, but the aroma of coffee was thick as he had stepped into the compound cafeteria. He walked for a little before he noticed Maríu resting against the counter in the appliances nook, staring a hole into the humming coffee machine. Linus raised a brow but then recalled the wolf had parameter duty, made sense the poor thing would only now wake.

He dumped his bag on the table closest to the sleepy wolf. “Good afternoon”, he greeted with a toothy grin.

His soft brown eyes sleepily focused on the chirpier male. “Bonsoir”, he finally replied.

“Sit down man”, Linus crossed the space and then pushed his friend to sit at the closest table, "I got you."

Maríu hummed and let himself be manhandled. Once he was seated, he rested his head on his arms. His natural moussed, caramel hair splayed out messily against his fair skin. His short hair didn’t obstruct the view of the dark freckles that sat on top of his rounded cheeks and soft jaw.

“Can I also be treated”, Ramon staggered in. The pale wolf ran his hand over his deep-grey buzz cut fade. His tank top showcased the sleeve that started over his right pec and extended to his wrist.

Linus looked at the wolf, “sure.”

Ramon had a seat beside Maríu who was fast asleep on the table. Linus moved towards the appliances nook again. He double-checked the settings on the coffee machine, but Maríu was a creature of routine, the controls were fine. Trusting the device to beep once it’s finished he moved to the glass, closed display case. Warm air and the savoury fragrance assaulted him when he opened the box.

Today was beef, yay.

He took a dish from off top, each dish had its own utensil which he used to fill the dishes. As he filled a dish, he rested it on top of the display case. The beep of the coffee machine startled him, but he’d get to it when he was done here. Soon three, slightly varied meals were plated.

He crossed the room and put the dishes in front of the waiting wolves. “Lunch”, Linus snorted, “or breakfast in your case.”

Ramon tapped Maríu’s hair. “Wake up mon ami”, the paler drawled.

Maríu stirred, it took him a while, but he finally sat up.

Linus poured the coffee, added two creamers and two sugars and stirred well. He put the freshly brewed cup before the sleepy wolf. Maríu blindly reached for it, humming appreciatively after his first sip. Linus finally sat down to enjoy his breakfast. The three had a sparse conversation, only because Maríu was too sleepy to talk their ear off.

“Oh Lin”, Ramon dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper, “heard you saw the kid yesterday.”

The seemed to wake Maríu up. He focused on his friend, detail hungry. "How's the kid?" Maríu questioned lowly.

“Definitely better than how we found her”, Linus chuckled, “she will be taken in by the pack. I’m not sure what her placement will be yet.” He scratched his head, “actually I don’t feel like it’s been decided yet.”

“It hasn’t.”

All three of them sat with their spines straight. Emma smiled at them as she crossed the threshold of the communal dining space. They stood at the sight of her, “Luna”, Ramon led the greeting. They relaxed when she raised her hand with a warm smile.

“Linus”, she faced him, “we need to talk.”

He swallowed his sudden unease. “Of course”, he moved but Emma put out her hand.

“Finish your meal first”, the Alpha smiled kindly, “I will wait outside.”

Emma left the room promptly after and Linus plopped down in his seat. “What did you do?” Ramon asked in a low voice. He was well aware the Alpha could hear him if she really wanted to.

“I think it's more of what I didn't do", he aggressively raked a hand through his chocolate curls.

Ramon patted Linus on his left shoulder. He looked at his friend gratefully. Somehow, his eyes drifted to Ramon’s nape. The circular sigil that sat there looked back at him mockingly, reminding him of his own empty nape.

Linus breathed out a sigh.

He finished his meal very quickly. He snatched his forgotten book bag on the way out to meet his Alpha. As he stepped out of the cafeteria a strong wind blew, and Emma’s hay blonde hair swayed in the wind. It reminded him of that time a long time ago.

“I hope you didn’t rush too much”, Emma smiled at him as she tucked the hair behind her ear again. “I wouldn’t want you to get a stomach ache now”, she joked.

“I’m a big boy”, his lips twitched up slightly, “I can handle myself.”

A sentimental smile covered Emma’s lips, “I know.”

A moment of comfortable silence passed between them. “What did you want to talk about?” Linus broke the silence first.

She nodded to the family wing as she started ahead of him. Of course, he followed without complaint. When passers-by were basically non-existent Emma opened her mouth.

“It’s not anything drastic”, she chuckled, “Emilio has asked me to look into a few things and so I’ll be gone for about two hours. I was hoping for a favour.”

“You want me to play babysitter?”

“Sorry”, she gave him a weak smile, “I would ask an actual babysitter but the child is still a secret for now.”

He actually disliked the child less than his initial impression. Apart from him hoped he’d get to see her soon. “Sure”, he readily agreed.

Emma paused for a moment and met his eyes. Her head tilted slightly. Linus silently drew in a breath, that habit of hers unnerved him. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait too long, a wide smile broke out on her face.

“Thank you”, she hummed.

Linus got the feeling she wasn’t referring to the babysitting. “You’re welcome”, he smiled anyway.

“I will be back before dinner”, Emma explained, “want to spend the afternoon with her?”

“I don’t mind”, he nodded. Then Linus chuckled, “I’m glad I brought my assignments along.”

Suddenly Emma’s head snapped ahead, she put her hand on his bicep to halt his stride. Linus followed her eyes, it took a few minutes before a wolf came into view. “Luna”, another member of her scouts jogged up to her. He smiled at Linus, and the wolf nodded to his friend with a smile of his own. “There’s an anomaly in a section of the perimeter. We’ve got guards stationed there but we’d want you to come to take a look at it.”

She opened her mouth but Emma’s expression was tense for a ghost of a second. “The Alpha has summoned me as well”, she announced. The blonde faced Linus with an apologetic smile.

“Go”, he encouraged her smiling.

She nodded and turned to the other wolf, “please lead the way.”

He nodded. Linus watched until their figures had faded from sight. With his backpack slung over one shoulder he faced ahead and walked into the family wing. Linus stopped by the guest room door but immediately knew she wasn't inside.

She shouldn’t be wondering, what if someone saw her?

He tilted his head up and sniffed the air. Linus followed her scent until he stopped by the door he resisted visiting. The child stood before Emma's bedroom door. Her brown eyes waver with uncertainty as she wrung her little hands.

Linus leaned against the wall of the hall and watched her. She reminded him of his younger self when Emma had just taken him in. Too nervous to approach her, waiting for his saviour to approach him first.

The pup stared at her bare feet for a moment, as if her toes held all the answers. It seemed however that they didn't offer any guidance since her shoulders slumped. The defeat was all over her face as she turned around. That expression froze when she saw him.

“She's not home right now", he rumbled.

The pup looked back to Emma's room and then to him with uncertainty. He chuckled. Linus crossed the hall in long strides, the girl watched him quietly as he opened the bedroom door. She walked to the door, hid her body by the wall and peeked in. Not seeing Emma she got a little bolder and entered the room.

"Maybe you're braver than I thought", he hummed. The pup noticed the end of his statement became stiff. “We’re going”, was all the warning she got.”

The pup grabbed onto him, startled. She looked the Emma’s already locked door, it was quickly becoming smaller. Linus hurried back to the guestroom and quickly locked the door behind them. He had smelt an elder nearby.

Linus looked at the little lady in his arms, "good?" She blinked slowly then nodded. "Alright", Linus set her on her feet and she wobbled. "Woah there", he helped right her quickly.

The girl quickly put her arms out in a "T". Linus was a bit reluctant but he let her go and stepped away. She slowly put her arms down and blinked up at him. Well... he guesses she's fine. He sat on the floor by her makeshift dining table, opposite of her small seat. As he unpacked his school supplies a tiny body stationed itself beside him.

She sat by him, knees to her chest. She looked at him, Linus could see her questioning why they were sitting on the floor.

"You don't have to stay here with me", he chuckled, "what do you want to do?" The child blinked slowly and then pointed at his pencil case. "This?"

She tilted her head and nodded.

"It's called a pencil case. Holds stationary", he thought for a moment, "it keeps the stuff you need to write or draw. Understand?"

Her mouth made an 'O' shape and she nodded. Then she pointed to the case again. Linus looked between the case and her. Then more closely.

He took out a pen and a pencil, "these?"

She nodded.

"Oh, you can use both to write." Linus decided to start with the pencil. "This one has an eraser to you and gets rid of mistakes", he held the standard yellow 2B pencil in his left hand. Then he raised his right hand, "this one has ink so you can't erase the mistakes."

He could get technical but he doesn't want to confuse her.

"Got it?"

She nodded.

Linus thought for a moment then pulled a few print sheets from his binder. He wrote simple, three-lettered words with his pen on the paper. He set the paper and a pencil at the table and motioned for her to come closer. She did with much curiosity.

She looked old enough to be able to hold a pencil. Linus shifted behind her a little, "you hold it like this", he closed her small hand around the wooden frame.

She nodded and then looked at him.

"Let's see if you can copy the words I wrote", he challenged her, "just write back what you see."

The girl faced the paper again and tried to do as he said, Linus watched her hand move weakly. It was as though she struggled to grip the pencil although she clearly knew how.

"Hold on", he took the pencil from her and put it in her left hand, "try again."

The pup nodded and did just that, Linus realised the pencil moved smoother. She's left-handed. A small smile tugged his lips.

So was he.