The Strength to Love

Two Years Ago Alpha Jake’s POV                It was 6:30am on that brisk Friday morning. I was looking forward to spending the weekend with my beta, Chuck, fishing and hunting. No politics, no paperwork, and no Jessica, my wife. Before we got married, I knew she liked to party, hell she was the party. However, since our daughter Brooke started high school, she has been taking it to the extreme. I finish buttoning my flannel shirt and glance back at our bed. There she was strung across it, snoring and reeking of whiskey. She also smelled like the guy she has been cheating on me with. She did not think I knew, but when she comes homes at 5 in morning everyday smelling of the same man, it is not hard to put two and two together. I had even had Chuck follow her just to be 100% sure. When he came back and reported her wrapped in the arms of some other man, I made up my mind. I was going to leave her, and I was going to take Brooke. I had my lawyer draw up the paperwork and I was going to give them to her Monday. This was going to be my last enjoyable time before she turned everything into a war.                I went downstairs pack up some food when I spotted a cooler sitting on the table. Brooke was humming and walking back and forth filling it up. I smiled and her. She was my pride and joy. She had My golden hair and her mother’s hazel eyes. I was standing there watching her for a minute when she finally noticed me and squeaked.                “Daddy! You scared me!”                Laughing I walked up and glanced in the cooler. There was two of everything. “You planning on going out with Josh today?”                She blushed thinking of my Gamma’s son born just a week after her. “No Daddy, I am packing food for you and Chuck, just in case you aren’t the fishmen you claim to be.”                She finished packing and closed it up handing it to me, and she gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I don’t know how I got so lucky to have a daughter like you.”                She giggles and grabbed her bag for school. “Bye Daddy!”                “Bye Peanut!” I waved and turned almost running into Bridgett the pack cook. “Ooof! Sorry Bridgett.”                She lowered her head and blurted out, “So sorry Alpha! Brooke had told me you and Beta were leaving for a trip. I wanted to make sure you ate a good breakfast before you left.”                “Bridgett,” I said sternly. “Please call me Jake, and that is very kind of you. Thank you.”                “That is her job. You do not need to thank her. You need to run a tighter ship, or no one will take you seriously.” Jessica stumbled into the dining area, clearly still hung over. “You,” she pointed to Bridgett. “Where is the coffee? Why am I waiting?”                “I was getting the Alpha his --” Bridgett did not have time to finish her sentence before Jessica backhanded her.                “I AM THE LUNA! YOU WILL DO AS I WISH AND NOT TALK BACK!” Jessica screamed.                “ENOUGH!” I roared. “Bridgett will you please give me and the Luna a moment alone?” She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. I turned to Jessica. “What the hell is your problem? You don’t have the right to slap people around!”                “Oh please,” she snickered. “Someone has to rule with an iron fist and let us face it. You are not going to do it. And besides what are you going to do? Punish me? Please! You’re such a push over!”                At this point Chuck had walked into the dining area to grab some breakfast before we left. He slips a manila envelope across the table to me. It was the divorce papers he had picked up from the lawyers for me. “Morning Alpha,” he said heading to the kitchen. “Morning Luna.”                “I was going to wait til Monday to give you these,” I shoved the envelope in her hands. “But since I’m such a pushover I might as well give them to you now. I know how you like presents.” Jessica’s eyes started to twinkle at the thought of gifts. “Ready Chuck?”                “Yes Alpha,” He said falling into step with me.                Just as we finished loading the truck, you could hear Jessica’s shriek probably throughout the entire territory. I laughed turning to Chuck, “And that’s our que to go.”