NightLock

Chapter Fourteen

I watch from the window as Kyrie runs about the yard laughing as Tyler chases after her playfully in his wolf form. I had to make sure that Kyrie and Tyler stayed safe at home, today was the day before my eighteenth birthday, and that meant that the Ritual was tonight. I was sitting on the couch crocheting the black and baby blue hat and scarf that Kyrie had been begging for for the past three months but I had never had time to make for her until now. I looked up at the clock and saw that there was only fifteen more minutes til it was time for them to eat, but I knew that they would play til about half past twelve so I figured that I would make Kyrie's favorite. Southern fried chicken, Kyrie was in everyway just like me and her mother when we were that age.

I was jamming out to some of my favorite songs on my Ipod when I felt hands slide around my waist and spin me around causing my earbuds to rip out of my ears where the sound of Tyler and Kyrie laughing filled my ears. I felt Tyler's breath against my neck as I leaned my head back on his shoulder and looked up at his laughing face. I couldn't help it what I felt when Tyler was around me was a whole lot stronger than love. When Tyler would hold me in his arms it would feel like a part of me that I had never known was gone had come back and I was finally whole again.

"Ahh, Tyler if you want food you'll put me down!" I yelled even as I laughed along with them.

"Yes Ma'am!" He said as he stopped spinning me still laughing as he set me down gently on the floor and slipped his arms out from my around my waist only to have a smaller set throw themselves around me in a bounce of flowing, golden curls.

"Mommy, Daddy is so much fun! Why did you hide him for so long?" Kyrie said as she jumped and I had no choice but to catch her to keep her from falling back down to the floor.

I laughed as I held her in my arms and said, " I wasn't hiding him, Ky, he was hiding from me!"

Kyrie turned into my arms and looked at Tyler with the most serious face a child her age could manage and said, " Daddy, why were you hiding from Mommy? That was mean to do you shouldn't hide from someone who loves you as much as Mommy loves you!"

I saw Tyler blush as he was scolded by such a young child for "hiding" from me for so long and smiled when he replied with how hard it was for him to find me as well. I loved how easily my daughter saw the world, she had never found anything bad in anyone. Well, almost anyone there's only one person that Kyrie had never liked in her entire life and that was my uncle, but with him out of the picture because of Banishment from the Pack there was no one in Kyrie's day to day life that would put the dark cloud over her like I saw when my uncle was around her.

I finished cooking and set their plates on the table and they quickly appeared in the kitchen from outside and downed the food so fast you'd think that they hadn't been fed in nearly a year. While they ate I went down the hall to start the laundry. I took dry clothes out threw wet ones back in their place, I took the dirty clothes and threw them in the wash then started to fold the dry.

"Star, you're acting weird today. What's wrong, Babe." I jumped when heard Tyler's voice behind me.

"What do you mean, Ty, I'm fine?" I said as I kept folding the clothes trying to keep my face hidden with my hair. I couldn't let him find out about the ritual because I need him here to protect Kyrie from the force that's going to hit her when the Mark transfers from me to her.

"No, you're not. Star, what are you hiding from me and don't you dare lie to me." He said as he grabbed my arm and spun me around forcing me to look up at him into those deep sapphire blue eyes.

"I can't tell you, Tyler, I just can't, but I need you here to keep Kyrie safe I have something I need to take care of." I said trying to look away from those piercing eyes that made you want to spill your deepest secrets.

"I'm you're mate, Star! Why won't you trust me?" He said as he grabbed my chin and made me look up into his eyes.

"I can't tell you! How many times do I have to say that! I'm not going to be in any danger it's just while I'm gone rogues will make attempts on Kyrie I need you to protect her!" I yelled as I gave up on folding clothes and went into mine and Tyler's bedroom.

Tyler followed me firmly shutting the door behind him. I sat on the bed and looked at where Tyler stood by the door just watching me. I knew he wasn't going to stop until I told him what I had to go do.

"If I tell you will you swear not to follow me and stay here with Kyrie?" I said with a sigh.

"Yes, I swear I will stay here, just tell me what's going on Star." he said as he crossed the room and sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around me.

"Tonight is the ritual that moves me up to Alpha in the place of Cody who's the current Alpha, that means that my mark as a person in line for Alpha will shift to her because she is my only child at the moment. Rogues will attempt to kill Kyrie to weaken the Pack." I said as I laid my head on his chest and closed my eyes feeling more drained now more than I have had before.

Fear for my daughter, for Tyler had me so tightly that I felt like I hadn't slept for days. It terrified me that while I was gone my only child would be at risk as would all the other pups because every wolf over the age of eighteen had to be at the presentation of the True Alpha. It terrified me to think of the danger I was placing my Pack in all because a ceremony was needed to present a new Alpha when the old one isn't dead yet. I don't know how long I stayed wrapped up in Tyler's arms that day, but around three o' clock I got up to go fix Kyrie and Tyler's supper since another part of the ritual was for me to lead the Pack in a hunt. Even as I went about the kitchen cooking fried shrimp and steak and starting homemade ice cream the thought of all the danger I would be putting the Pack's pups in rattled me to the bone.

As dark kept closer I went into my closet and got out my usual Pack border patrol ensemble of black jeans, black long sleeved t-shirt, and knee high black boots and laid it all out on the bed. Looking at myself in the mirror as I slowly pulled on the clothes I saw the flash backs of my childhood years race through my mind so vividly I thought the glass of the mirror had them trapped inside of it.

"Did anyone ever tell you how hot you look dressed like that?" Tyler's voice cut through my thoughts like a knife and made me jump Lord knows how high as his soft, rumbling laughter filled the room as he realized that he had scared me.

"No, everyone that's seen me dressed like this was smart enough to not comment because they'd likely get slapped." I said as I ran a brush through my hair and swept it up into a high ponytail and turned to look at him.

"Well you do look hot. Are you about to go?" He said as he walked up and brushed the small tangles that had imbedded into my hair that only disappear when Tyler brushed my hair.

I nodded as I laughed softly and kissed his cheek as I headed toward the door. Now to go to the event that had been looming over me for thirteen years both terrifying me and exciting me. It was time for me to become the Alpha.