Alpha Lucien

CHAPTER 1: Leaving

"Pack all your clothes now, Zoriana!" My father's rushing and panicking voice from my back startled me that I even hit my forehead on our wooden door.

I quickly turned to my father, my forehead were now in deep crease while watching him frantically looking around for something that I don't know what exactly it is. He is holding a black backpack in his hand. It was opened so I quickly spotted the things that he stuffed there, and it wasn't arranged well, so I know that he was really rushing his moves awhile ago.

"What happened, father? Why am I going to pack my clothes? What's wrong-?"

"Just pack everything, Zoriana!" I flinched when he shouted at me. My eyes widened in shock as my lips trembled at the same time. My father has never ever raised his voice to me, and to hear him shouting at me right now is something that breaks my heart.

"W-what about Randall and Mother? Are we going to leave them here? They're still in the market to buy something. We should wait for them." I held onto the door's knob from behind like my life depends on it. Because it really is. I don't want to leave here. Not without a proper explanation as to why we should leave and all, no!

I don't know what's happening. Why my father is panicking right now, but one thing is for sure, I am not leaving. I have so many things and people that would be left here, and I don't want that to happen. I just celebrated my third monthsary with my boyfriend, Preston awhile ago and I couldn't just leave like this!

I shook my head repeatedly at my father, tears shone in the corner of my eyes as I looked at him.

"Tell me what's happening, Papa. Just give me a word-"

"No! Hurry up, Zoriana or you'll never be able to see your mother, your little brother or everyone here ever again. Anymore! You choose!" He shouted again, more desperate this time. My father's words were like a bomb thrown straight at me, and at the same time, the only keyword that would make me move.

Without saying anything, I scurried to my room and pulled a backback from nowhere. I quickly stuffed my clothes inside, including the picture frames that I have with my mother and my younger brother.

I sniffed and zipped my bag right after I stuffed things that were very important to me.

I hurriedly go out from my room. My father was already waiting for me at the doorstep. His face was showing nothing but forlorn as he watch me approach him.

"Papa... " I whispered painfully.

He shook his head before messing my hair. The tear that fell from his right eyes didn't go unnoticed by me.

"We will be fine, Zoriana. Your mother and brother will be fine too. We just have to leave the Pack, and live somewhere else. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere that I know you'll be safe." My father whispered back in the most painful voice. His voice even broke as he tried to wipe the tears on my cheeks.

My father's words completely made me more confused than ever. I have a lot of questions in my head that I still don't know when will it be answered.

Why do we have to leave our Pack? Why do we have to leave without my mother and my younger brother? Why should they be left behind? I don't understand a thing, really, and it makes me so frustrated that I have to go with this.

What does it have something to do with me, being safe? Am I not safe here in our Pack? And why am I the only one who should be kept safe? What secret is my father hiding?

Everything exhausted me that I slept the entire ride. I was only awakened when the car started to shake. I heard my father apologized, but I didn't answer. I rubbed my eyes and noticed that it's already so dark outside.

"How long have you been driving, father?" I asked softly before opening my mouth for a yawn.

I was crying and I know that my eyes are swelling right now. It feels heavy too, and despite of being asleep for hours, my body still feels so heavy and sore. I badly want to lay down on my bed right now and snuggle closer to my thick blanket, but I know that I couldn't.

"Almost 10 hours, sweetheart. Are you hungry?" He glanced at me before looking back in front. "There's some food that I packed inside the bag. It's on the backseat. Eat it."

"How about you?" I asked.

"I ate when I did a stop over not too long ago, don't worry. Eat now. I know you're already hungry. We're going to arrive at our destination before dawn."

"I think...you should rest first, father. You've been driving for hours now."

"I'm okay, Zoriana. We have to get to our destination, and that's when I'll rest. Just eat there." His strict voice resonated inside the car, clearly no room for any discussion.

I sighed. Instead of asking my father another question, I decided to just eat my dinner and after eating, I didn't noticed that I already fell asleep again. I woke up when I felt someone shaking my shoulders gently.

"We're here, sweety. Wake up." It was my father's gruff voice talking.

I slowly opened my eyes and yawned. When my eyes completely adjusted with the light from the moon, I started to look around.

It would be dark outside if not for the moon, so I assumed that it's still dawn since father told me that we're going to arrive exactly before the sun rises.

My forehead slightly creased in confusion when I noticed that there were a lot of trees around. And there, I saw a small two storey wooden house surrounded with trees. It looks old, and I want to judge it righ there and then, but I choose not to. Maybe I just couldn't see it clearly right now since the only light we have now is the moon, and the trees are also blocking the moon making it a bit darker on the part where the house is standing, so maybe that's just it.

My father got out from the car first so I quickly followed him before closing the door behind me.

"This is going to be our new home from now on, Zoriana." My father said seriously.

I lowered my head before biting my lower lip.

"Until when, father? Until when are we going to stay here?" I asked weakly. "I will miss Mama and Randall, Papa. I couldn't stay here for too long."

I heard him sighed. "We're staying here until you learn, Zoriana, and we're not going back unless you're ready."

Learn? What is it that I am going to learn? And do we really have to live away from Mom and Randall? Away from our Pack?

What are you really trying to hide, Papa? What's your secret that you're trying so hard to keep away from me?