Find My Daughter, Alpha

Two women were talking on the porch, looking very serious. One older woman and one much younger. The older woman was wearing a coat and carrying a large bag as she prepared to leave. As for the woman in front of her, she looked tired, although she was neatly dressed in office clothes.

“Remember, talk to Zoey carefully,” the old woman whispered. “Moving to a new school, of course, there are things that will make her uncomfortable. At first.”

“Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Charlotte. I wouldn’t have known what to do if you hadn’t been there to help me.”

Old Charlotte patted Willow’s shoulder lovingly. She had worked with the young woman since Zoey was only a few months old. She knew very well what Willow’s life had been like, from being down and out to being more stable now.

The problem Willow had to deal with lately was Zoey’s troubling behavior. Her little girl had just started elementary school. Zoey often cried and whined, and Charlotte was often overwhelmed trying to calm the little girl down.

Charlotte knew what the problem was. Zoey needed more attention from Willow. The mother.

“I’m afraid I can’t be with Zoey anymore,” Charlotte said suddenly.

Willow seemed at a loss for words. Her eyes glazed over. “It’s too sudden.”

“I’m sorry; I meant to tell you a few days ago.” Charlotte cleared her throat quietly. “My son wants me to stay with him. His wife just gave birth. They will need me.”

Willow nodded weakly. “I understand, Mrs. Charlotte.”

Finding a new nanny was difficult. Willow felt the weight on her shoulders grow.

“I’m still working through the end of the week, Willow.”

The two embraced, and yet Willow felt so sentimental. A sudden sense of loss invaded her heart, even though Charlotte hadn’t left. But the closeness was overwhelming, and Willow tried desperately to hold back the tears. She was so sad.

Charlotte gently patted Willow’s cheek. “Oh, one more thing: today is Zoey’s birthday. I hope you got her a nice present.”

Willow swallowed. She had forgotten.

Completely forgotten.

But the 26-year-old nodded immediately, making as casual a face as possible.

“I put it in the trunk. I’ll get it later,” Willow said.

Charlotte’s smile widened with a nod of her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Take care, Mrs. Charlotte.”

Willow’s eyes followed Charlotte’s figure as she strolled down the deserted sidewalks that night. It was already eight o’clock, but it was safe for Charlotte to walk around.

There was something else, something essential for Willow to worry about.

She looked at the door and sighed softly. “Ah, Zoey.”

Willow entered and put the car keys on the table with her bag.

She walked through the narrow corridor and up the stairs to the second floor. The door was slightly ajar, revealing a room that was still brightly lit. Willow knocked gently on the door.

“Zoey?” she called.

The little girl was drawing and turned around with a glum face. She had raven black hair, chubby cheeks, and a stocky body. Zoey was so pretty; her face was like a doll.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Willow greeted, hurrying to her daughter. “What are you doing?”

Zoey just showed that she was drawing a house with a swing, very ordinary things. But what surprised Willow was the figure of a girl, then her mother, and a man with a halo over his head.

“Why don’t I have a dad?” Zoey asked suddenly.

“Honey, you know your father is…” Willow swallowed. “I lost him.”

The issue from school had not yet settled in Zoey’s mind. Charlotte explained that Zoey was devastated because it was the day the fathers of the other students came to school. Each father told her about their work, while Zoey was the only one in the class without a father.

“Honey, we talked about this.” Willow looked into Zoey’s eyes, which were starting to tear up. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. This must be really hard for you.”

“I miss him.”

“I know you do. I…”

Willow stopped talking and looked at the dog lying on the bed. Probably some husky; Willow didn’t know. The dog had been found by Zoey a week ago. It was full of wounds on the street. Zoey adopted it. And since then, Alpha—as Zoey called him—never wanted to leave Zoey’s side.

Even Willow didn’t have the heart to turn the dog over to Animal Control.

In the past week, no news had been of anyone losing a pet, especially a dog. So it seemed safe, Willow thought.

“I don’t want that dog in the room, Zoey,” Willow pleaded in a low voice.

“He’s not a dog. He’s a wolf,” Zoey replied quickly.

Willow remembered something. “Happy birthday.”

The little girl, celebrating her sixth birthday that day, only blinked her eyes momentarily. “Can I have some pizza?”

“Now? Didn’t you have dinner?” But hurriedly, Willow said again, “Okay, I’ll order now.”

Before Willow darted out of the room and ordered the pizza, she looked at Alpha, who was still lying comfortably on the bed.

“Alpha, come on. You can’t stay in the room. Your fur will get all messed up,” Willow warned him.

As if he understood what she was saying, Alpha got up from the bed. Then he left the room before Willow. Willow was half astonished.

They had never kept animals in all that time.

So Willow didn’t know if all dogs—or, as Zoey put it, wolves—were intelligent. At least the white-furred, sharp-eyed Alpha had never caused trouble while living in the house. The dog rarely barked, never broke furniture, just sat and watched.

“Mrs. Charlotte is retiring next week, Alpha. So I need you to take care of my daughter while I work until I find a new nanny,” Willow said as she came downstairs and saw Alpha sitting up, waiting.

The dog just stared at Willow, tilting his head.

“But I don’t want you in the bedroom. Understand?”

As Willow entered the kitchen, she noticed a black bag on the island. She had guessed it was Charlotte’s., then rushed forward and grabbed the bag, rummaging inside for the cell phone. Her fingers deftly searched for Charlotte’s number, and just as she was about to press the green button, there was a knock at the door.

“I think it’s Mrs. Charlotte,” Willow murmured.

Willow opened the door and smiled when she saw Charlotte standing in the doorway. Only Charlotte’s face looked so pale. A significant, tall figure suddenly came from the side and stood behind Charlotte. A slashing, tearing sound rang so clearly that Charlotte’s body swayed and fell at Willow’s feet.

The older woman’s back was severely torn.

Willow moved backwards, unable to scream in shock. She just shook her head in disbelief. Hoping this was all a dream. Her trembling hands dropped her purse and cell phone to the floor. Willow’s gaze shifted to a tall, bulky figure not far in front of her.

A creature she had never seen before.

It had greyish fur, a large snout, and sharp fangs. The roar of its breath was loud, coupled with a deep growl. As if it was ready to kill anyone in its line of sight.

Willow had already given up when the creature lunged at her.

“No,” Willow squealed.