The Supreme Alpha

Author's note: This is from Seraphina's point of view

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I looked at the unyielding Calista who was ready to call me out on any lie that was going through my mind and realized that it's time to face the music.

"I am sorry, Cali. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know where to start. I feared that you will blame me, and I still do…"

"Skip the crap!", Calista cut me off impatiently. "Where is he?"

Oh, God! How do I go about this?

Do I need to tell her everything?

What if she hates me?

Seeing that Calista had no intention of letting me wiggle out of this, I caved in.

To be honest, I was tired of carrying the weight of this secret that was getting heavier by the day.

Yes, there was Krob, but he was stuck in the lab, and he didn't need to face the world with a lie how my father went on some expedition deep in the jungle and I have no way of contacting him or knowing when he will be back.

"Come with me…", I gestured for Calista to follow me.

She looked at me suspiciously but still moved after me.

We went to the basement and from there took the portal that led straight to the lab.

Calista was not fazed by the portal, but she looked at me with interest when she saw my wrist glowing and operating the portal. She didn't expect I can do that, and I was too anxious to gloat or worry about appearances.

Based on Calista's confused expression when we reached our destination, my father never brought Calista to his lab.

This is my father's lab. Will he scold me for bringing Calista here? I hoped not.

Actually, I revealed the existence of this place, but not how to get here because Calista can't use my portals, so there is that.

After opening the secret door, I walked into the room where I spent countless hours in the last four months. Reading, researching, talking to my father and hoping that he will answer me.

I could see Krob in the shadows and I discretely waved at him to stay there. Luckily, Calista was focused on glowing jars that were arranged on the shelf, and she didn't notice this odd behavior.

I already revealed too much to Calista and revealing Krob would just add to it.

The big cylinder lay in the middle of the room with glistening runes dancing over its surface in complex patterns, and the electric display on the side showed information on the vitals of the person who was inside. My father. 

Calista's frown deepened with every step she took toward the cylinder, and she let out a shaky breath when she reached the glass-covered surface that revealed my father's upper half of the body.

She stared at him and I watched as emotions washed over her. Disbelief. Grief. Confusion. Anger. 

Yes, there was quite a bit of anger. Was it directed at me? Probably.

"Is he…", she couldn't finish the question. "Since when?"

"Four months."

"How?", Calista asked while her inquisitive red eyes moved to me.

Her question was reasonable. After all, vampires fall into eternal sleep when they lose their will to live, and Aldus had many things that kept him attached to the world of the living. I like to believe that I was one of those things.

The other cause for eternal sleep is if a vampire suffers great damage to his vitality, and that's what happened to my father.

"I told you that I was able to give vitality and Aldus sealed it." I paused and when Calista nodded, I continued. "Drago was shot. He was dying. I used my ability in an attempt to keep him alive, but I failed. I fainted. When I woke up, Drago was recovering, my ability was sealed, and my father was here. He left me a note with some instructions on managing his properties and a warning that his condition should be kept a secret as long as possible."

I looked at Calista apprehensively while trying to read what's on her mind. Is she blaming me? Definitely.

"What's your plan? You will keep on telling people that Aldi is traveling? How long will that last?", Calista asked dryly.

"I hope it will last long enough until I find a way to wake him up."

Calista looked at me like I said something outrageous. "Wake him up?"

I confirmed while gesturing to the side table that had piles of papers and books, just how I left them. "Father was researching eternal sleep. I read his notes and I'm adding to them. Technically, he ran out of vitality, and as long as I can find a matching type to inject him with, he should wake up. Think of it as a blood transfusion. If a person loses too much blood, they will faint, but if the blood is resupplied, it will be fine. I just need to find the right blood type. In the meantime, this cylinder will prevent degradation of his body."

Calista smiled sadly. "I can see why he took a liking of you. Most of the people would give up, saying that it's impossible, but you have the same spark as Aldi when talking about solving puzzles that life throws at us."

I was confused, almost relieved. "Are you blaming me?"

"Blaming you?" She turned to look at my father. "My brother is the most stubborn person I ever met. He is smart, capable, tenacious. No one could make him do anything against his will. If he gave his vitality to save you and Drago, it was his decision. I am sad that he is in this state but blaming you or Drago wouldn't be fair."

I could feel my eyes prickling with tears that were about to fall at any moment. For the last four months, I'm keeping my father's condition a secret from everyone. Even Duke doesn't know the truth.

I dreaded the most the fact that Calista will find out the truth one day.

Will she blame me? Will she hate me? 

In my mind, I was running scenarios from her cursing me, to hitting me, and some even included mobilizing a vampire army to hunt me down and cut me into little pieces.

Yet here she is, saying how it's not my fault.

I was grateful to see that Calista accepted this calmly, but it didn't reduce the amount of my self-blame.

"I promise to wake him up, Cali.", I said in a shaky voice. "He left me a note saying that I can. He believed that I could do it and I won't let him down."

Calista walked to me and gave me a hug. "If he believed in you, I will also. Wake him up, Serina."

I hugged her tightly and started sobbing against her shoulder.

There was an immense relief in the knowledge that I was not alone.

I was tired of pretending to be strong and brave.

In front of Aldus, I was his daughter, his student, the weak one who was seeking guidance and encouragement he was eager to provide me with.

Aldus's absence left a massive hole in my life, and I hoped that Calista will be able to fill it up at least a little bit.

After an unknown measure of time, I calmed down.

"Sorry. I will get you a new shirt.", I said when I noticed that Calista's shirt is drenched with my tears and snot.

"I know you will.", Calista said with an expression of disgust. "Done crying?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Aldi wouldn't want to see you falling apart like this."

I smiled a little. It was rare for Calista to provide any type of warmth. If even for a brief time, she was an Aunt I never thought I will have and I truly appreciated it.

…

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Calista and I left the lab, and when we stepped into the basement of the villa, I called apprehensively, "Cali, can you keep Aldus's condition a secret from your parents?"

"Absolutely.", she said without missing a beat. I was about to thank her, but she spoke again. "If they know that Aldi is out, they will definitely call me back to Lemuria. That's not happening."

Of course, it was about her.

Realistically speaking, if she discloses the truth about Aldus's condition, it won't benefit anyone, especially not me or her who are enjoying life under Aldus's umbrella of protection that his identity provides.

Calista looked at me and I felt unease twirling in my stomach. Why did I have a feeling that she was up to something? And then she spoke.

"I will rely on you to keep this covered up. You are doing great for the last four months. If I don't know Aldi personally and how much he is attached to you, I wouldn't suspect anything. Now that I know he is not watching over me, as long as I don't create a big scandal, I can enjoy life."

My head was spinning. What the heck? Why did this sound like she was about to party?

"What about Sergio?", I blurted out.

Calista blinked at me. "What about him?"

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