The Ice Alpha

04

Three months.

We've spent three months together. It has been amazing. We fit together so well but recently Emily has been more distant. I don't know why but she has. I'm a little worried about having to leave for the next week. I just packed and am heading to say goodbye. I'm afraid time away will kill this little romance We've started but it is my baby sister's tenth birthday and I can't miss it. My 20th is in three weeks and I'll be Alpha so I'll need to be home more anyway. This week will be good practice for us... if there even still is an us when I get back.

"Hey Meme, I'm headed out." I say from the doorway of her room

"I'll miss you." She smiles but it is weak. I don't think she is lying out right but she is holding back. I wrap my arms around her.

"I'll miss you too." I say gently touching my forehead to hers. I'm lost in the embrace and I don't want to leave her but I need to.

"Alright lover boy you said your goodbye now paws off my sister!" A voice breaks the trance we were in.

"Atticus! Leave me alone you jerk!" Emily yells at her older brother.

"Its okay Meme. I have to get going... one week I promise. I'll be back." I grin kissing her on the cheek.

I walk away but there is no chance I am letting that guy cut our goodbye short so I step I to the room next to hers and make my way to her window dangling from a thin ledge that I can only hold by my finger tips. I use one hand to slide up her slightly open window and slip in. Emily is laying down with a pillow over her face and I have to fight a chuckle. So cute.

"You didn't think I'd let him ruin our moment did you?" She throws the pillow at me before jumping up and wrapping me up in a tight hug "I'm really gonna miss you Emily."

"Its only a week right? Imagine how much harder it would be if we were mates." She tries to joke around but when it comes to mates I don't joke.

"If we were mates." I start staring at her, making sure she sees how serious I am. "You would already be marked and mine. We wouldn't be saying goodbye because you would never leave my side."

"Well... lets see if I'm counting correctly in 9 months if I don't find my given mate I will be yours... so you should enjoy your time away now because I won't let you leave me if we become mates... I'm a little possessive of what's mine." I give her a quick kiss but something in me tells me in 9 months she will no longer be mine to hold. I really hope in wrong but with how she has been the past week or two?... I don't know what to think.

"Don't make those promises, Emily. 9 months is a long time... you may never be mine." I say looking her in the eye. I want to kiss her again... but I don't want to lose her. I already lost one mate. "Goodbye Emily, miss me." I end our discussion with a smile and jump out the window. Let's see what happens in the week I'm gone.

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"I don't see why you are returning. You are meant to be training with the King and getting us a royal Luna. A child's birthday is not important enough for you to damage the progress you've made. You need to get the girl to love you so much she ignores her father's one year rule. I would have thought with your pretty boy face you would have mated her by now." Grandfather says on our way home. I simply ignore him knowing responding would be suicide.

After a plane ride and a 5 hour drive we are back at the pack house. It is nice to breath the crisp air of early winter... well we have more months of winter than any other season in Ice Winters Pack. It was still summer in the royal pack. It is good to be home.

"Bubby!" A raven haired spitfire comes plowing into me.

"Hello Libby." I chuckle hugging her small frame before picking her up.

"You've been gone foreeevvveeer!" She whines.

"I'm here for your birthday aren't I?" I ask. "Double digits. It's a big one, midget."

"Yea cuz family never breaks a promise." She smiles hugging me around the neck. I told her that when I promised to be there for her first shift. Then for her first hockey game. Our father refused to support a girl playing but she wants to be like her big brother which makes me smile. Again for her third grade talent show... let's just say it's our thing. We are family and we keep our promises.

"Just get out of the way ya little mutts we won't be back long. The boy has a job he has yet to complete. If it were my choice we would have never left." Grandfather growls pushing past us into the pack house.

"You disobeyed Grandfather!" Libby whisper yells at me.

"I made friends with the King and he cares about family too. All I had to do is mention your party and he assumed we were coming back for it. Grandfather couldn't argue. I'd do anything for you, midget. You know that." I explain.

"Soooo.... you'd help me with my book report?" She asks.

"You're in elementary school how do you have a book report?" I respond and she groans.

"Because you made me do the placement testing thing and they put me in 8th grade! Now I have to do stuff and we don't get recess!" She complains.

"And you love it because you can show up the other kids even though you are younger. You love that it is still easy for you and you love that you don't have to pretend you like the other kids. Plus you have plenty of time to play at home." I tell her and she sighs.

"I still don't like the homework." She grumbles not arguing that she really does love skipping grades. In a few years she could probably graduate. I'll guess by 13 maybe 15 she will be in college and by 25 she will change the world. Cure cancer? End world hunger? This girl can do anything. I feel like a flea next to her... but she can be a bit lazy when she doesn't want to do something.

"How about this... we do your book report that I'm 90% sure you have already written in that big brain of yours then we slap the puck around till dinner. I know Grandfather's minions probably don't let you play much." I suggest and her eyes light up. She squirms in my arms until I let her down and runs into the house. By the time I catch up she is already in her room at her desk and has half a page typed on her laptop... and she said she needed help. She just didn't want to do it.

"Done!" Libby cheers holding up her paper.

"Do you want me to read it or..."

"Let's go to the rink!" She cuts me off and I chuckle. I didn't even have to ask.

She quickly grabs my hand and pulls me to the car.

"Come oooooooonnnnnn!" She whines pushing me to the driver's side before jumping into the back.

Man I've missed her.