Ascension of a Gamma

Chapter 80 Little Alphas

“I’m thinking of adopting,” said Gale as he ran a hand though his hair. “I haven’t talked t o Andrix about it yet, but he won’t be averse at the idea, would he?”

Rigel calmly drank his glass of bourbon, which was from Liam’s not-so-secret personal collection.

“A human kid?” he asked.

“No, you fucking dumbass. Do you want the kid to die?” Gale said, scowling.

Liam muttered under his breath, something about not having a moment of quiet time for himself as he scanned and signed through a stack of documents. Gray streaks dyed his hair, and lines had begun to show on his face. He had a stubble from having forgotten to shave that morning. It was because of the children jumping up on him before daybreak.

Sighing, he signed the last of the fist stack. Gale and Rigel were still bickering on how to make the adoption work.

“What if the kid’s a spy?” asked Rigel as he poured himself another glass.

The stress from work showed on the occasional drooping of his eyes. The Delta Unit were sent to a recon mission for the past week and they had just returned.

“You’re overthinking it! Don’t you want me to have a kid?”

Rigel filled another glass and placed it on Liam’s desk.

“Thanks,” Liam grumbled.

Looking after two packs was taxing work. He’d thought about absorbing the Black Mist Pack into the Red Claw Pack, and Carson and Andrix had proposed the idea to him. He rejected it. Anna kept the packs separate in honor of her father and he wasn’t about to ruin what she left behind.

A knock interrupted the three of them.

“Come in, babe,” said Gale, then turning to Rigel, “Not a word.”

Andrix showed signs of aging as well, but he still had that charismatic air around him. Gale walked up to him and pulled him into a quick kiss that had Rigel looking away.

“Hello, you. You’re here early,” said Gale.

“I was here earlier but I went to check on my nephews and niece,” Andrix said, chuckling. “Hey, Liam, Rigel.”

Liam grumbled.

Not a moment of peace.

“You didn’t give them chocolate, did you?” he asked, not looking up.

“I left the treats at the cupboard,” answered Andrix. “It’s like they were wearing diapers only yesterday, now they’re running around like they never tire.”

“They don’t,” muttered Liam.

Each one constantly seeked his attention for whatever reason, no matter the time, be it the middle of the night or three in the morning.

“You ready to go?”

Gale nodded, clasping Andrix’s hand. “See you all tomorrow,” he said.

Rigel raised his glass, smirking at Gale.

“So… how are you holding up?”

“Good.”

“It’s tough having kids, isn’t it?”

Liam sighed. It required immeasurable patience that he could just snap at times. If he wasn’t working, he was playing with the kids. He drank the last of the bourbon then rubbed his temples.

“It’s not always a piece of work. I love those kids, but the only time I get peace and quiet i s when I’m asleep,” he answered.

Rigel chuckled, put the glass down, then stood.

“You can say that again.”

Rigel observed him for a while but said nothing. His brother had been more and more absorbed in his work over the years. He took it as his brother’s way of coping with Anna’s loss.

“Carson proposed we all go out for a boy’s night. You can leave the kids at my place. Sabri loves having them around Raixel and Rasi.” 1

“I’ll think about it,” answered Liam, finishing another stack, then starting with another.

Rigel nodded, then left.

As the door clicked, the pen stopped moving. Liam set it down, then deeply sighed. They’d been worrying about him as of late and tried to get him away from his work. He wasn’t enslaved to his work, he simply found that when he did have some quiet time, it wasn’t to his liking.

Alone in his office, surrounded by stacked documents and empty furniture in the quiet, there were too many reminders of his inner condition.

Liam glanced at his watch; it was almost four. The kids would be home soon.

After cleaning up for the day, he grabbed his jacket from the rack then went to the kitchen. Minutes before five, a car stopped outside and in seconds, roaring laughter and loud voices pushed back the silence better than the simmering pot of sauce.

He heard small footsteps coming to his direction and the squeak of sneakers on the floor as two more sets hurriedly ran up the stairs. Liam’s lips pulled into a grin. They knew what they did today and that they were in for it, so they were going to use his weakness against him to soften him up a bit.

A little girl came into the kitchen, wearing Timberland boots and a thick jacket. She had a white bonnet on, which was a contrast to her long dark brown hair. Her honey glazed orbs sparkled when she saw Liam, white teeth flashing.

“Daddy!” she squealed as soon as she saw him.

Liam opened his arms to her while crouching. The little girl giggled, then dropping her bag to the floor, ran up to him that her bonnet dropped to the floor, and threw her arms around his neck.

“I missed you, Daddy!”

He hugged her tightly, feeling his tiredness leave his body. “I missed you too, baby. How was school?”

wa

She scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out.

“I don’t like school,” she whined.

“Why not, baby?” asked Liam, patting her head.

“The boys pulled my chair this morning. I fell and hurt my butt,” she said, her cheeks

blushing.

Liam held back his anger. “Who pulls your chair, baby? Does it hurt? We can call Aunty L,” he said worriedly.

The little girl shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt now, Daddy. It hurt this morning. Then, w e had lunch and they said ‘sorry’ and gave me their cookies.”

grinned. “What did you tell them, baby?”

them back their cookies,” she said proudly. “And if they pull my chair again, I’ll tell on them. I told them my Daddy was a big strong Alpha!” she exclaimed while pressing Liam’s

of those kids wouldn’t understand what she

like them, Daddy. I’ll

and fixed the

They won’t pull your chair again. I

she asked, almost teary-eyed. “Everyone laughed at me and teacher didn’t see them. She got mad at

to his side. “They won’t hurt you again, baby. And I’ll have a talk with Mrs. Wilson. Don’t

was cooking, her eyes

chuckled as

you when you come down,” he said, putting her down. “And call your brothers, will

she asked slowly, rocking

But if they won’t come

be thinking about it as her gaze

up her

ready, Liam quickly made his way up his room, not the faintest sound heard

to his relief, changed into a suit, then

set the table for the four of them. He generously plated spaghetti for all of them, adding lots of shredded cheese just as the kids liked it. Taking the bottle, he brought out earlier, he poured Chianti

had Alia’s eyes sparkling. It was filled with

royal blue dress fluffed as she ran as fast as her short legs could let her, from

her level so

inched their way inside the dining room while Liam pulled a chair for

as she sat down.

baby,” he

he turned to face the boys. Aylan pushed his glasses up as he stared at the floor. H e had one hand hidden on a pocket of his black slacks, which was paired

hand, Amiry looked to the side as if the wall was the most interesting thing.

which was who, they gave themselves away with the way they carried themselves. Unless they were playing a prank on Liam, again. Tonight, however, h e felt that they weren’t – even

kept his face placid, his cold demeanor making

from her bullies, but he still had to reprimand them for skipping a few minutes of training. Liam cleared

sister at the table?

confusion. Aylan shrugged, then

directly opposite Alia.

Amiry,” said Liam

fumbled with the tie for a few minutes, tying and untying until he got

the kids ate their servings and gladly served them seconds. The chicken

funny but held back from laughing in front of them. For now,

the last of his wine, then got up, and wet a napkin. Amiry scowled as Liam wiped

Alia, then

Dad,” Aylan said awkwardly, looking to

crossed his

not to notice their little acts as he collected the dishes

nudged Amiry again, this time glaring at him with her cheeks puffed up. She was

his lips, then, in a strained voice

welcome,” Liam drawled. “Now,

exclaimed Alia. “It’s my turn,

What do you

looked at

movie you haven’t seen yet,”

head. The boys were

Liam pouted. “No?”

pushed his cheeks together. “Amiry and Aylan don’t like

Amiry nodded in approval.

baby? It’s your turn. You can choose

held her hands out like claws and Liam gasped, stumbling

down, dinosaur,” he said,

the strands of hair from her face and smiled. “You go ahead and get everything ready, baby. Daddy

“But _“

on, baby. We won’t

with training, simply because they were the next to

them to take their seats. He sat

don’t want to keep your sister waiting,” he said slowly. “Gale and Rigel had the scouts and spies looking for both of

actions. Every decision

They nodded.

were twenty minutes late

chewed on his lip, his gaze moving to the side to

“Lame humans,” Aylan muttered.

getting up slowly, the chair scraping against

Aylan nudged Amiry.

Liam already knew. He simply wanted to test them and to

cry,” answered Amiry, crossing his arms and puffing up his

calm gaze. He held it for two

“Go on,” Liam stated.

I punched the bathroom wall,” said

That’s my boy!

“They laughed at

up. “Alia was smiling and saying it’s

her

kid called his

say ‘sorry’ to her and if they don’t Aylan will

“And if they hurt her again, we told them

teaching

understand,” said Amiry, smirking. “Of course, they didn’t, bro. They’re lame humans,”

sighed. They’d been spending too

the people he loves. I am very proud of you both for defending your sister,” he said and the two beamed. “But next time something happens, you leave it to the grown-ups, alright? They don’t know we exist, and it is very important we keep

are stronger than anyone in our class,” said

in your class, too, Amiry,” said Liam,

hiding?” “We’re not hiding,

“Daddy!” called Alia.

opening was loudly heard in the dining room

“Am I?” Liam repeated.

The boys nodded.

“Yes, Alpha,” they responded.

Now go join

only daughter, who used his leg as a pillow, to his left. The

who would someday take over the Red Claw Pack. His little girl would grow up to be the Alpha of the Black Mist Pack. It went without saying that she’d be single until she was at least thirty since Liam would bar all boys from getting a meter close

he knew, he was chasing them all over the house. Now, they were already five, old enough to start getting involved with the pack. Soon, he’d

with how things were, and that the boys and Lexy assured him he was doing well, the

he set for himself, it found a way to remind

couch. Holding her hands out, Liam had