𝙰𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝙾𝚏 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚢 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚝𝚝𝚘 𐂃

Chapter 6

James paced in the working room of the big house. He sighed, thinking about what his eldest child did and what could have happened. If he let this slide, then it was free game. The man was convinced that Cristine would do everything in her power to earn her keep. He didn't raise his daughters to be freeloaders or irresponsible. It would take some time before people accepted her, yes, but she worked hard and didn't cause any trouble. James expected the people to respect him enough to accept his daughter.

This was his daughter!

James sat in the chair on the other side of the desk, leaning forward and pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't even realize someone would actually insult him and his family by making an attempt on her life.

The fact that Jeremiah took this with a grain of salt angered him even more. He was a man that was known to the people for his unbiased leadership qualities. He saw none of that today and James wouldn't sit by and let this go unpunished. Not anymore.

Of course, guilt played a big part in it. It didn't sit on his chest, but inside his brain. What he did, leaving San Francisco without rapping a word to his eldest, not picking up her calls and then calling her when the world ended. Before all the lines went down a few hours later. What he didn't do, but should have. James could make amends in subtle ways, but talking about it now was out of the question.

It was too much, it was in the past and he'd just have to make it right for Cristine now, in the present. The world might've ended, but it also started anew. Only in his silent prayers could he speak his heart to God and beg for His mercy and forgiveness. He wasn't sure if there was still one, with the world as it was now; damnation on earth. But James still clung to it and hung the shreds of his sanity on it. He prayed that one day he would feel removed from all the things that happened, things that must be done to start a clean slate, even if the guilt was a stain on him, an ugly scar.

He had to leave his deed, what he didn't do for Cristine in the past and move on. She had to get right with it either, because now their outlook on life all changed.

The front door opened and closed, James locked his hands together and relaxed. His visit just one single purpose: to get clarification and a fitting punishment for the ones responsible. There were more than two footsteps and as they drew closer, James blue eyes visibly sharpened and narrowed.

"I'll make sure the patrol is doubled, so something like this doesn't happen again."

He heard the youngest Otto assure his father and James almost felt like scoffing. That boy was known to the people on the Ranch as troubled and to one or two he was nothing short of a ruthless wolf. And taming a wolf was impossible.

James looked at the entrance, hearing the two walk into the room. Jeremiah walked in first followed by his youngest and oldest at the same time. James looked at them with a focused gaze, short of the courtesy he grew up with.

James saw the slouch of his Jeremiah's shoulders. Troy kept his gaze briefly on him before he looked away and Jake was the most relaxed out of the four men.

"James." Jeremiah greeted his friend, a heaviness settled in his tone as he walked to his desk. Either of his sons stood at one side of the room. Jake near the window sill and Troy sat on the table.

"What can I do for you James?" Jeremiah removed his hat from the top of his head, revealing his bald head.

"I understand that it will take time to find out exactly how this could happen, but I need to know what the consequences will be now." James didn't miss the light grimace on Jeremiah's face. The exact same face given to him when he and the others realized what his other daughter looked like.