Alpha's Heart Ana's Fate

Chapter 17: An Alpha's Strength

Mara drew a long breath. "...a child had gone missing."

I frowned right away. "A child?" Which Child? Mara nodded; you were very little then I guess that's why you didn't remember.

It was Ronan. “He was one of the youngest wolves in Cirgee Pack then."

That was not what I was expecting…

I had thought about war. An assault.

A rival Alpha or many more dangerous things. Not a child.

"The child disappeared at one of the seasonal gatherings," said Mara.

"Everyone thought he must have wandered off on his own, because children used to do that."

"But he never came back." There was silence in the room…

"Time went by and Ronan still had not return. Night fell and fear began."

I leaned towards her. "What did my father do?" She smiled slightly. "What he always did."

That sounded like something that I had heard many times before. "He accepted responsibility."

She continued talking as though she had a lot to say…

"He created search teams even before anyone knew how bad the problem was."

Kieran put his hands behind his head.

"That sounds like an Alpha." Kieran said immediately.

Mara pointed at him. "Your father would have done the same too." It's an Alpha’s instinct.

Kieran did not deny that. I glanced down at the bracelet around my wrist.

"And what happened next Mara?" I asked.

"The council insisted that he should remain in Cirgee to oversee things."

"And?"... Mara chuckled. "Alpha Ciaro ignored them."

I couldn't help but smile when I heard this because that seemed to be the kind of man he was.

"He spent three days looking for Ronan."

"Three days?" Yes Ana "Three days."

Mara shook her head. "He didn't sleep much nor eat much." The Warriors who accompanied him were tired.

But your Dad didn't give up on the poor child". He stood his ground and continued searching.

I looked at her. "My father wasn't scared of the forest." "No." Alpha's don't get scared of the forest.

"He wasn't scared of enemies?" I asked.. "No." Enemies are just like waste in an Alpha’s eyes Mara said with a serious face.

"He wasn't scared of death." I asked again

"No." Death was never an option to him.

I frowned. "What was he scared of then?"

Mara looked at me.

"Of not bringing back that kid from the forest alive."

I felt heavy. It wasn't dramatic in any way.

But it made a lot of sense.

You aren't judged as a leader when everything is going well. You are judged as a leader when someone relies on you.

"He found that kid finally." Mara said.

Yes Ronan is alive and currently in Greenwood. I answered almost immediately.

Correct I too was very much happy to see little Ronan once again. He has grown up to be a handsome young man.

I let out a breath of relief. I'm glad my Dad proved his strength as an Alpha.

I was surprised by the feeling of relief although the story happened years ago.

Ronan is just a few blocks away from me now. I was just happy to know this..

"The boy followed the wounded animal into the forest." That's how he got lost. Mara continued..

"What happened afterwards? Mara smiled.

"After Alpha Ciaro found him, he carried the kid home."

I laughed. He did what, are you serious Mara? "He carried him?"

Yes Ana, He carried him all the way back.

Mara replied.

"And even though the boy could walk on his own. Alpha Ciaro still insisted on keeping him close by carrying him."

This had me laughing even harder. It was absurd.

"It wasn't about the distance," Mara said. "It was about making the boy feel safe."

For some odd reason that made my heart clench because that was what an Alpha who had many followers would do.

Not out of fear but for safety and trust. Mara got up a few moments later.

"I need to be on my way before it gets late."

Immediately, I felt disappointed.

I had a million more questions I needed to ask. Questions about Cirgee. Questions about my parents. Questions about all that I'd lost.

But I nodded. "Thanks Mara for your time."

Mara smiled. "No, Ana." She laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Thank you for listening."

Then she was gone. I watched as the door closed behind her.

For the first time in a long while, my memories of my parents no longer felt incomplete.

Not complete yet but at least fuller. Kieran was still standing near the window.

"You've been thinking a lot lately Huh?."I turned to look at him. "Is this a complaint?"

"Not really." His mouth moved a little as though in whisper then he said.."This is just an observation.”

A small smile filled my lips."Good one."

For a moment, I turned the bracelet around my wrist.

But then a question popped into my head, before I could think of stopping it.

"Kieran?" "Yes Ana?"

"Does it ever get easier to be a leader? " He rested against the frame of the window. "No."

I frowned. "No?"

"It evolves." Kieran said.

"Hmm That's not the same thing."

"No," Kieran agreed. "Not really."

I watched him intently. "What do you mean by that?"

His gaze traveled towards Greenwood. "If you lead a few people, you worry about a few people."

I waited.

"If you lead an entire Pack, then every mistake has its price."

I smiled faintly. "The burden doesn't decrease?" "No." He said.

"Instead the burden increases." "Yes."

The answer weighed heavily on my chest.I looked down at the bracelet once more.

Thinking of my father. Alpha Ciaro. Thinking about the stories Mara told me.

But yet another question found its way out."What scares you the most Kieran?"

His gaze met mine. "As an Alpha?"

"Yes." I replied.

Kieran hesitated in answering me. When he spoke, his voice was softer.

"Failing Greenwood.”

The answer struck me with more force than I thought possible. Not because it surprised me.

But because it seemed so familiar. Familiar to the point of recognition.

A strange pain took residence deep within me. In just one second, fragments of memories appeared in front of me.

Cirgee Pack's gate being burned down, people screaming, smoke rising into the sky.

They all disappeared before I could decipher them; but there remained an eerie feeling.

Somewhere hidden inside memories that had been forgotten, I knew what it felt like to fail a Pack.

I remembered Mara’s tale.The lost child. My father searching for days on end. The dread that would have occurred if he came back empty handed.

No fear of foes, no fear of death. Only fear of letting those who relied on him down.

My lips curved upward into a small smile.

"What is it?" Kieran said, looking at me intently as if he had been reading my mind.

I shook my head and said.."You sound just like my father."

Some softness entered Kieran's face. "I suppose that’s a compliment."

"It should be." I laugh in small chuckles.

We stood there silent for a moment. Then he studied me intently.

"You’re smiling again." I blinked.. "Am I?"

"When you talk about them." Kieran said.

My hands gripped the bracelet tightly..

Months before, talking about my parents had been like ripping open a fresh wound.

It was different now. The pain was there still. But it no longer filled the space.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

Kieran turned slightly facing me now.

For what exactly he said as he moved closer and.