Clear Blindness

Chapter 31

"Alpha, open this one, please. I bought it for you with my own money. Mommy used to say that I'm not supposed to spend my allowance recklessly unless it's for someone important, and you're important to me," Suzy chattered on and on as she handed me a small box.

December 25th; it's Christmas. Everyone's at my house opening presents and giving them to loved ones since midnight.

I smile warmly at the three-year-old girl. Her parents - adoptive parents, but that doesn't matter to anyone - had been brutally murdered. Their deaths were what led me to give in to the darkness inside me, to go out looking for the people that killed them, but never to what led to my imprisonment. Never that.

I sigh.

She reminds me so much of Matilda with her gentle, kind, and polite character. Yet she got her temper, no nonsense, strong traits from her dad Arnold, but knows when she steps over the line or said something wrong and so like her mother and father, and any other werewolf really, instantly apologizes.

"Suz, you didn't have to buy me anything," I said as I realized she was waiting for a response while I'd been in La-La land. She shakes her head in disagreement.

"Alpha Ronnie, you helped me find a family. Mommy and daddy might have died, but they're with the ancestor spirits now. I'll see them when the time's right."

I took her into my arms and held her as my heart clenched. This little girl had her biological parents killed, then her adoptive parents killed, and she's still so strong.

"It's okay, Alpha, they're being taken care of." She flashed me a smile with missing teeth.

I laughed as I held back tears. "Oh, Suzy. You're just like your mommy and daddy."

"Thank you. Now open my present, please."

"Of course." I tore the box open, gasping at the pretty dream catcher. It was brown, feathers and beads making it shine and adding more style. The middle has a wolf howling at the moon.

"It's beautiful," I whisper while gently touching the feathers.

"Thank you. I got one for the twins too." Her face blushed a light red as she jumped off my lap and went to retrieve their gifts.

I once again thanked Suzy. She told me she was hungry so she hopped to the kitchen.

"She's generous, isn't she, twins?" I asked. Blue and green eyes blinked up at me, chewing on their mittens. "I know, I think she is too. But how about I feed you right now?"

Their eyes instantly widen. Smiling, I nod, got up, and made them bottles while looking at everyone's beaming faces, hearing the laughter and squeals of surprise as they open gifts.

"Do you think we would forget about you, lil sis?" Derrick asked in a teasing tone behind me.

I roll my eyes as Paul gasped in shock. "How could we ever forget our little sisters Christmas present?" He put a hand to his chin like he was really thinking.

That's when I finally finished the twins bottles and turned around to find Paul leaning on Derrick as Alex stood away from them with arms crossed over his chest. Probably to stay clear of the hugs of his two brothers.

"Merry Christmas, lil sis," Alex said as he handed me a huge nicely wrapped box.

Derrick said, "It's from the family."

"Come on," Paul yelled to everyone, "she's going to open it!"

Almost instantly my friends and family surrounded me. The person who had my full attention was Vincent, though. He was holding the twins, giving me an encouraging smile.