The Warrior's Child (Completed)

Chapter 4

Kamaria

My father’s house sits in a row of side by side houses. Each one looking exactly like the next. Tan siding and a brown door with a small patio in the front. None of them had that family touch because most of the warriors weren't family people. The quarters were to accommodate eating, showering, and sleeping. Since the pack house had a food filled dining hall, accommodating for eating was an added perk. My father’s house stood out because it was dead center. On his patio were two lawn chairs and a pink flower box under the front window. I had painted it when I was seven and once I was finished Baba and I dipped our hands into orange paint and pressed them to the side of the box. The paint is now faded from the outdoor elements, but the handprints could still be seen well thanks to the original bright orange color. There weren't any flowers in the box, just dirt. One summer I tried to plant seeds in the flower box, but had over-watered them so they never grew. Since then it has just been a flower box of dirt.

Stephen takes a seat in one of the lawn chairs as Summer and I walk into the front door. My father’s scent instantly fills my nose. I let out a soft chuckle as we look around the house. Everything is exactly as it was before I left seven years ago. Once we walk through the door we are in the small living room. The hardwood floor is slightly worn in the high traffic area of the front door and leading into the kitchen. The living room's white walls have a few pictures of me as a baby and a little girl. In the most recent picture I was 8 years old. Baba always said when he looked at me he saw his eight year old pup. That is probably because he never updated the pictures on his wall.

There is a futon on the far wall facing the door with a wood coffee table in front of it and a floor lamp on to the right of the futon. The furniture facing the door is a warrior trademark.

-“Never sit with your back to the door.” I can remember him saying.

We walk over to the small kitchen. It was just big enough to move around the small two person table that was set in the middle. I chuckle again looking at the refrigerator, seeing a picture I drew in fourth grade hanging from a magnet. There’s an award with my name on it hanging next to it. I got the award commending a good report card in middle school. Under that is a silly picture of me and my father. We are both sticking a finger up the other’s nose. Any other day I would be super embarrassed, but today it all just brings me comfort.

-“Baba, if the other wolves saw what your house looked like they wouldn’t be afraid of you.” I remember telling him once. I was sitting at the table eating cereal and he was leaning on the counter drinking a glass of orange juice. I had to be about thirteen.

-“Not true, honeydew. If they saw my house they would be even more frightened.” He had said back to me.

-“How do you figure that?”

-He pointed his gaze straight at me and said, “Because then they would know there is absolutely nothing I wouldn’t do to get back to you." He had a serious look that he held for a moment then broke it with a smile. He had the most gorgeous smile. For him to be so intimidating, he sure had a smile that was infectious.

Summer and I walk through the kitchen towards the short hallway that sits parallel to the kitchen. To the left is a small bathroom with a shower, to the right is a small bedroom with a full size bed covered with a pink and purple duvet pushed against one wall and a tall dresser directly across from it. This was my room whenever I came over. Above the bed was a poster of Drake and on the opposite wall above the dresser was one of those cliche posters that read -I am Strong, beautiful, talented, special, one of a kind. I am Me-. Seeing the room look like I was just in here yesterday filled me with joy for a moment before guilt came pressing in on me and took my mood down instantly.

We walk back to the living room. I stand there in the center of the room looking around at a place that holds so many memories for me. I know that the walls could tell thousands of those memories, but right now I want to curse my brain because I can only remember a handful of them. The guilt is getting heavier.

Just then Brendon comes through the door. There is concern written on his face. His eyes are on me from the moment he enters. I feel like I have been seeing his eyes all day. They are light brown and are a nice compliment to his pulled back dark brown hair and scruffy beard. Before today, I think it’s been seven years since I saw him last. Those past seven years have been really good to him. He’s taller, more buff, and appears to be more confident. He was always so shy, at least around me. Whenever I was at Dark Moon we were always together because he and Summer were best friends. I think that is the only reason he put up with my presence. Even if he said something to me he always did it indirectly and through her. I can’t believe he actually became Alpha. I mean he is the son of an Alpha, but I just knew he would be the exception. He walks over to us and puts his hand on the small of my back. That hand.

“How are you? How is she?” The first question he directs at me, the second to Summer.

“She’s good. Right?” Summer answers for me and I respond with a nod. How the roles are reversed. Now I am the one talking to him through her. Our poor friend, always caught in the middle.

“Stephen’s outside talking to one of the warriors they were asking about you. I told them you were busy.”

She rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh. “Let me go find out what that’s about. I’ll be right back.”

She leaves and I can feel Brendon’s eyes on me. I avoid them even though I feel so drawn to them and just look around the room. Something is off with me and I don’t think I have the brain capacity to figure it out right now.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asks. I can’t help it, I sneak a glance at his eyes. Nothing but concern is flowing from them.

“Yeah, it’s just a lot to take in. I haven’t been here since I was 17” His eyes were a nice distraction, but I am starting to feel that guilt weigh in again. “One of the last times I was in this room I was arguing with my father.”

-”Kamaria you have the warrior's spirit. You are the daughter of a warrior so it shouldn’t be surprising.” My father said.

-I was sitting on the couch with my arms crossed. My father was sitting on the coffee table. It was the end of the summer and I was set to go back to my mom’s pack the next week. My father had always let me train with him, but it wasn’t under any pressure to be a warrior. It was just fun workout stuff, but now he wants me to take on a more serious role. For me to start my warrior training. Ever since my first shift I had noticed him whispering and glancing at me when talking to the other warriors. I had hoped they weren’t discussing this.

-”It’s not surprising, but I don’t want to do it!” I said, being a brat.

-”Moon beam, you could come live here full time and train with me. You like training with me.” He had about a hundred nicknames for me. Usually I love them, but this day I hated them. I hated the warrior's spirit. I hated training.

-”Don’t call me moon beam.”

-”Kamaria.” He said sternly. He was a great baba, but he wasn’t going to take much more of my bratty behavior.

-”No!” I said and stood up. “I don’t want the warrior spirit! If I have warrior spirit that means that the moon goddess didn’t give me a mate and I will be stuck living a pathetic and lonely life!” As soon as the words came out of my mouth I tried to suck them back in with no avail. I saw the sadness in my father’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

-”It’s okay, it’s late. Let’s go to bed.” He stood up and kissed my forehead.

-”Baba.” I plead apologetically.

-”It’s okay. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

-I felt like s**t. I was hurt finding out that I did indeed have the warrior spirit and what that would mean for my future, but I was most hurt by what I said to my father. I started for my room and looked back at my father still standing in the middle of the room where I left him. I had never seen him look so defeated. He was always the strongest man in the world to me, but in that instant I had taken out all of his air.

-”I love you, Baba.” I said hoping to erase the words I said.

-He looked up at me, “I know. I love you too, baby...Oops. I mean Kamaria.” He smiled at me. It was the same gorgeous smile, but this time it had a tinge of hurt behind it.

Standing in the living room with Brendon, in the same place where I crushed my giant of a father brought on a flood of emotions.

“He was so excited when he sensed my spirit. The moon goddess had blessed him with a child and that child was destined to be a warrior. He probably had dreams about us working together and I just sat there and acted like a brat.” I was crying again. I thought I was all cried out, but apparently the tears just needed time to replenish. “He didn’t push the issue anymore after that. He supported me going through the accelerated school program even though it would interfere with the time we could spend together. He came to London to visit me even though he was afraid of flying. All he asked was for me to come home and visit. I was a brat up to the very end.” I am sobbing now. I don’t even know if I was making coherent sentences. Brendon pulled me into his chest and I felt like I was melting into him.

Brendon

I couldn’t help it anymore. She was hurting and I couldn’t stand there and not do anything. I wrapped my arms around her, letting her sob into my chest. I had heard that story before, but from Abe’s point of view. She had no idea how proud he was of her. He always wanted her to make her own path in life and that night she had did just that. She didn’t let life push her around. Even though it went against what he wanted for her, it was what she wanted and that was the true gift from the moon goddess. I started feeling rage build up in me knowing that someone had took her father from her before he could tell her all of that himself. The rage dissipated a little when Kamaria wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me back.

Summer came back in the house and when she saw the state Kamara was in, her brows pressed together with sympathy. I saw tears fill her eyes as she walked over to us. She rubbed Kamaria's back, wiping away the tears that fell to her cheek.

“I got her. You should probably go.” She linked me.

“No, it’s okay. I took the rest of the day off.” I hadn’t told Summer about the mate bond yet. We haven’t had a second to unwind plus I wanted to wait until I was able to talk with Kamaria about it.

“Well, apparently Samuel didn’t get the memo because he’s up at the pack house waiting for you.”

Rage washed back over me. I needed to be here, but I really need to talk to Samuel. I slowly pulled away from Kamaria. She wasn’t sobbing anymore which only made leaving her a tiny bit easier. Summer stepped in and took over for me in the hugging department as I forced myself to leave.

I get outside and start walking straight toward the pack house letting my rage lead my steps. Stephen is behind me quickly. I’m sure he can sense my anger even if he doesn’t fully understand why. I will explain everything to him and Summer soon, but I need to get to the bottom of this situation. Abe needs justice and my mate deserves answers.