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Acacia/Ciarán - Age 8

Just as the fear takes hold of me, the shift in colors is one of brilliant gold and white light. It brings warmth, casting out the darkness as I hold onto my mama tighter, my daddy's eyes still searching mine as if they are void.

Breathing in slowly, my daddy becomes transparent, a delicate field laid out before me. The ticklish light breeze surrounds me, lifting my gaze to a large oak tree, though it's quite familiar to me. Lowering my gaze down to the base of the tree trunk, I see many people. They stand in lines, all eyes focused on the couple beneath of the tree, shaded by the midday sun from its leaves.

"Acacia?" I exhale sharply, my daddy replacing my vision as I'm drawn back to the present. Dante furrows his brows while rubbing his chin, standing just behind my daddy while they both stare at me, one with confusion as the other becomes very critical in the next few seconds.

My mama is the one to save me, clearing her throat as she turns me in her lap. Her eyes smile with warmth when I look into them, her voice soft as she says, "How about we get you in the bath and then get you ready for bed?"

I nod my head, glancing once more at my daddies before mama stands to her feet with me held firmly to her chest in her arms. She casts them both a look before walking with me out of the room and toward my bedroom door. As she walks with me, I glance up at her and ask, "Are you disappointed in me?"

My mama tilts her head to the side with confusion and asks, "Why would you ever think that?"

I look down at my hands and reply, "Because I'm human."

She says nothing in return, reaching my open bedroom door before walking with me inside and maneuvering to the bathroom. My mama sets me down on the floor, sitting on the edge of the tub while she turns on the water, getting it warm. As she does this, she opens the bottle of bubbles and pours some of the liquid under the water stream. With her hands under the running water, she turns to me and says, "I could never be disappointed in you."

"But I-"

"You are such a loving, beautiful and caring girl," she interrupts me, flicking the water from her fingertips at me and I giggle.

She smiles and allows the tub to fill with the water, helping me out of my clothes. Just as she walks away to throw them in the clothes hamper, the water reaches the right height, my mama walking back in with my pajamas and a towel. She leans over, turning off the water before saying, "Acacia..." her voice trails off, her eyes flickering to meet with my own and I catch the golden glimmer that reflects off her cobalt irises, "...there's nothing wrong with being human."

I breathe out while nodding my head, mama helping me into the tub before I sit down and blow the bubbles across the surface of the water. It smells like strawberries.

Mama sits on the lid of the toilet next to me, a smile on her face as I try and gather the bubbles, making a bubble hat on my head. When I look at her, she can't help but giggle as the bubbles slide down my face.

When her laughter stops, she eyes me and asks, "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

My heart skips a beat, my smile instantly dropping when she brings it up.

She's sneaky.

She thinks she can take me off guard.

My mama isn't as intelligent as my daddy, but I'll give her credit for trying.

"I fell," I reiterate what I already told her.

My mama tilts her head to the side and says, "That's not exactly what I was referring to, Acacia."

Oh...

"Uh..." I shift my eyes from side to side, taking one look down at the bubbles before opting to plunge under the water's surface. I can't hold my breath for that long, and she knows it, more than likely just amused by my actions, and when I do surface, she has a hand over her mouth from giggling.

"Come on dear," she stops me from gasping in another breath of air before attempting to submerge myself again. I close my mouth and lower my head, turning to face her as the water droplets drip down from my hair onto the water's surface. She shifts on the lid of the toilet and kneels down on the bathmat, leaning her forearms against the edges of the tub before saying, "You said you saw your father in the forest," she pauses a moment, now everyone believing I'd made it up, "did he look exactly like your dad?"

"Yes mama," I reply, thinking about it for a moment before I lift my eyes to meet with hers and add, "he looked surprised...like, maybe he could see me the entire time, yet shocked that it was the first time me seeing him," I sigh and pop one of the bubbles before saying, "I don't know how to explain it, but it was like the world was purple, spider webs...I'm sorry."

My mama smiles and kisses my forehead, "You don't need to be sorry," she then stands to her feet, readying to leave the bathroom for me to finish up my bath, but I halt her at the open door frame.

"Mama?" I ask her quietly, watching as she slowly turns around, one of her hands touching the frame.

"Yes, dear?" She asks me.

I swirl the tip of my finger through the bubbles as I ask, "Am I crazy?"

"No love," she taps her thumb against the door frame before she finishes with, "finish up and head to bed, I'll be in to tuck you in a little later."

"Alright, I love you, mama," I smile at her as she returns with one of her own.

"I love you too," she replies, walking away from the door frame while leaving the bathroom door open a few inches. I lean back further into the tub, listening to the silence and that's when everything that happened comes rushing back to me.

Ciarán...

...you're such a jerk!

I close my eyelids and breathe in a deep breath before submerging under the water's surface again. I hear small pinging sounds underneath the surface, moving my arms slowly past my sides as I allow the water to rush through my ears. Mercury's face flickers through my mind, the sudden phantom feeling of his lips touching mine jolts me from my peace and I quickly break through the water's surface.

Jerk-face number two.

I wish I could make a friend here... only one person my age I can talk...

Finishing up my bath, I step out of the water while it drains away, grabbing the towel and drying myself off. Slipping on a new pair of underwear and my pajama bottoms, I pull over my head the long-sleeve shirt before drying my hair a bit longer. After hanging the towel up on the railing, I take a comb and work through the knots in my hair, staring at my reflection in the mirror as I do so.

Setting the comb down on the counter top, I brush my teeth before heading back to my bedroom, turning off the light in the bathroom behind me. I'm stopped dead in my tracks when a very loud commotion draws my attention just outside my bedroom door. Tiptoeing toward it, I pull the ajar door open just a few more inches, furrowing my brows as I see nothing in the hallway.

A scream is caught in my lungs as my eyes widen the second my daddy skids across the hallway on his back. He pushes up onto his hands while saying, "Rose, ple-"

He's cut off, and in a split second, I see my mama come into view when she lunges on top of him. I'm staring in horror as she draws her arm back multiple times, punching him in the face. She snarls, "I swear! Cormac Arin!"

Her eyes are the same as Ciarán's, in her anger the reddish-orange comes through as my daddy attempts to grab her fists, only to be thwarted when she grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him sharply upright. A second later, she cracks her forehead against his own and growls, "Why?! Why the hell would you keep this from me?! After all the shit we've been through, you were going to continue to lie to me?!?!"

"Rose," his head snaps back against the marble floor, and he glowers, "I had no choice!" He fumbles again once he locks her wrists into his hands. Her eyes narrow on his, and she quickly rolls her wrists in his hands, slipping from his grasp before she gets one more sucker punch...

...that's when I see my other daddy lift his arms under hers and throws her off of my daddy.

She struggles hard in Dante's hold, her frustration finally coming in the form of tears when she cries out, "Was that Keveon?! Did Acacia find him?"

"She..." my daddy's voice trails off, coughing up blood and leaning on his side, attempting to get to his feet, "...she shouldn't be able to."

"Then you know where he is?!" She screams, and Dante finally lets her go, ready to tackle my daddy once again. He's on his feet now, lifting his arms to halt her from trying to beat on him still.

I hold a hand over my mouth, shaking my head at the way they are fighting. They never fight...never...

My daddy shakes his head and states, "I have a theory...a strong one..." his eyes shift for a second before he finishes, "If she sees what I used to, then-" he cuts himself off the second his eyes land on me, finally orienting his senses. His eyes lock with my own, and I take a few steps back away from the door, tripping backward as I turn around and crawl into my bed.

In the next second, the door to my bedroom opens...

I pull the covers up over my head, my heart racing in my chest as I try and breathe normally. I can't though, holding the sheets tightly between my fingers while footsteps can be heard walking toward my bed.

"Acacia," it's all three of their voices that ring out at the same time.

I grumble before slowly pulling the covers off of my head, peering over the top as all three stand at the edge of my bed. Whispering, I ask, "W-Why we-were you f-fighting?" I pause when they look at one another, "I-Is it b-because of m-me?"

My mama's eyes land on me and she says, "Of course not, however, you should have just gone to bed."

"B-But you were-"

"Why were you given blood, Acacia?" My daddy is the one to steer me away from their adult chat, throwing me through a loop when they all side together, coming at me as one unit.

"I-I..." my voice trails off and I remember again, "I-I f-fell."

My daddy clicks his tongue and sits at the edge of my bed, his eyes narrowing on me when he asks, "How did you fall, exactly?"

"I tripped...in the forest," I reply, shifting my gaze to see Dante and my mama quickly glance at one another.

"Mmmhmm..." my daddy's eyes lock onto my own, making it harder for me to glance away this time when he asks, "...you're not clumsy, how did you trip?"

I shake my head and fumble when I can't even bring myself to say anything.

My daddy then begins to fire off questions while filing in the blanks with my silence, "Did you trip because someone pushed you?"

My grip on the covers tighten.

"Were you injured because your arm hit something sharp?" He asks, continuing to stare at me, "A rock perhaps?"

My grip continues to tighten as my jaw clenches tightly shut.

"Who hurt you, Acacia?" He asks, his eyes boring into mine.

I inhale sharply, biting the inside of my cheek.

"Was it the boys?" His eyes flash with brief anger, Dante's demeanor shifting the second my daddy brings this up, my mama staring at me intently now.

"I..." my voice is squeaky, just like a mouse.

My daddy then asks harshly, "Who pushed you?"

I shake my head again, trying to look away, but their stares are hard to escape.

"Acacia, who pushed you?" His voice is much darker this time around. He pauses for just a moment, holding the air in my lungs before he narrows his eyes, "Was it, Mercury?"

My heart skips a beat.

"It was Mercury, wasn't it?" My daddy figures it all out, lifting away from the edge of the bed.

"Cormac," my mama asks, her anger surfacing for a second while Dante remains standing beside of the bed. My mama follows my daddy to the door and asks, "What are yo-"

"I'm going to have a chat with Delaney about the consequences of her son's actions," my daddy turns to my mama, and there's this taunting glint in her eyes, almost as if she's triumphant with this, 'I told you so' expression. They both leave the room, my eyes slowly falling to stare down at the bed covers, my muscles still tensed.

It's silent for a few moments before Dante clears his throat and I bring my gaze up gradually to meet with his. He asks, "How about a bedtime story then?"

I nod my head in a minimal motion, shifting over slightly as Dante climbs onto the bed next to me. He leans his back against the headboard, wrapping his arm around me as he pulls me close to his side.

"Alright," Dante smiles while gazing down at me, "I'm very fond of the bedtime story written by Pedro Pablo Sacristán," he pauses a moment and begins with, "Once upon a time there were two friends who lived in a palace with their families, who worked in service of the King. One of these boys knew a girl he liked so much that he wanted to give her a present."

I stare up at him as he continues, "One day, he was walking with his friend in the main palace hall, and he saw a big vase filled with the loveliest flowers you could imagine. He decided to take one to give to the girl, thinking that no one would see him do so. He did the same thing the next day, and the next, and the next... until, one day, the King noticed how few flowers were left in the vase. He was so angry that he called everyone in the palace to assemble."

"Oh no..." my voice is quiet as it trails off, wondering what the king would do to the poor boy for stealing his flowers.

Dante chuckles and proceeds with, "When they were all before the King, the boy thought he should say it had been him who took the flowers. However, his friend told him to be quiet, because the King would be angry with him. The boy was paralyzed with fear, but when the King came near, he decided to confess."

My heart beats fast in my chest, leaning my head against Dante's chest as I look up at him, my eyes wide open as I wait for him to tell me what happens. He pauses for far too long and says, "Shall we end there for the evening?"

"No!" I gasp loudly, his chuckle making me giggle.

"As soon as the boy said that he had done it, the King went red with anger, but on hearing what the boy had done with the flowers, a smile appeared on the King's face, and he said, 'I couldn't have thought of a better use for my flowers.' And, from that day, the boy and the King became great friends. They went to the vase and took two of those beautiful flowers, one for the girl, and the other for the Queen," Dante goes very quiet after that, my head tilting to the side as I yawn.

I smile and say, "That's cute! He got one for his queen and the boy got one for his girl, they both must have lived happily ever after."

While moving away from Dante and snuggling back into the covers, an amused chuckle leaves his lips. As he leans over to kiss me goodnight, he states, "That's not the moral of the story little one."

"Hm?" I lay my head against the pillow, looking up at Dante as he kisses my forehead.

"Please..." his voice is uneasy, almost a worry underlying his words as he says, "...no matter what happens, trust in us to be able, to tell the truth," my heart falls when he reveals to me, "no matter how big or how small, no matter if you think we're going to be angry, sad or hurt...please tell us the truth. We will always love you, no matter what."

My heart beats loudly in my chest, holding the covers just below my chin as I nod my head and whisper, "I promise."

A smile makes its way onto Dante's face as I lift myself up quickly and kiss his nose. He taps my own with his finger as I crinkle it from side to side, just before he rubs his nose against my own and whispers, "I love you."

"I love you too," I smile with a newfound sense of happiness.

"There's just one more thing..." his voice alters slightly, and he asks, "...did Ciarán hurt you also?"

Honestly...no, he never laid a hand on me.

...yet my heart still hurts at his harsh words.

I'm only his half-sister...

"No," I reply and then admit, "but he didn't do anything to help me either."

There's that golden glint that flashes across Dante's green irises before he nods his head in return and says, "Sleep well, Acacia."

Only...

...I didn't get much sleep, because, in the middle of the night, I hear low whispers coming from outside my bedroom door.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sit up in bed, swinging my legs over the side before I walk toward my bedroom door. The voices are coming from down the hallway. I don't look, but I press my back against the wall and catch my daddy stating, "-not Tresor."

"How can you be so sure," it's my mama's voice that follows next.

My daddy is quiet for a long second before he says, "I took care of that...problem...a long time ago."

"How?" Excitement floods through me at the sound of my Grandpa Keir's voice.

He's here!

He's here!

I simmer down and then question...

...wait...why is he here?

"It's a long story..." my daddy's voice trails off, informing them, "...I'd much rather tell it once, so we're going to have to wait for Dante to return."

Wait...

...where's my other daddy?

Where did he go?

"That won't be for a few months," Grandpa Keir notes, a sigh leaving his lips, "and Acacia..."

My mama releases a sigh and says, "That's what I wanted to talk to you about...she's..."

"-being picked on," my daddy finishes for her.

"I want her to enjoy the summer with friends," my mama admits, a strain in her voice, "I want her to be happy right now as she's questioning herself and feeling lost."

Grandpa Keir is silent for a moment before he acknowledges, "I'd be happy to have her come stay with the pack for the remaining summer months, however," he pauses a second and explains, "we're having...guests so to speak."

"Keir?" My mama's voice is concerned, and without being able to see their faces, I can only assume she's confused.

"Rose, you know I never took another mate, hoping for Laura to return even when I knew..." his voice is strained, "...even when I knew she was gone, I couldn't bring myself to be with anyone else."

My mama's voice is watery when she replies, "I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, you'll always be my daughter," Grandpa Keir makes light of a depressing moment, one I'm a bit confused about until he continues with, "anyways...I have no heir for my pack so the beta daughter of Coen and Quinn Hale...Sophia...she will be a choice mate of another pack's alpha son. This will not only ensure my packs continuation with people I trust for when I'm gone but also allow immersion of the two strong packs."

My daddy asks with a second thought, "Is this Bishop's kid from Imperial Stars?"

"No," Grandpa Keir replies. He's silent for a moment, almost like a weight is surrounding them and then that's when I hightail it back into my bed, diving under the covers before I hear footsteps approaching.

I can hear my daddy chuckle, "She's half-asleep..."

"Who is it then?" My mama continues the conversation, Grandpa Keir continuing to distance himself for a second.

"Acacia is more than welcome to stay, but..." his voice trails off once again, "Sophia will be mated to Taron Regan."

My daddy is the one to freeze before asking, "Regan?"

"Keir?" My mama's voice is also on edge.

"He's ten right now, visiting now with his father to get to know his future luna...his mate was killed when his father's pack was visiting another," Grandpa Keir pauses before swallowing hard, "a coordinated pack of rogues attacked, leaving over twenty slaughtered including the young alpha's mate. He knows this is for the good of the two packs and is accepting of his father's decision."

My mama is quick to overlook the entire story except for when her voice turns dangerous, "Keir..."

My daddy finishes with, "Who is Taron Regan's father?"

Grandpa Keir sighs and explains, "The alpha of the Crusaders Pack, Chris Regan is the older brother of..."

He doesn't have to finish the sentence before my mama says, "...Marc."

💫--To Be Continued--💫