Alpha - Forever #1 (Complete)

Chapter 30 - Part 2

Scarlett

My curiosity was piqued as he led me back into the house and into the formal lounge.

My eyes were on the stranger watching me from the fireplace.

There was no doubt. I knew who he was and I swallowed hard as I took a step closer to him. I hadn't been expecting to see him.

He stood, stunned, looking at me like he was looking at a portal to the past. He looked like an older version of my father, with dark hair flecked with gray.

"You look just like your mom," he said hoarsely, and I smiled at him. I liked that I looked like her, it was like a part of her still lived on in me. But my similarity to my mom wasn't just skin deep. I'd fought bravely against Victor like she had, but I'd survived; she hadn't.

He stepped closer as his eyes caressed my face. I couldn't believe how similar he looked to my father. He took another step closer and hugged me. It was hard to keep my emotions in check as I hugged him back.

"I'm so glad you've come home," he whispered as he hugged me tighter.

He was right. I was home. It was more than just a town on a map. It was the people who surrounded me that made it my home and I knew I belonged here.

I smiled and hugged him as I thought of how much I'd gained in such a short span of time.

I'd gained family.

I pulled away gently and turned to face Cade, who was standing beside me with an encouraging smile. I'd gained the love that would carry me through to forever.

He held his hand out to me and I put my hand in his. Just being with him was enough to make me feel that my life was complete.

We would never be one of those quiet, getting-along type of couples. We fought and we were both strong and stubborn. We would disagree and we would have to find a way to sort it out but I had no doubt I would enjoy every minute of it.

Cade and I visited with my family for a while. I asked Uncle Nate so many questions about my mom and dad. I was too young to remember a lot about them so I was transfixed as he relayed childhood memories of my father getting up to mischief and getting into trouble.

"The day he found out your mom was his mate, he was so happy," Uncle Nate said with a faraway look in his eyes. It was like he was looking back at the memory.

I wished that for a moment I could see back in time at that memory with him.

The way he spoke of my parents and the way he relayed the past, it felt like I was getting to know my parents better.

I hung onto every word, hoping to savor the feeling of getting to know my parents better through the memories of them. I wanted to remember my parents not by the way that they had died, but by the way that they had lived.

When I closed my eyes I didn't want the image of my parents to be of them lying dead. I wanted to remember them by the way they'd looked at each other with the type of love that I only now understood. The way that I looked at Cade.

I lost track of time as we all sat in the formal lounge listening to Nate talk about my parents.

He relayed one story after the other, never tiring of telling me everything he could remember. I think he also enjoyed taking a walk down memory lane.

Gary joined us. I could tell by his expression that Uncle Nate's resemblance to my father was uncanny.

Cade introduced them and they shook hands. Gary sat down beside me as Nate started to tell us about the day my mom found out she was pregnant.