Pick A Number- Bonus Chapter

"Three…two…one…Ahhh Alaric! I was beginning to think your temperament had somehow softened and you wouldn't barge into my office. I would have been disappointed.”

Alaric’s fathered smiled at him, igniting his fury more. "YOU MOTHE-”

His father’s white eyes bore into him. "REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE BOY! CONTROL YOUR TONGUE!” Alaric smirked at the choice of word, knowing it would piss his father off immediately. As planned, his father seethed. "You’re too old to be so fu-”

Alaric waved his finger at his father. "Ah, Ah remember where you are dad, control your tongue.” He knew he was pushing his luck, but he didn’t care, not after what his father had done.

Sitting in his chair, his father shook his head. “I do not wish to fight with you Alaric. There are much more pressing issues at hand.”

Alaric fumed. "WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LIVES OF MY SONS! THE LIFE MY WIFE! THE LIVES OF EVERYONE ON EARTH! HOW COULD YOU PUT THAT TYPE OF PRESSURE ON CHILDREN?!”

A wild laugh escaped his father’s mouth. "How quickly we forget Alaric. TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY! I ASKED you if you could accept the terms of a deal without knowing what they were, and you agreed. You are the one who altered the Grand Design TWICE. You’re the one who healed Eva allowing her to have children, the one who had Irish Twins two times over…EVERY ACTION GOOD OR BAD HAS A CONSEQUENCE, THIS IS YOURS!”

Alaric couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "Y-you tricked me. You knew how badly I wanted to be with my family. You knew I would agree to just about anything.”

His father scoffed, "You really think that lowly of me huh? To utilize my OWN grandsons against their father. Alaric the Four Horsemen were coming to Earth whether they be your sons or not. THINK ABOUT IT. Noah’s Ark, plagues, massive deaths…whether you like it or not Earth is the middle ground of Heaven and Hell, and sometimes it needs to be tested. A cleanse of some that live on it, so that it may thrive again. You should be lucky I found a loophole to choose your sons. Before your anger grows, take a look at this.”

His father threw a file across to him, landing in his lap. "What is this?”

His father pointed his finger. "Open it.”

Opening it Alaric scanned the images and words, his lips parting slightly. "These are the chosen?”

His father nodded. "Selected in agreeance of both Lucifer and me. The rulers of each of the lands above and below. As you can see, the selections are with your sons in mind.” As much as Alaric hated what his father had done, a part of him had to admit that the selected were potentially perfect wives for his sons based on their already formed personalities."“I really do want to give you a chance to save Earth, Alaric. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have selected you sons, and I wouldn’t have asked for Lucifer’s help.”

Alaric stood. "You still should have told me.”

His father laughed. "Noted. Next time the destruction of your home hangs in the balance, I’ll make sure to tell the one who can’t control his temper. Now go.” His father raised his hand, pushing Alaric from his office. "Spend time with your children while you can, they grow so quickly.”

Entering his home, Alaric heard the thrashing of furniture.

"ALARIC! HELP!” Eva screamed causing him to race into the other room.

Upon entering, he saw Eva looking at their sons in fear. "WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” He screamed.

"I DON’T KNOW! THEY JUST DROPPED IN PAIN!”

Their bodies changing before his eyes, Alaric shouted to his sons, "WHAT DID YOUR GRANDFATHER DO TO YOU?!”

Callum, pushing through the pain, tried his best to respond. "H-He told me to pick a number from 16-19. He said because I'm oldest, I get to pick for us all...”

“…Dad…”

He heard his youngest Declan call to him, as the four boys stood slowly. Eva and Alaric stared at them wide-eyed as their appearances changed. They were older, no longer the twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen-year-old boys that stood in front of him before he left.

Turning to her son Callum, Eva’s lip quivered. "What number did you choose Callum?”

His older eyes looked back to his mother.

"Nineteen”