When Chad got to where Jason was standing his knees bent and before he knew it he was kneeling before Jason in a submissive manner.
"Wh...what happen....ing?" Chad asked in a panic, with his head on the floor. He had never felt this amount of pressure in his life, except when taking an order from his Alpha and at this moment it was radiating off Emma's dad.
Jason did not answer but sat down on the couch and examined Chad before laying off the pressure and acting nonchalantly.
Chad stood up shakily and staggered a bit.
Jason then re-examined Chad from head to toe. He was cautious enough to hide his scent before but Jason could smell the wolf all over him based on the fact that he partially shifted a few moments ago.
"What type of business do you have with my daughter Gamma?" The hostility in Jason's voice was clear.
Chad was puzzled, how could Jason possibly decipher his rank? Only Alpha's had that ability. Chad stammered providing an answer. The usually confident Chad had actually choked providing an answer.
Chad reflected on the time when he was first introduced to Jason. He had no recollection of Jason being this ...
This powerful! He seemed like a regular man but the menacing stare he had was anything but regular.
Chad wasn't sure what Jason was but he knew now that a war would definitely come when his pack came for Emma.
"I asked a question mutt!" Jason's voice vibrated through the room.
"Jason...I ah." Chad gathered his words before speaking. Trying to think of a believable answer.
"Mr. Anderson.." Jason corrected him.
"Mr. Anderson, Emma fainted earlier and I was unable to wake her. I tried CPR but that didn't work, so I called one of my friends to find out what to do." Chad made sure not to mention how he transformed.
"Partially true," Jason said to himself, and of course, Chad wolf hearing heard what he said.
Jason remained seated while looking into nothingness. Chad had no idea what to do. A question kept bugging him. So he blurted it out before he understood what his mouth was doing.
"Who are you?" Chad asked surprising himself. He often told others their mouth would be the death of them and today his mouth dug his own grave. How ironic.
Jason's face hosted a sinister smile.
"Well Chad, you will know exactly what I am if your intentions for my daughter are not genuine." The sinister look disappeared from Jason's face and he appeared to be the man Chad was introduced to before Emma's mom died.
At this time Emma appeared in the living room.
"Dad what's taking so long, I told you I am the one that kissed Chad. He had nothing to do with it, he didn't..."
"I know" Jason responded.
"...force himself on me or anything, I was just a harmless...wait you know?" Emma asked in disbelief.
"Yes Emma, I know, I believe you, you and Chad can go for a walk, I have some work to finish up," Jason said casually before getting up and heading towards his bedroom.
The shock was an understatement. Jason knew his daughter was approaching the area hence the switch of personalities. Chad was dumb he had to report this.
"Okay," Emma said walking over to hug her dad before pulling Chad behind her.
"Forget everything and remember I will be watching" were the words that greeted Chad's ears when he brushed past Jason. He looked back to see the sinister look that was there before, but when he blinked it vanished.
Chad knew he had to make this known to his Beta so he sent Emma before him to sit in the car. He needed to make a quick call.
"Hey bro what's up?" Eric asked.
"I...I...don't remember...I knew I had something important to tell you but I forgot." Chad scratched his head trying to remember.
"So call me when you remember then, I don't have time to waste dude," Eric said about to hand up.
"The voice said I will be watching."
"What voice?"
"Man if I knew don't you think I would have already told you that?! I don't remember, all I know is that something is about to happen, Eric, something big" Chad said worriedly.
Eric and Chad met when they were in primary school, they weren't friends until their parents became neighbors and they were forced to coexist. Even then they had a great disdain for each other as Chad was a do-gooder and Eric was only nice when he needed something from someone.
However, when they grew up and became the Alpha's right and left hand they swore to protect each other.
Eric had never witnessed Chad's worries before and it troubled him gravely.
"Where are you Chad?" The gravity of the situation was evident in his tone.
"Am on going out with Emma..."
"OK....so where were you a moment ago?" Eric asked cutting him off.
"Inside Emma's house, I guess.." Chad answered confused wondering where Eric was going with this.
"Okay, that's where we'll start, other than you and Emma was anyone else there?"
"Her dad, he came home and saw up and got mad...."
"And.....what happened?"
"I don't remember, he sent Emma upstairs, who came back down and we are outside now."
"Chaddddddddd what's taking so long??" Emma hollered from the car.
"Am coming Em"
"Chad I'll look into it, something is off, go with Emma, we'll talk soon. Very vigilant, remember the Vespa has chosen no one can be trusted." Eric said and closed the call.
Chad headed towards the car.
He had to remind himself that Emma was no longer his but his Alpha's.
Years ago the ritual wasn't properly completed and the Vespa won. Now they had to do everything to ensure that history didn't repeat itself.
Chad bought Emma ice cream then they went to the beach to have a chill day.
Chad felt like he was being watched but made nothing of it. Maybe it was the Vespa are maybe it was a rogue. He just couldn't shake the itch that something wasn't right.
What shocked him the most is when Emma stopped playing at the edge of the sand and asked.
"Chad can you help me investigate my mom's dead?" She asked with hopeful eyes.
He couldn't say no to Emma no matter how hard he tried. Worst he had to protect her more now than ever before.
"Ems are you sure this is a road you want to travel again???"
When Emma's mom died it broke her. To relive this event would significantly affect her. Plus she had come to a dead end when she looked into it before.
"I need to know Chad, plus there are all these weird happenings since of late..." Emma trailed off watching a bee fly past in slow-mo.
"Chad look! " Emma called but the bee fly at regular speed when Chad was looking.
"Chad something is going on, my Queen bee is dead and my bees well...seems crazy. ..Chad will you help me?" She pleaded.
Chad agreed, they held each other and watched the sunset while both battling their inner demon. Chad knew the legend of Bee and Vespa but it was not his tale to tell.
Emma tried to get the buzzing sound out of her head while Chad thought about how best he could get Emma out of this without becoming a rogue.
The sounds of crickets had drowned out the buzzing and the mosquito bites were something to write home about. It seems that both the bee and the mosquito had choir practice as the same tune was being sung.
"Ema let's go." Chad held out his hand which Emma took.
Emma got up from the towel they were sitting on. Shakes it. Both of them dusted off and headed towards the car.
"Chad I...." Emma hesitated then blurted out.
"Please stay the night?"
"Emma you know your dad doesn't like me..."
"He doesn't hate you," Emma said cheerfully.
"It doesn't change the fact that he would rather not have me date you," Chad stated firmly.
"Chad...."
"Emma..."
"Chadrick"
"Emmarel"
"Eww Chad never call me that!" Emma turned to look out the window vex that Chad called her by her given name.
"Ems call me if anything else weird happens and I promise I'll be there before you know it" Chad pulled up at Emma's home and gently touched Emma's face. Emma frowned.
"Emma promise me?"
"Okay, I promise" Chad gave Emma a solid kiss on her forehead before she exited the car.
It was around 7 pm when Chad brought Emma home. Her dad stood in the dark watching.
Chad felt a tickle run down his spine and could have almost sworn he saw a red eye flash in the house before he drove off. Something was up, he made a call to Eric.
While being with Chad today, Emma tried to get rid of the buzzing sound she heard hence she went towards her bees before going inside the house.
The bees flared up upon her approach.
'Queen bee how please we are to see thee,
Come one come all, gather gather
Royal Jelly is needed
The dark age approaches, she must be ready, royal jelly royal jelly...'
Emma stood her ground even though the throbbing feeling in her head did not subside.
"What do you want from me?" She screamed. Usually, the bees were her peace but now, now they were slowly becoming a nuisance.
'...The past cannot be changed but the future still remains, behold such beauty, she must be fed royal jelly to keep her healthy.
The Queen has chosen, the royal lineage still holds.
She must be fertilized for the future generations and must be born strong and bold.
The dark age approaches, she must be ready, royal jelly royal jelly'
"What does that even mean?!" Emma said confused while holding her head. She paced the grass back and forth, not knowing that her dad had relocated to the kitchen to watch her.
An old yet firm voice said to her. "You are Queen nothing is as it seems, be very mindful of those around you. You hold the key."
Emma searched frantically for the person who said that before looking into her hive and witnessing one of the bee's death.
The chanting started again.
"Emma?" The bees quiet down as her dad opened the kitchen door and pretended he didn't witness Emna talking to her bees.
"Ems is that you?" He called again.
"Yeah dad it's me," Emma said flush yet trying to appear normal.
"Come inside Ems, you know when the night dew hits you get sick," Jason said concerned gesturing for Emma to come inside.
Emma walked in, turning slightly to look at her bees. They all seemed normal in the gentle glow of night.
Who was she kidding she was utterly confused and just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. But she had to hold it together, she needed to know the true story behind her mom's death.
"Dinner is in the microwave..." Jason stood and looked at Emma who was now diving into the food he prepared.
"Are you okay Emma?"
"Yeah, dad am fine" Emma lied.
"Are you sure Em?" Jason pressed her.
"Ye...a...ah" Emma gave her dad a thumbs up to which he smiled and then went to his room making sure Emma was out of earshot.
"Dad..." Jason stopped walking and turned around.
"Yeah Ems"
Emma's hand shocked. She just needed to know.
"Emma?" Her dad was now standing almost in front of her, he took the hand that was shaking in his, and this calmed her.
"Was mom different before she died?" Her voice was nothing but a whisper.
Emma searched her dad's face for answers. She knew he hated talking about her death so this was as close as she would get.
"What do you mean Emma?"
"Well...."
Everything isn't as it seems Emma. The word lingered in her mind.
"Nevermind" Emma hurried towards her room having somehow finished the food.
Jason slowly walked to his room and sat on his bed.
"Frank it's starting." H stated into his phone.
"Jason, why on earth did you wake so early man?" The person at the end of the call stated in a groggy voice.
"Frank it's almost 8 pm and I hope you aren't slacking off," Jason said nonchalantly to which Frank didn't respond.
"IT'S STARTING" Jason repeated in a commanding tone.
"Damn!!..." shuffling could be heard on the other end.
"Frank!"
"Yes Alpha we'll have the preparations done ASAP" Frank responded, all semblance of sleep gone from his voice.
"We will not have a repeat!"
"Understood Alpha!"
"Also I need the details on the guy my daughter is dating updated, he has finally revealed his true nature, I'm assuming it's due to Emma's changes. "
"Okay Alpha" Jason hung up, he hated his title but anytime he used that tone his warrior acknowledged his title, even though Frank was more of a lazy best friend hence the reason he spoke so casually to his Alpha.
He looked at a picture of his wife and his daughter on his nightstand.
Oh, how he missed her. He couldn't risk losing his daughter. This would kill him..so the day his wife was taken. He had measures put in place to keep his daughter safe just in case and he was right to do as much.
********
Thanks for reading.