The Elevator

The Tale of The Terrible Father

John White was once a man who I loved unconditionally. Growing up when I was a small child I spent years running loops round him. I used to be his princess and he gave me my first taste of unconditional love. He read me bedtime stories, tucked me in bed tightly, checked under my bed for monsters. John White protected and cherished my mother, he would always hold her tightly, kiss her softly, tease her relentlessly. My mother was the centre of his world. Whenever he told me stories about mates, I would wish upon a star that I had someone like him in my life.

As I reached my teenage years, his work load got heavier, he got busier. I wanted to spend time with my friends or I would be busy doing my homework. By the time his work load eased, he would look at me as if he didn't recognise me. Those looks soon turned into scowls of disgust. His soft and kind words would taunt me and disregard me. He would speak words of hate, refuse my small requests for money when I needed school supplies. The father who once loved me unconditionally, hated me. 

My father was once a tall and proud man. His shoulders were thick from working out, his aura oozed with power. He had aged over the years and had slight wrinkles in the corner of his eyes. However when I look at him now, standing in front of the pack, his face looks worn, his body has shrunk in size making him look lanky and weak. The child in me yearned for the father who loved me once upon a time. 

Elder Reece looks at the man in front of him, clutching onto his cane. He gestures to one of the other pack members to bring a chair for him to sit on while he was questioned. Elder Roberts was looking at my father in familiarity with a sympathetic look. 

"Can you confirm that you are the father of Leanne and Louise White, Retired Beta John White?" Elder Reece questioned. 

"Yes I am." He said as he took his seat in the chair that was graciously brought forward. 

"How would you describe your relationship with your daughters John?" Elder Robert questioned. 

My father hung his head. "My daughters and I are estranged from each other. I do not speak with Leanne for the shame that she has brought on my family. I do not have any relation with my daughter Louise since her eighteenth birthday when she left the pack." My father replies. 

"Could you explain what caused your daughter to leave the pack when she was eighteen years of age?" Elder Reece asks. 

My father lets out a deep sigh. "I can not say for certain what specifically caused my daughter to leave the Redbridge pack but I believe it is due to her true mate rejecting her. However, I believe that is only one of the reasons that contributed to her leaving her home."

"Could you please elaborate John White?" Elder Reece pushes his tone is sharp and his facial expression is nothing but unimpressed by his words. 

My father's head hangs. "My wife and I didn't treat Louise well. She was neglected and at times verbally abused by our family. We would often shame her, ignore her presence, we outcasted her from our family when she didn't deserve it." 

"John what are you saying-" My mother starts to shout from her seat. 

"MRS WHITE, YOU WILL BE QUIET AND YOU WILL NOT SPEAK UNLESS REQUESTED BY YOUR ELDERS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Elder Reece ruthlessly commanded through the room. The power of his order was like nothing I imagined, I saw many bow their head. My mother tightly pursed her lips and I saw her lift her neck in submission. She gave them a tight nod of the head and clenched her eyes tightly. 

"Excellent. Could you expand on your statement John?" Elder Robert Questioned. 

"Louise never deserved our treatment. We thought that Louise was involved with a terrible Rouge group that was responsible for the trafficking of children and the dealing of drugs. We believed that Louise was engaging in sexual activities with unmated males. For that we ignored her or verbally abused her. She never spoke a bad word back, she simply became quiet and would often disappear into the background until a new rumour came to light." My father replied with tears forming in the corner of his eyes. I could see his gaze seeking me out.