The Viking Alpha

Something to look forward too

~Hi! I'm sorry if there is spelling errors. I was SUPER tired when I got this one out. I'll fix them when I'm more alert. Thank you all for your support. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me. Hope you guys are well and thank you a million times.~

(Cassi POV)

She woke to feel herself slightly rocking back and forth. She opened her eyes to find Rexton was carrying her.
'Where are we going? She mumbled on his shoulder.
'Lucas says there is a cabin nearby. We all agreed it would be best to regroup there and then figure out what we'll do next.'
She sighed and let her head drop back on his shoulder.
'You can go back to sleep, Cassi. He says we should be there soon.'
'I'm starving.' She announced feeling her stomach rumble.
'Lucas. Let's stop for a moment. I'll go catch something for us.'
'No. We're almost there. I can't keep the magic up for too much longer by myself.' He answered. Cassi looked ahead. He was upfront leading them. He was walking with a large stick and using it to assist him as he moved.
'I'll hunt for us once we're there.' Vincent volunteered.
Cassi wanted to ask Rexton to put her down but she just felt so tired. Physically and mentally. He has to be tired too. Looking up at his face as he walked forward she noticed he actually looked stronger then he did yesterday. Then he had since they were taken. Maybe it was because they were out? But she was more betting on it because Vincent was here. When she saw James yesterday she felt shattered all over again. She remembered when he gripped her throat and pulled her off the ground. He called her a whore and then banished her to the tower. All action leading up to her capture.
She had told Lucas everything. He listened patiently as she told her story. His eyes held such sympathy and rage when she cried.
'Any daughter of mine is far too good for a mongrel like that. The grandchild you carry will be better off.'
After he said that she did start to think more about her baby. She was by no means an expert. But common sense was to get herself checked out. Weren't there vitamins she was supposed to take? Did she need to take them since she was carrying a supernatural baby?
What should she do now? Putting her hand now on her belly she wondered if the baby would be a boy or a girl? Would it look like James or herself? Have his eyes and her hair? She couldn't even think right now of ever facing James again. But one day her child would inevitably ask about the father. Like she did.
She never thought much about having children. Ever. Her mind was always striving for more for herself. But she knew one thing now. She would have never wanted any child of hers to grow up wondering what was wrong with them. Why were they left behind? What did their father look like?
Cassi already saw history repeating. Herself being sad about James. Her baby, fatherless. Except now. She could explain to her child where they came from. Why things happened the way they did.
She looked at the back of Lucas's head while he still led them.
Maybe this could be an end to one relationship. But a new start for another. Her and her father still had catching up to do but maybe he could help. Her want for revenge faded when she was told she was expecting. But she didn't want to be the sad pathetic love sick broken woman anymore. She wanted to be strong. Like her mother. Cassi may not have had two parents but she at least had a mother who tried her damndest to raise her right. Maybe she could do the same?
'We're here.' Lucas's voice interrupted her thinking.
They stopped at a thicket. Concealed inside the trees and overgrown bushes she made out a rickety wooden door faded with time.
Lucas held out his hands in front of him. She heard him whispering under his breath. Then the tree branches, blown leaves, and bushes began to part to reveal a tiny cabin.
'Let's go.' Lucas sounded winded as he led them up the porch. Opening the door it gave a shrill squeak on the rusted hinges.
Dust and debris were everywhere. The floor boards groaned under their steps. The front part of the house was a living room with a small fireplace. A high book shelf held several books. A dining room on the opposite side and a kitchen with a wood burning stove. Furniture was placed all over the room unused for years from the look of things.
'This was my home.' Lucas explained as he pulled out a chair from a small oak table in the living room.
He looked so old and sad sitting there. Rexton placed her on a sofa gently. Dust flew up and had her coughing in seconds.
Lucas laughed bitterly.
'Yes. I'm afraid it's been neglected. Obviously for quite some time.'
'Almost twenty-two years, would be my guess.' Cassi spoke.
'Yes.'
'Well now that we're here, I'm going to hunt.' Rexton announced.
'I'll come with you.' Vincent followed him out the door.
That just left Lucas and Cassi alone again. Lucas was looking slowly around the room as he sat.
Feeling awkward Cassi stood slowly and walked around the room. Her eyes went straight to the books. Going to the shelf she went to reach for one. Stopping herself, her gaze shot to Lucas. He was staring at her.
'May I?'
He nodded once.
Picking up a book she found it looked ancient. Leather bound and cracked. Flipping through the pages she saw hand drawn pictures and words she couldn't understand.
'What is this?'
Lucas sighed softly before standing and going to her. He took the book from her gently and looked at it. It was a few moments before he answered.
'That Cassandra is part of your heritage.'
Selecting another book she studied it. This one was old crinkled paper waxed together at the spine.
'That one too. All of these. They belonged to your ancestors. My mother and father. Their parents and so on. They are filled with spells, talismans, family secrets, and history. Grimoires.'
'They look so…' She stopped.
'Old?' It's because they are.'
She looked at him.
'Not trying to sound rude, but how old are you?'
He chuckled. 'About five hundred years. Give or take a couple decades.'
This shouldn't have come as a shock to her but it did. He looked at least fiftyish.
'Magic can preserve as well as take.' He explained. 'The more powerful the witch the better shelf life.'
Her brow furrowed as she put the book back and walked around the room.
'Why my mother? In all that time you've been alive you chose her?'
'Why don't you tell me? You saw her for yourself. She was beautiful. Compassionate, strong, but above all she did the one thing no one had ever done before?'
'What was that?'
'She made me see the world differently. There she was. Poor, no family, working a demanding job and living in a small run down apartment. Yet I never heard her complain. She was always smiling and happy. She always liked to say, it's better to have little and-'
'Experience life at its simplest then to have plenty and never know genuine happiness.' Cassi finished smiling at hearing her mothers words play in her head. Clasping the necklace she needed her mother more now then ever.
'I miss her. Everyday.' Cassi confessed.
Lucas went to Cassi's side and put his hand on her shoulder.
'I do too. But I think I'm very fortunate now.'
'How so?'
'When I was captured in that prison I at least got to see you both. Some things were not easy to see. For example your birth but not being able to actually be there. To not hold Deborah's hand as she pushed you out into the world. To then see you but not hold you for the first time. Or when you and your mother struggled and I could do nothing. But now I see you but I also see your mother too. You look very much like she did when I first met her.'
Cassi looked at the man who was her father. A day ago she would have denied any similarities with this man. But now she could see it.
'I have your eyes.' She observed.
He smiled. 'Yes.'
'You can understand why I won't be calling you dad right away, right?'
He chuckled now.
'Yes. I can see it would be awkward.'
She looked down at her necklace and braved the question now in her head.
'Will you teach me?'
'Teach you?'
'To be strong,? Learn magic. I want to protect my baby, my friends, myself too.'
His smile was too pleased.
'Yes. I think it's long overdue.'
'Alright then. Well first things first. While the boys are gone we should clean up a little. This place needs some TLC.'
'I agree. I'd normally have a spell to do it but I'm drained at the moment.'
Cassi shrugged. 'Do you have a broom and mop? One of the perks of living as a human was I learned what manual labor is.'
'They should be in that closet next to the stove.'
He went over and opened the door. Going in the back she heard him rustle around. Suddenly the little cabin came to life. The lights flickered on. She heard the furnace start up. Water came from the tap. Dirty at first before it ran clear.
'Did you do a spell?'
He chuckled again. 'Hardly. Just turned on the fuse box. But I guess I did in a way I supposed. You see, magic infused with modern electricity. I do like some old ways but modern ways are more practical and convenient for some things.'
'That explains the wood burning stove.'
He shrugged. 'I also have a claw foot bathtub.'
'Really?' A bath never sounded like such a luxury then it did now.
'Yes. Assuming from the look on your face you'd like to get cleaned properly?'
'Yes I would. But maybe you go first.'
Looking down at himself he shrugged again.
'Not a bad idea. But you go on ahead. I'd like to sleep a bit longer.' He went off past the living area and went down a low framed narrow hallway. He disappeared for a while. She decided to clean up first before getting clean herself.
Filling up the bucket she found soap under the sink. She just swept the entire front area when he startled her from behind.
'I think you should have this.'
Spinning around he was holding a folded article of material. Dusting her hands she picked it up.
It was a thin pink simple plain summer dress. Thin straps, modest bust, and floor length.
'It was your mothers.' He explained.
She looked at him in surprise.
He looked sheepish now. 'When your mother and I began our relationship I wanted to take something with me of hers. When I had it here I had a closer connection to her. This was her favorite. She always loved to wear it on her nights off. She didn't even bat an eyelash when I asked her for it. I would sit and look at it. I'd miss her so much when I was away. But her scent would bring me comfort until I could see her again.'
Cassi delicately folded the dress back up.
'Thank you.'
He nodded sadly.
'The men can use some of my old clothes if they wish.' He indicated on the table where two stacks were placed neatly on top. He turned back and went back down the hall. She heard a door shut and then silence again.
As she mopped she tried to think what to do. Rex said one him and Vincent would go to the human world if they were rejected. Maybe all of them could go? Start somewhere new. Away from all of this. Not New York. Maybe go back to texas? Maybe her and Lucas could heal in a way. Or maybe they could go visit a different country first. Rexton and Vincent may want to be on their own for a bit in the beginning. Or lead up to it after they got used to living amongst humans. The smart thing would be if they all stuck together. Right now they were all each other had. They were a family now whether they liked it or not. Personally with what she went through with Rexton, she never felt that family like bond with anyone since her mother. She saw him now as her best friend. Her brother. Vincent now too was lumped in too. Maybe they could help her with her child. Her baby would have shifter in it too. Along with human which she could handle. The witch part its grandfather perhaps could explain. Who knew out of all disasters there could be something to look forward to.
You just need three things in life to make you happy. One, something to do. Check. Two, Something to look forward to. Check. Three, someone to love. Four checks.
The boys came back. They dropped the dead five rabbits on the porch. Cassandra made them go clean up in the bathroom while she finished wiped off surfaces. Finding dishes she rinsed them off and put the rabbits in a deep pan. Surprisingly she didn't feel sick at the sight of the dead carcasses. She felt ravenous. Adding seasoning herbs she found in a cupboard she placed it all in the stove. The place looked much better by the time both Rexton and Vincent came out freshly bathed and clothed. They took over cooking while she cleaned herself up.
Soaking in the bath she scrubbed her skin until it was pink with an old bottle of shampoo called pert. She found a razor still in the package under the sink.
She rinsed off and got out. She stared at herself in the old cracked mirror. No longer the young girl stared back. Now was a woman who had aged in so many ways. A woman who had been through hell and back. A mother.
Placing her hand on her womb she smiled.
'I'll take care of you. I promise.'
Looking back in the mirror she stared. Her eyes flashed. Then she was seeing it in her head.
She was in a nursery hanging a mobile over a crib. Her stomach jutted out. Her cradling it gently while smiling.
'Not long now.' She whispered.
Going down a flight of stairs a tea kettle whistled. She saw herself getting a coffee cup down and making tea. She turned, then dropped the cup and screamed. The cup shattered into pieces. There he was. Standing as if he had been waiting. He was wearing a black suit and red tie. The look on his face was one of determination.
She backed against the wall while holding her stomach with one hand. He walked slowly to her. Backing her in. His hand reached out and placed it over her hand on her stomach. His eyes drilling into her.
'Time to come home now, love.'