Seven Years Ago
Kenneth Kavanagh is a formidable man. There isn't an adversary that he hasn't been able to take down in his many years as an alpha. He has very few weaknesses and even fewer fears. He hasn't needed to be afraid of anything. Not until fifteen months ago. Not until the doctors first diagnosed his fourteen year old daughter with cancer.
He remembers the all-consuming, paralyzing fear he felt that day. Every muscle in his body stiffened at the word and his heart raced in ways he never thought possible. It was even harder being forced to watch her combat the disease. There were so many times he nearly ignored his promise to her. There is one definitive cure for cancer and it's in his teeth but she made him swear not to give her the bite. She begged him and at that moment in time he would've given her the sun if she asked him for it. So, he fought his instincts as both a father and an alpha. Instead, he stayed by her side during those four months. When the chemo made her sick, he held her hair out of her face while she still had it. He held her when her body shook with pain and he watched every nightmarish night just to make certain that her heart kept beating.
Just when he thought her body couldn't take any more, the doctors came with great news. The tumor had recided enough to operate on. A week later and she was being discharged from the hospital. She was cured and she was coming home.
For the past eleven months, everything was good. It was normal. Her beautiful blonde hair had grown back down to her shoulders and her blue eyes were bright with life. Until this past month.
At first, she was ready with an explanation to brush away the concerns of her returning symptoms. The nosebleeds were from the dry air of summer. Her headaches aren't that bad. And because no one wanted to admit that there was something wrong with her, they pretended that everything was fine. They pretended that she was telling them the truth. Until they couldn't anymore.
It was like deja vu. He was home, dealing with a recent werewolf - hunter dispute when he got the call. His daughter, his little girl, has once again collapsed during class with a frightening amount of blood pouring out of her nose. She has been taken to the hospital where doctors are running tests to confirm what everyone already knows.
And here he sits. Waiting. Just like before. His oldest daughter, Ana, sits beside him. Her eyes dart to and from, searching out the waiting area. She pulls at her fingers to the point that they're red and slightly swollen. He can only assume that she's broken them several times.
"Mr. Kavanagh," Dr. Weston greets as he approaches the worried father and daughter. The two werewolves jump to their feet, bracing themselves for what they're about to hear. "Charlotte was brought in after collapsing at school-"
"I know this already," Kenneth snaps. Ana grabs onto his arm and he breathes deeply. "Just say it."
Dr. Weston frowns sadly. "The cancer has returned in a more aggressive state. The tumor is larger than last time. She's going to require several months of chemo before I can operate and that's if she survives that long."
"Can't you just take it out now?" Ana asks desperately.
"To do so will likely cause irreparable damage," Weston says. "Without treatment, Charlotte is looking at three months."
"And with treatment?" Kenneth asks.
"It will buy her some time but not much," Weston replies. He glances at his watch. "Look, you have an important decision to make but you for now you should go see your daughter. She's awake but a little out of it."
Neither werewolf wasted any more time with the doctor before they barreled through the hospital corridors. When they reach her room, both stop long enough to compose themselves before facing her.
She smiles when she sees them and Kenneth feels like a freight train has just run him over. He stops in his tracks at the sight of her beautifully, happy smile. It's marred by the fear in her eyes but she hugs onto Ana as though she'll do it everyday for the rest of her life. And her life is going to be a lot longer than three months even if it means breaking his promise to her. Better she be mad and alive than dead.
"Ana, why don't you go home and rest for the night? Let the others know what's going on," he says from his spot in the doorway. Whether his daughters sense what he's about to do or not, neither protest his suggestion. Ana merely hugs Charlie one last time before leaving the room.
He waits until she's asleep. It doesn't take long. Both her mind and body are exhausted from the sickness inside her. He pulls her blanket aside and exposes a small amount of skin on her side. With one last look at the door, he leans forward and sinks his teeth into her abdomen.
...
Present Day
Until Charlie called, Kenneth thought the days of seeing his daughter lifeless and hooked up to machines were behind him. Still, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of her weak and frail body lying on an exam table at a veterinarian clinic.
He barely heard the vet's declaration that she would be okay before he launched his body across the small room and by his daughter's side. His eyes don't miss the black veins or the shadow stains of blood behind her ears but it's his ears that he relies on.
The gentle, soft drumming of her heart echoes in his ears and he collapses into the chair beside the table. He leans over and presses his lips to her forehead, trying and failing to stop the tears of both fear and relief from welling up in his eyes.
"You stubborn, stubborn girl," he whispers to her sleeping form. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."
A/N: Kenneth Kavanagh has arrived in Beacon Hills. Next chapter will be in his POV so we can get to know him a little better.
