Risen From the Ashes

VI

I was fixing the tie on my suit, looking in the mirror and making sure the waves on my head look flawless. I was constantly making little adjustments to my person that I couldn't seem to get right and I was getting frustrated. I growled in frustration and shook my head at myself, too many things running through my head right now. 

Ke'aysha must have seen my frustrations and finally spoke to me as she finished her makeup across the room, "What's wrong, baby?" She asked me. 

I scratched the back of my neck, still focusing on my person and why I couldn't make things look right. "Nothing's right," I told her honestly. 

She finished her eyelashes and turned to me. I watched her in the mirror sitting crossed leg in her cute little pink dress that fell above her knees. She looked flawless and I was always surprised that she looked so amazing so effortlessly. "Sweetie, it's not just your outfit, is it?" 

I shook my head and looked at my appearance again. I thought about what was really bothering and I didn't want to think about it so I danced around the fact, "Things don't look right." I simply stated. 

Ke'aysha rose from her seat and sautered behind me, her hands on my back as she helped smooth the wrinkles out of the back of my suit. "Alex, I think it's your father that's getting to you tonight. You're never fidgety like this, baby."

I sighed again, "I just..." She rested her head on my shoulder, waiting for me to get my thoughts together, "Why is he back? He wanted to leave all he wanted and he just left me and Molina. More than a decade later and he's just back like he never left?" I turned towards Ke'aysha, holding her close like she was my safety blanket. I looked deep into her eyes, finding my comfort and where my heart sat, "It's not fair Key. It's not fair that he gets to come back and for what? To change things? Why do things need to change?" 

Ke'aysha gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek that made me release all the tension in my body to lose myself in my head. She caressed my chin and I buried my face in her soft palms that smelled of cocoa butter. "Change is always happening, Alex, whether we liked it or not. Maybe this will be a good thing for you and your father."

I really did want to believe her and every word she said, but my heart simply wasn't in it, "My father and I have never been on good terms. Well...when I was younger, but he always loved Molina more than me." 

Ke'aysha sighed and continued to rub my face with her angelic hands. "Alex, we're going to go down there and have a peaceful conversation with your father and see what he wants."

I chewed on my lip lightly, looking into her soul, "If he's just here for some money, I'm throwing his ass out." 

I could see Ke'aysha about to rebut that statement, but she finally gave in and nodded, "Okay, that's fair." She reached down and grabbed my hand into hers as she dragged me away from the mirror. I finally stopped fidgetting with my appearance though. "We have to set a good example for Jazmyne and Jr." She reminded me. Trust me, I didn't forget about the two women who had stolen my heart when I first laid my eyes on them. I never thought I could love anybody more than I could love Ke'aysha, but Jazmyne was always bound to break those nevers. 

Ke'aysha walked in front of me into the kitchen, holding Jaz's hand. They didn't see my father standing in the corner as they merrily walked to the kitchen table.  I caught his eye and he didn't let go as if he was challenging me. I'm tired of him stepping on my authority as Alpha here. I am still Alpha. Not him. 

I made a beeline to the corner where he sat and nodded my head to instruct him to talk to me outside. He made his way out of the dining room to right outside of the door. I pushed him farther away so my family would not be able to hear me. 

"Let's get this straight," I ordered, "This is my pack. You have no authority here anymore. This is my house. My pack. My family. You are not going to destroy what I have built. As long as you are under my roof, you will follow my rules, got it?" 

Father stuttered for a moment, "But-"

"No buts!" I demanded. I was tired of playing his games and having to take his sly and degrading comments like it was in my childhood. 

Father was silent for a moment before he finally gave in and said, "Okay, son." I was surprised a little bit because Father has never been one to step down to a challenge of power, but this time, he was going to have to if he wanted to stay. 

"Thank you," I moved back into the kitchen, seeing that the family had sat down beside the two empty seats, one was at the head of the table next to Ke'aysha and the other was on the other side. I watched Father's direction and I realized he was going to the head of the table like I was. I let my wolf come forward and growled at him as a warning. He heard it and stopped in his tracks. I strolled past him and took my rightful seat at the head of the table. 

Father stood for a few more seconds before going to seat in the other empty seat at the other side of the table. I felt a small tap on my shin from Ke'aysha and I looked up at her to only meet her soft scowl to me. I sighed. Maybe I wasn't right, but dammit, I'm too stubborn about it. 

The kitchen workers brought our appetizer out and placed it in front of us. It was a kid-friendly appetizer, a plate of a small portion of crinkle fries with a side of cheese dip. The kids were pretty used to this so we all just integrated into the kids' diets. Father decided to speak on what was in front of him, "You always eat this?" 

I darted my eyes up to him, wondering if this is how all night is going to be. Molina decided to take the words out of my mouth, "If you don't want to eat it, Daddy, you don't have to."

The encouragement from Molina made him pick up a fry and try it. He said nothing more about the appetizer. There was a long moment of silence before anyone else said anything else, but when someone did, it was Father. "So..." I shook my head, knowing he was making the vibe at the table worse, "Where's Isaac?" 

Molina sat back in her chair as if she was waiting for the question but still didn't know to answer it. I looked at Ke'aysha and she looked as stressed as I felt. We both knew this was going to be a long night.