BK 4 - Chapter 12 - Alex's Letter
"Okay, now that everything is out in the open, can you tell me why you and Grandma Cat make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside?" Breanne asked Melanie as she finished her breakfast.
"We're both werelions, but we're also part caladrius," Melanie answered. Both Breanne and Jayce looked at her in confusion.
"What's a caladrius?" Jayce asked quietly.
"It's a type of bird that has healing energy. We don't change into birds, but we have the healing side of its power. We can make people feel good by absorbing their pain or emotions when we touch them." Everyone looked at Carlita when she cleared her throat.
"Uh, hello, am I chopped liver?" She asked, looking at her mom.
"Carlita is a vampire, but she's also part caladrius. Her abilities aren't as strong, but they'll become more powerful the older she gets." Melanie answered, looking at her daughter, who was nodding her head. She was pleased to be the only vampire caladrius hybrid in the family.
"That's incredible. I need to start looking around for my mate because I know I have one out there somewhere." Breanne said as she stood up. Everyone at the table chuckled at her total acceptance of what she had learned. Lisa just stared at her in disbelief.
Once breakfast was cleaned up, Lisa didn't want to put off the inevitable any longer. She wanted to see what was in the file and tell Alex about his letter.
"Grandpa Roger left letters for you and me as well as a thick file of the research he'd done. Do you want to go back to the house so we can look through it?" She asked her brother. Alex felt an ache in his heart. For a little while, he was able to pretend everything was normal, but the loss of Grandpa Roger was still raw.
"Yeah. I don't want to disappoint him." He answered. Breanne decided to go with them. She was planning on going into family law, but she figured there may be something she could help with. She also wanted to be there for her friends.
After they said their goodbyes, Alex, Lisa, Jayce, and Breanne left. When they arrived, Alex went to the main house while the others went to the pool house.
"Your letter is in the desk drawer. After you get it, do you want to come to the pool house so we can go through the file?" Lisa asked Alex. She wanted to give him time to read his letter in private.
"Yeah, I'll grab it and be right there." He took the house keys from Lisa and went inside. Alex had never been there when it wasn't filled with people, so it felt eerie.
When he got to the office, he had to stop before walking in. He could picture his grandpa sitting behind the desk, talking to him about the days he was a sergeant. Alex had loved those stories. His Grandpa Roger and Grandpa Trey were his heroes because of all the people they had helped save. He made his way into the office and sat down in the desk chair. As soon as he did, a memory came rushing back to him from when he was five.
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**Sixteen years earlier**
Melanie and Saxon had gone to Rio while Alex and Lisa stayed behind. Alex was quiet as a cub and would find places to hide so he could be alone. One day he was hiding under Roger's desk and thought no one knew where he was.
His grandpa came into the office and sat in the chair with a sigh. Alex stayed really quiet under the desk, afraid he would get into trouble for being there.
"I sure wish I knew where my favorite little bear was," Roger said. Alex tried to hide his giggle so his grandpa wouldn't hear.
"I have all these art supplies and no one to draw with. What am I going to do?" Alex scurried out from under the desk. He loved to draw and had never had any real supplies.
"I'm right here, Roger," He said excitedly.
"Roger? I don't know anyone named Roger around here. My name is Grandpa." Roger picked Alex up and tickled him until he laughed so hard he cried.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa," He said through his laughter. Roger relented and set him on his lap.
"That's more like it. Now I heard from Lisa that you like to draw. So I bought all this stuff for you so you could draw whatever you wanted." Alex looked at the desk, and his eyes widened. There were crayons, markers, colored pencils, and chalk. Next to that was paper of all different colors.
"Wow," Alex said quietly. Roger hugged the little cub when he saw the wonder in his eyes.
"I know it gets noisy around here sometimes, and you want to be alone, but don't ever feel like you need to hide. If you want somewhere quiet to go, you can go wherever you want. You're family, and this house is yours just as much as mine." Roger spoke softly. Alex was a gentle cub, and Roger recognized that he needed quiet more than his sister.
"Thank you, Grandpa," Alex said. They spent the entire day in the office drawing together. Valerie even brought them lunch so they could eat alone. Alex knew that his grandpa was a special man.
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**Present Day**
Alex laid his head down on the desk and cried. Out of everyone in the family, Grandpa Roger had been the one to understand him from the beginning. He always made time for Alex for them to do something quiet, away from everyone else.
When he opened the desk drawer, he saw his letter. He took it out with a shaky hand and ran his fingers over his name. Roger was the first person he'd ever lost, and it was tearing him up inside. He picked up the envelope and left the office. Alex wanted to read it but wanted to go somewhere he and Roger used to go. He quickly texted Lisa and said he would be back soon.
Getting into his SUV, he drove to the park not far from the house. Sometimes they would walk there when they needed to get away. Alex found a parking spot and got out. He walked away from the main area and found a bench. Holding his letter in his hand, he looked around and took a deep breath. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and the temperature outside was perfect. It felt wrong when he was feeling so sad inside. It should have been cold and rainy. Alex opened the letter and began reading as his tears fell.
*Dear Alex,*
*My favorite little bear. I know if you're reading this, that means my drawing days with you have come to an end. I'm sorry I didn't let anyone tell you and Lisa about how sick I've been. I didn't want you to worry. The day that Melanie and Saxon brought you both to our house was one of the happiest days of my life. You and Lisa made me a great-grandpa, and I thought that was something I would never see. You and I were alike in a lot of ways. I preferred the quiet too. Spending time drawing and walking with you were some of my happiest days.*
*Under the letters that I left, you will find a file of research I did on the disgraceful things that have been done to shifters, vampires, and witches. I know Lisa will tackle the legal side of things, but this is a big job that could use your creative mind. You're a thinker, and I know you can play a big part in helping your kind get the rights they deserve. Alex, I don't ever want you to sell yourself short. From all the talks we had, I know how smart you are. I wish I had just a fraction of that intelligence at your age.*
*I have one last thing I want to say before I go. When you and your mate move into the house, I want you to fill it will little cubs. I can already picture you and Lisa there with your families. That house was meant to have children running through it, and I know you will make it happen. I will be looking down on you with pride as you accomplish everything you set your mind to. I love you so much, my little bear.*
*Love,*
*Great-Grandpa Roger*
Alex held the letter in his hand and cried. How could his grandpa be gone? They had so much left to do together and talk about. As he cried, he didn't notice someone had sat down next to him.
"Are you okay?" Alex jumped at the sound of a woman's voice. Wiping his eyes, he saw a young woman with long curly red hair wearing sunglasses.
"I just lost someone really close to me," Alex answered truthfully. His heart started racing, staring at her. She was beautiful, but he wondered why she didn't look at him.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I can leave if you'd like." She said softly. Alex shook his head.
"No, you can stay. I'm Alex," He said, holding his hand out to her. He frowned when he noticed she still didn't look at him.
"I'm Kiersten. I'm blind, so I'm sorry I can't see your face, but I could hear you crying when I sat down." She said, turning slightly in his direction. Kiersten put her hand out, and Alex smiled slightly as he reached for it. For some reason, his bear Remy was going crazy in his head with excitement. When Alex's hand touched hers, he gasped. He spoke without thinking while still holding her hand.
"Mate."
