Chapter 76: We Worry About Out Our Children

Alastair:

I hadn’t known a day of peace for weeks, so it was surprising and admittedly discomfiting to say the least. I had almost forgotten how it felt to know a moment of normalcy in Shadow Veil. I should have been happy about it. I should have been. But I wasn’t.

I was far too worried about Valene.

Days had come and gone, and still I had yet to lay eyes on or even hear from my daughter. My concern for her increased by the day even in spite of receiving regular updates about her wellbeing by both Ares and his Beta whenever he wasn’t available. I could only assume that it was during these times that Valene was being particularly difficult. Nevertheless, the news was the same. She was fine.

It was for that reason alone that I needed to see my little girl for myself. I knew that when Ares sent news that Valene was doing was okay, it didn’t necessarily mean that she was. It just simply meant that whatever she was going through, he was there to be what she needed him to be in that moment, so she would inevitably be fine. Still, as a father, it wasn’t so easy to entrust your baby girl to another man.

I’m at my desk at this point, my thoughts filled with concern, as I tried resisting not going to find my daughter and see about her myself when I suddenly heard a knock at my office door.

“Come in,” I said as I peered out of the large bay window in thought.

“Lot on the mind, today?”

“Always,” I replied to my Beta. There was hardly a day that there wasn’t some concern plaguing my mind. It was the lifelong role of an Alpha to worry about everything.

“Everything alright?” I asked him.

“Yea,” Toran replied. “Everything alright on your end?”

“My end?”

“Valene? When’s the last you heard from her?”

“I’ve not heard from Valene in days…longer than, if I’m being honest.”

“You’ve not heard from Ares either?”

“I hear from him regularly,” I said. Thinking further on it, I had to commend him for it. “I am glad that he’s with her. I’ll say that I probably couldn’t have asked for a better mate for my little girl-”

“Wh-mate?” Toran interrupted. “What…Ares is Valene’s mate?”

I nodded, “Imagine how I felt when I realized that the young boy from two centuries ago…would be the true mate of my barely twenty-one year old daughter.”

Toran seemed to find this amusing. I did not.

“Pretty big age difference,” he said. “Still, you lucked out with your daughters.”

I already knew why. “Yeah, they both have good mates.”

“I just wish little Harly would see reason…see past the title of hers.”

“She does,” I said. “Just needs time.”

“I’m not sure that she has much of that left, Alastair.”

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

“Talon has begun to consider rejecting her.”

That was disappointing to hear, but I couldn’t blame him for it and I wasn’t going to try and convince him not to either. I loved my girl, but it wasn’t fair for her to treat him as she had been since finding out who he was to her.

“He needs to do what’s best for him.”

“I appreciate your understanding.”

I turned and faced him. “You knew I would,” I said to him.

“Yeah, I guess part of me did, but…well, she is your little girl-your baby girl.”

“Just like Talon is your only son.”

Toran scoffed and dropped his gaze. “Well, not my only son.”

I knew who he was talking about. Which reminded me. “I’ve gotten word of him, by the way.”

“Tobias? Is…is he alright?”

“Ares intercepted him a few nights ago outside of the Inn where Valene is staying.”

Concern fell across Toran’s brow. “Wh-why was he there? Did…did something happen?”

“No,” I said. “Ares was there. He spoke to the boy.” I was not too eager to tell Toran the next part. “I am only telling you this, Toran, because as you said, the boy is your son-blood or no.”

“Okay.” Toran took another curiously worried step before me and waited for me to give him whatever information I had on Tobias.

“The boy’s suffering, Toran. Whatever’s he’s been up to, it’s not by his own choice. Dronnigan, I fear, is using him. Whether to get to Rari, or Val, or both, I’m not sure, but he is being forced.”

“Ares got all of this out of Tobias?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Apparently, now the boy feels an obligation to save Tobias from whatever he’s going through.”

Toran smirked. “He definitely takes after his father that way.”

“Agreed.”

“I’m grateful for that,” said Toran.

“Yes. To be honest, I’m surprised. The boy has been possessive of Vale since well before she lost her mortal life.”

“I know. Unfortunately, that only makes me worry for Tobi even more. If Ares Barbosa is concerned for his well being, this can’t be good.”

Toran didn’t bother hiding his worry for his adopted son. I understood. With a hand to his shoulder, I attempted to reassure him.

“We’re going to save him, brother,” I said to him.

Toran nodded. He knew that I was invested in Tobias’s well being. Maybe that’s why he had decided to change the subject.

“I came here to inform you that there have been no sightings for the last few days.”

“Hm, I guess evil takes a holiday as well,” I said. “Well, while I’m glad about this, it would be reckless to completely let down our guard. Decrease the numbers at the city line and shorten the shifts, but make sure that we are secure. Those who have been there the longest, should be relieved first.”

“Of course. I’ll relay the message to John, and I’ll join on first shift. Give John a bit of time.”

“Speaking of which,” I started. “Has he been acting strange? Any difference at all?”

“No,” replied Toran. “To be honest, I’m starting to wonder if he had anything to do with it at all.”

With a sigh, I agree. “I’m beginning to feel the same, I must admit.”

“As powerful as the Delta is, I…can’t imagine that he would not be intimidated by Vale or her mother’s power. Intimidation reveals secrets, and I am not seeing any.”

"Yeah, he’s been completely focused on keeping Shadow Veil safe.”

“So, what do you want to do next?”

I shook my head. “For now, nothing. Things are quiet right now and with everyone being on edge, I think it would be best to allow our people the safe space to celebrate that.”

“You want to have a party?” asked Toran.

“If that’s what you want to call it,” I said and then headed for the exit of my office. “Get it done, if you don’t mind.”

“And where are you off to?” he asked me.

“I’m off to see my daughter. I trust Ares, but I need to see her for myself.”

"Of course." Toran agreed. "No matter how capable his hands, we always worry about our children."

He was right. I would always worry about my Valene.