POV - Alpha Kyas
Paperwork done for the day, phone calls to check up and follow up done, in person follow-ups done. It's been a full day.
Now, my favorite time. Pup time. I head for the packhouse steps, a bucket of warm soapy water, a brush and Sir's shoe in hand. Crusted from this mornings retrieval. A pair of omegas cross the doorway behind me, giggling at their alpha cleaning a dirty shoe. Still worth it.
Violet and Cale are comparing colors again, sometimes I join them. Brian and Sage are in the sandbox, playing with toy cars. Kaitie… she's playing with her flowers - does she realize what she's doing?
Currently, her hand is hovering over a milkweed plant. She opens her hand, the plant blooms, she closes it, the plant closes. Does she realize that every flower within ten feet of her is doing the same?
I check her bond… she's sad today. Kaitie it is then. I set Sirs shoe aside to dry, and walk over and sit down next to her.
"Hey, Kaitie, how's Papa's girl?" I ask.
"I'm ok." she says.
"Then how come you look sad?" I ask.
"Just thinking about stuff." she says. She's four… what stuff?
I reach toward her milkweed plant, intending to touch it. Her hand shoots out to stop mine. She does it, stops me cold. She sits up, and fixes me with a look. MY look, when I'm feeling protective. I like it.
"Don't pick that flower, Papa." she said.
"I would never, sweeting, I just wanted to touch it. Open it for me?" I tell her.
She does, and I feel the soft white plant fluff. I pick her up, and set her on my lap.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"How come I don't have colors like you and Cale and Violet?" she asked.
I look at her, surprised. "You don't know?"
She shakes her head. I pick her up and walk with her to Ember's garden.
"Kaitie, you share your Mama's gift of colors - with a little bit of mine too. All of these flowers have their own beautiful colors and they can be just as beautiful as ours. Your special gift is that you can give life to these flowers. Me, Cale, Violet - our bonds are beautiful, wonderful connections between us and the pack, but you… life, Kaitie. Your plants breath, they grow, they live, and they make the whole world a beautiful place.
You know what the best part of your gift is, Kaitie?" I ask her.
She shakes her head.
"You can SHARE it. You can gift someone a flower, you can create a garden like Mama's and show other people the beautiful thing you have created. My bonds are beautiful, Kaitie, but I can't share them like that. You, are very special because you can." I tell her.
"They mix, too, yours and mine. If you give someone a flower, or a tomato, you strengthen the bond between you and the one you give it too. That makes my colors bloom too." I tell her.
"You don't have colors like mine Kaitie, because you're meant to make a different kind. Your colors are just as beautiful to me too."
She smiles at me, and hugs me.
"Can I tell you a secret, Kaitie, just between you and me?" I ask.
She leans back in my arms. "Uh huh."
"I will never pick one of your beautiful flowers. Ever. I don't want them to die any more than you do." I tell her.
"Promise?" she said.
I nod. "Promise."
I give a heavy sigh. "I have a problem, Kaitie…"
She tenses… she's on guard. She should be. "What's the problem, Papa?"
"Your shoes… they look all wrong." I tell her.
"So… it's shoes today… I know you took Grandpapa's shoes." she said.
I grin. "Today does seem to be a shoe day for me." I said, reaching for one of hers.
She giggles and tries to keep them away from me.
"Quit, squirming… I'm gonna get one." I said.
"No, Papa, get your own shoes. Go find Grandpapa's" she said.
"I already know where his shoes are, but I happen to know there's some interesting toes inside yours." I said.
"NO!" she squealed. Another banshee alarm system.
"Yes!" I said, and I get one.
She already lost it before I got the shoe off.