She's The Alpha

Chapter 32

"Do you know how you're still alive?" I asked. I wanted to take a minute to process. It was big news, and I had no way of tackling. I could only hope that if this thing came for us, the solution for fighting it was right in front of us.

"I wish I knew. Like I said, there were some other survivors from the other pack that went through this." Edyth sighed.

"I think . . . Well, what if they, you were left alive on purpose? What if whatever it is wanted you alive?" Ty asked.

"Why would it want her alive, what good does that do?" Jules asked.

"Fear. Maybe it feeds on that?" Charlie said.

"But then that would mean we're talking some kind of intelligent being, no just a supernatural one." I replied.

"It could just be a warning sign. These kinds of things are commonly added in movies and fiction when things are coming." Jules suggested.

"Isn't- Aren't those usually signalling something inevitable?" Cory tugged at his sleaves and looked down. I was beginning to feel it too. It doesn't make sense because really nothing has changed but maybe just Edyth telling us that there was something big out there was the change itself. Maybe it was done, and we are already doomed to whatever it is.

I could feel that we were about to dive into a very deep hole where we knew nothing and could do nothing. I sighed and stood up. "Right now, we really don't know anything. I think we should take a break to process and I will fill my dad in. We can check the books later on too to see if there is something in there about this."

Edyth was the first to stand up. She looked exhausted but something about her had changed. Her shoulders were rolled back, and her head was tilted higher. It was as if the story she told us was physically pinning her down and her words finally released it. Though I doubt the sadness she felt would have disappeared. "Yeah, I'm kind of tired so I'm going to take a nap now. See you guys at school?"

"Hey, you don't have to come if you aren't ready." Jules told her. Edyth offered an uncharacteristic half smile.

"I feel the readiest that I've been in a while."

"Alright, I guess we'll get going too." Ty said.

I waved goodbye to everyone and was the first out. I tried to formulate a plan as I made my way back home and towards Dad's office. Nothing really came to my mind. It suddenly dawned on me how much of a weight that we have, I have to carry. As the future alpha, it does make sense for me to want to solve things beyond the scope of myself. To look out for the pack and make a solution that best benefits the pack. But as a teenage girl, I just want to scream. This is way over my head. How am I so big and little at the same time? It's not even that I'm going to replace Dad soon – he still has a long way to go, and I have ways to grow. I'm just pressured to be great from the start.

Dad's office door was left open, and he sat at his desk with his paper scattered all across his desk. His glasses, his newest addition to his face slid lower and lower down his noes. It barely hid the dark circles that began to deepen around his eyes. I may not be becoming Alpha soon, but he is taking too much of a toll. Something is happening. I want to help him more. I knock on the door and he looks up. "Hey, Dad."

"Ari,"

"Is this an okay time?" I asked.

He leaned back and folded his glasses. "It's been hard to tell recently but I'll always have some time for you." He cleared a chair for me, and I sat down in it.

"Well, Edyth spoke to us today. She used the water to show us some images. She was from the Orion pack." I filled Dad in on the rest of her story. He was always a good listener, but I could see his face change with each new important thing.