-Alpha Hayden's POV
Two more days to go.
The last few days were absolute madness. It started with the rogue attacks that came out of nowhere. My warriors were able to deal with them without any help and that proved how far they came. We were starting to rely less on the help of alpha Jake's pack!
That was a very good thing, but it didn't matter at the moment. All I wished for now was that we could face this with their help. The Fading was spreading like wildfire through the packs and there was nothing that anyone could do about it.
Fading always started with a high fever and delirium. Usually the fever would break after three days and then you had a moment of relieve, but it was just that. A moment before the fading started. The pup or wolf would fall asleep and slowly fade away.
Five days was all it took to watch your loved one go through agonising pain to feeling nothing at all anymore.
Was that going to be the faith of Brock's daughters or Sage?
No, I can't think like that!
''Brock, can I get you anything? Something to drink or to eat perhaps?''
''I can't lose them,'' Brock says with a trembling voice. ''I can't lose my daughters, Hayden. I promised Meredith that I would take care of them and now when they need me the most, I can do absolutely nothing!''
''You are here with your girls, Brock,'' I say as I lay my hand on my beta's shoulder. ''I know you want to do more, but all you can do is have faith and be with them.''
''Faith?'' Brock scoffs. ''I lost that when the Goddess took my mate away from me and our daughters. Meredith was always in perfect health and she still faded! She faded right after...''
Cleo was born.
My mind wanders back to the first memory I have of Meredith. Brock and I were on going to visit a local brewer and on our way we passed a woman who was yelling at her car.
Brock made some comment about the eccentric clothes the woman was wearing and then he stopped the car. From the rear mirror he kept looking at the woman and I will never forget the smile that appeared on his face.
Pure happiness and everything else was history after that. Brock found his destined mate and it didn't matter that she was the complete opposite of him. Their differences made them perfectly right for each other, but there was still one thing.
Meredith was a human and that became very clear when she was pregnant with Clairy. Wolves carried their pups for five months instead of the nine that humans needed and that almost killed Meredith. Her body couldn't keep up with with the fast developments of her pregnancy.
That's why the pack doctor told Meredith that she shouldn't have more pups, because it was too dangerous for her.
And it was.
Five years later Meredith gave against all odds birth to a healthy pup. One hour after Cleo was born Meredith spiked a fever and three days later she was gone. Faded away.
''I'm going to check on Trevor and then I will bring you some lunch. You need to stay strong for your girls.''
''You sound like Sage,'' Brock says with a little smile. ''How is she doing and how are the others?''
''You really want to know?'' I ask.
Brock looks at me for a moment and then he shakes his head.
''No, because it won't make me feel better. They are either getting better and my daughters are not or they are...''
''I won't be long,'' I say as I leave the room.
I feel so useless!
I'm trying to be there for my best friend and for all my pack members that were going through the same thing, but it felt like all I did was failing.
Trevor is sitting outside on the porch with Emmet and I'm thankful for that. My nephew was dealing with too much. Coming to terms with his parents death was already too much. Now he had to deal with the fact that his best friend was very sick and so was the woman who always took care of him.
He was only five years old, dammit!
''He just finished his lunch, alpha Hayden.''
Alpha Jake walks out of the kitchen and he follows my gaze.
''Has he been sitting there all morning?'' I ask.
''No, he made his homework in the kitchen and he went with Emmet to visit Sage,'' alpha Jake answers.
''That's good to hear. I was worried that he would go back to his old ways, distancing himself and not eating I mean.''
Alpha Jake smiles and he shakes his head.
''Evelyn told him that she needed him to stay strong for Clairy and that he she expects him to keep up with his school work.''
What is her deal with school?
''Why is school so important for her, alpha Jake? She always helps the pups with their homework and she got really irritated when Cassandra made that comment about the importance of getting a proper education.''
Alpha Jake gestures me to follow him to the kitchen where he continues with chopping the vegetables.
''I had the best education money could buy and so did Emmet for some years, but Evelyn never had that privilege. Not when she was still living with the Golden Forest pack and not after she came to live with me.''
''Are you saying that she never went to school?'' I ask stunned. ''Packs without their own schools usually send their pups and youngsters to human schools.''
''Yes, until they start to show signs of being able to shift,'' alpha Jake says as he puts the vegetables in a pot. ''Then they continue their education within the pack. That was not an option for my sister, alpha Hayden. Evelyn was able to shift from the age of three.''
Three!
''No, thirteen is the earliest age that a youngster is able to shift and those cases are very rare. Are you really telling me that she was able to shift from the age of three?''
''She was,'' Emmet says. ''A three year old fully shifted wolf with a lot of temper tantrums. She had no control over her wolf and the risks were too big. She could shift in front of humans or hurt one of those kids.''
''So you home schooled her?'' I ask as I try to wrap my head around this information.
Being able to shift from the age of three shouldn't be possible. Our bodies and mind were not ready for the transformation, but Evelyn was?
That was insane!
''That was our only option, but don't forget that I was eighteen when I took my siblings in. Running a bar on my own and taking care of them at the same time was a challenge. It was also my mistake to trust my brother to help Evelyn with her schoolwork,'' alpha Jake says as he gives Emmet a stern look.
''Well, I did my best to make it interesting,'' Emmet answers with a grin. ''Although I don't know why we even bothered to help her with school. She refused to learn about subjects that she wasn't interested in anyway.''
''True, but still,'' alpha Jake sighs.
''Alpha Jake, can you check my math home work?'' Trevor suddenly asks.
He is standing in doorway with his exercise book in his hands and he is looking very hopeful at alpha Jake.
''I can look at it for you,'' Emmet offers.
Trevor hides his exercise book behind his back and he shakes his head.
''I can't check your homework?'' Emmet asks.
Trevor shakes his head again and he keeps his gaze set on the floor.
''Why not?'' Emmet presses on.
''Evy says that I can't trust you with it,'' Trevor says softly and his cheeks are turning bright red.
Alpha Jake puts the pot on the stove and he tries very hard to keep a straight face.
''Let me take a look at it,'' alpha Jake says as he holds out his hand.
Trevor hands alpha Jake his exercise book, but he still doesn't dare to look in the direction of Emmet.
''This is very advanced math for someone of your age,'' alpha Jake mumbles. ''You uphold high norms for the pups, alpha Hayden.''
Curiously I take a look at my nephew's homework and a deep frown appears on my face. This was not at all what I expected our pups to know. I didn't even expected this grade difficulty of math from my youngsters!
''Trevor, why are doing such advanced math?''
''Because it is the homework that Evy gave me, uncle Hayden.''
''Evelyn wants you to do this?''
''Yes, uncle,''
''And why does she want you to do this kind of math?''
Trevor looks at me like I asked a very dumb question and that expression reminds me of certain lone wolf who very often looked at me like that.
''To learn the true meaning of supply and demand, uncle.''
''Goddess, the school of Evelyn is in session!'' Emmet laughs. ''She is already turning him into a hustler. I think you owe me an apology, brother.''
''Don't hold your breath,'' alpha Jake grumbles. ''Or should I remind you that your version about the birds and bees gave our sister nightmares for months!''
The bickering between the brothers continues and as always it amused me, but I can only enjoy it for a little bit.
''Something is wrong, alpha. The fever broke, but they are not waking up!''