Pearl above

Terry POV

The girls have already been here for over two weeks, and I must admit I like that they are here. Ivory is getting better; her wounds are healing well, and Pearl... 

Pearly is a little Miss Sunshine; she is everywhere in the house, or rather everywhere around me. Ivory is more reserved, but she has stopped watching my every move, yet none of them said anything useful, but neither Aunty Mae nor I am pushy about it.

Honestly, I thought at the beginning that Aunty Mae would be more in charge of them than me, and yet that hasn't happened because even though Pearl doesn't avoid Aunty Mae, she clearly prefers me, and I honestly don't understand why.

She is like a small child, so she comes to me with almost everything; she wants me to do her hair, she wants to sing, she wants to show me her drawing, she wants me to read to her, or she wants to see what I'm doing. It also may happen because Ivory mostly slept all this time; I guess her wolf needed it to get better. Probably that's why Pearl latches to me so much.

I finish removing the bandage on Ivory's leg, it healed nice and clean, and it's good news, she will be alright. I notice she is watching me quite intensively, and I try to smile at her.

"You are healing well; you will be perfectly alright in the next couple of days," I say.

"And we could leave soon," she says, and something in me clenches painfully; I don't want them to leave. She may be healed, but it doesn't mean she can keep her and her sister safe.

"Ivory, here is not a prison, but do you think it wise to leave?" I ask, and she fidgets a little uncomfortably. "You got better, but you are still not well enough. You said you can hunt, but what about protecting yourself? The pack would be a solution."

She gulps and avoids looking at me for a while, but soon her eyes are again on me, and this time she looks like she has made a decision.

"You could teach me," she says. "I'm not stupid, I may not know the details, but you can fight. You know how to fight werewolves so that you can teach me, and then I will be able to protect Pearl."

I have to admit she has a point, and yet I'm not thrilled with her idea. It's been years, but I haven't neglected my training or let my skills get rusty. Honestly, I don't know why; probably, the drill was in my blood too much to let me abandon it. I may not hurt anybody in a decade, but I know I can still do it and know how.

What she said makes sense; if I teach her something, they will have better chances and stay here longer, so I can keep an eye on them. And yet something inside me howls in pain at the thought of teaching the child how to kill. Not that I haven't done worse in my life.

"No, Ivory, it's not a good idea," I say, leaving her alone.

It's early afternoon, so Aunty Mae is cooking something with the help of Pearl.

"I have to go today to take care of some business, and I want to meet with an old friend," she says, but something in her makes me think that this will not be a friendly chat.

Since Alpha was here last week, we have spotted more patrols; as she informed us, the girls were notified, but after a moment of fear, they accepted the new situation. Nothing has changed for them; they don't leave the apartment no matter what. When Aunty Mae or I go to work, we always clean ourselves, so none can smell the girls' wolves no matter what.

"Actually, I have a plan to get some scent suppressants. If I succeed, the girls will be allowed to leave the house occasionally," she says, and I nod. "I heard what Ivory had asked. I know you may feel uncomfortable, but she has a point; it will help them be safe."

"And what happened about finding them a pack?"

"Ivory said no, so until she changes her mind, that is not an option. Her reaction to that suggestion was horrible. But we must find a way to convince her that's a good idea.".

"Pack is good, pack keep us safe, mommy said," Pearl suddenly speaks," Daddy safe, pack a good place but later mommy dead and daddy no longer safe and pack not good, no more."

She has tears in her eyes, so I go and hug her, and she instantly hugs me back, sobbing quietly; it's the second time I see her crying, and once again, she doesn't make any sound. I hold her gently, patting her head, I'm not good at giving comfort, but I'm also sure of one thing. The only people who cry without sound are those who were punished for crying regularly.

"Ivory come and eat," says Aunty Mae, and that's when I see her standing by the door, watching us.

I help Pearl clean her face, and the four of us sit; we talk about everything and nothing. Mostly about Pearl, her drawings, and the TV cartoon she likes so much, but her eyes are still puffy.

"Terry, where are your parents?" suddenly Pearl asks. "You don't have parents like Pearl and Ivory?"

"They are dead; they were killed by rogues when I was 15," I say bluntly. "I have a sister but haven't seen her in years."

"Why?" asks Ivory, strange she isn't the one to maintain a conversation.

"Well, it's complicated, but in short, she has a mate and lives with him in his pack, and I didn't want to live there."

"You said yesterday that a pack is good for Ivory and Pearl, but you don't want to live in a pack. Why pack good for Ivory and Pearl but not good for Terry?" Pearl whimpers a bit, and Ivory looks at me quite intensively.

"Because you have wolves, and I don't..." I start, but Pearl seems logical today because she interrupts.

"Terry's sister doesn't have a wolf; Terry's sister lives in a pack, Terry doesn't. Pearl wants to live with Ivory here! Terry is good for Pearl; he isn't angry because Pearl is stupid!"

"Pearl, who told you that you were stupid?" I ask; it's the first time she speaks with us like that, and Ivory hasn't tried to silence her, so I have to get as much information as possible.

"Some kids said Pearl stupid, but daddy said it too. He didn't like Pearl because Pearl stupid, he didn't like Ivory because Ivory girl. He said injustice is that stupid girls alive and the clever boys dead, and he..."

"Shut up, Pearl!" Ivory hisses and stands up; Pearl huddles as her sister storms out of the room.

"Ok, I have to go now," says Aunty Mae" You are in charge of the bar today. I will give Ivory her food. Pearl, finish yours, ok?"

The bar is full in the evening, and it's a good thing, especially now when we have additional mouths to feed. By the corner of my eye, I notice one of the wolves from Howl Pack. I think that one name is Brandon. I quickly check if he is alone; three years ago, he and three of his friends made here quite a mess and since then are forbidden to come here together, but not alone, and Brandon is alone today. Well, alone means not with his friends, the girl who has come with him I've seen from time to time, usually with Brandon.

"Are you worried that he will be a problem?" Alexa, also one from the Howl Pack sitting next to the counter, looks at me.

Actually, I find it quite funny that now I have acquaintances among the wolves' pack, and they have no idea who I am. I have a reputation for being tough and closed-off around here, but I don't isolate myself, especially from the regular bar's customers, and Alexa is one of them. She is in her late twenties, and judging by her appearance, I'm sure she is a warrior. We talk occasionally, usually about not personal things, but I find talking with her pleasant.

"Better safe than sorry," I say. "I know nothing happened in three years, but do you honestly believe Brandon can be fully trusted?"

She frowns, and I have my answer. I smirk ironically and give her another beer as she keeps sending angry looks toward Brandon.

"Something wrong with you two?' I ask.

"Well, Fiona, who is sitting with him now, is my younger sister, and I'm not so happy seeing her here with him, no matter how eagerly she repeats that they are just friends now. Brandon started a new relationship, and the other party moved in with him. So I can't shake off the feeling that he shouldn't any longer be so smitten, especially with my sister."

I roll my eyes, and she sees it.

"Please don't throw up. I'm sorry for pulling you into this soap opera," she says, and both of us laugh, yet she keeps observing them, still worried and unhappy.

I do my job; I talk with Alexa some more, and I speak with other guests. I fill glasses and help the waitress from time to time as time passes quite slowly. I worry about the girls today; none seemed calm when I got downstairs to work. Finally, Brandon stands up, and he and Fiona walk toward the door, passing Alexa.

"Where are you going?" she asks.

"I'll give Brandon a ride home since he was drinking and I didn't," says Fiona cheerfully, and Alexa rolls her eyes.

"Tell me, Alexa," Brandon starts. "Do you think that I'm not suitable for the job? I have some baggage, but Julius certainly has more, and yet you all seem to trust the drunk cripple more than me!"

He looks drunk, too, for me, but also pathetic. I don't know him that well, but I wouldn't risk him walking my dog down the hill and for sure with nothing serious.

"Julius had his difficulties and survived, and he knows how to work hard. And you, Brandon, you think just because you are a distant relative to Howl's family and Natasha, you are entitled to everything you have," Alexa spits, and Fiona instantly starts protecting Brandon when he keeps quiet. 

But the way he clenches his jaws makes it clear that he is furious. Suddenly, I see his eyes shifting and instantly look away, pretending I wasn't watching. Alexa grabs his hand harshly, checking to see if anybody has noticed. Well, that was highly irresponsible, that's for sure. A werewolf who can't control his emotions is a serious problem.

"Just take him home safely; he seems drunk," I say. "This is not a good time for such important matters."

Both sisters follow my suggestion quite eagerly. I don't know much about Howl Pack, Aunty Mae stays in touch with them but doesn't talk with me about it, and I respect them. I know only what I have observed during the years. In the beginning, Julius was a very regular visitor of Mae's bar, but he got a grip. He seems to be finally at peace with whatever has happened to him. Brandon, on the other hand, is spoiled; that much I understand when I see his behavior. Well, lucky guy, most of us didn't get that.

I wait for the last customers to go, clean, and go upstairs, but I don't go to sleep; instead, I sit on the couch in the living room in complete silence and darkness. The first hour, second hour, and that's when I hear them. I turn on the light instantly, and I see both of them. Ivory seems angry, and Pearl is scared.

"Sneaking out is never a good choice; it's bad behavior. I told you that it is not a prison; you can leave if you want," I say, and I must admit Ivory withholds my glare.

"So, we are leaving!" she says with this attitude I used against my parents. She is just a child; no matter how tough she thinks she is, she wants someone to take care of her.

"Sit first; I have a proposition. You will listen, and then you can make your choice."

Pearl instantly starts dragging her sister in the direction of the couch, and Ivory reluctantly follows. One of them looks at me with hope, another challenging.

"Aunty Mae promised to get us scent suppressants, so if she does it, you will be able to step outside. I propose three months; that's the least amount of time I need to teach you, Ivory, anything. You were right, I can teach you how to fight, and you should have that skills. But you will be listening to me during this time, and I'm in charge. If I tell you to do something, you will do it without discussion. Mae nor I will force you to find a pack, but" I raise my voice a bit, and Ivory, who was about to say something, closes her mouth. "You will at least think about it. You have three months to do it. And if you decide after those months, you want to go; you will go. I will provide you with some money and even take you to a different state. But till then, you listen to me; I'm responsible for both of you. Do we have a deal?"

Ivory gulps hard, but Pearl starts clapping her hands.

"Now you are daddy! Daddy decides what's good for Pearl and Ivory, mommy said to listen to daddy always." She says.

"He is not our daddy!" Ivory spits, but Pearl doesn't seem discouraged.

"But he takes care, daddy stopped, and Terry hasn't, so Terry can be Second Daddy!"

Honestly, I'm not convinced that this is a good idea, but the way she looks at me, I can't find it in me to say no to her. At the back of my mind, the small voice keeps repeating that they both desperately need me to say yes and give them the security each child needs. 

"Yes, Pearl, I can be a second daddy. So, I guess Ivory, we have a deal. So now go back to your room and go back to sleep. It's late."

I stand up, but Pearl instantly jumps and hugs me strongly, and I hug her back. I wonder what is that warm feeling inside of me. The joy that they are staying so they will be safe, or something else?

Second Daddy... that's big. It means higher duties and greater responsibilities. 

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