Mark's POV (Tia's uncle and Paul's dad)
I sat lazily on the couch flipping through the TV channels when I hear my cell phone rather rang loudly. Groaning, I grudgingly moved off the couch to answer it.
"Hello?" I muttered into the phone.
"Hello, is this Mark Lahote speaking?" A man asks gravely, sounding all serious.
"Yeah, who am I speaking to?" I asked cautiously. I didn't really like talking to people I didn't know over the phone and, it certainly didn't help the matter either when I did not recognize this man's voice.
"My name is Captain Jim Brass," The man spoke. "I am a homicide detective for the Las Vegas Police Department and I am sorry, but I have some bad news for you." The detective cleared his throat uncertainly. "I am sorry to inform you that your brother, Nick Stokes has been killed."
"What!?" I shouted down the receiver. Denial and shock hit me in waves. Nick couldn't be dead.
"Nick was murdered in his house. It appears that someone tried to rob him and in an attempt to protect his own daughter, he risked his life." Captain Brass said in his grave tone.
I feel my head shaking in half disbelief and half outrage. I had so many question to ask, but firstly, I had to know if anything had happened to Tia?
"Is Tia all right?" I asked breathlessly, worry filling my voice. That sweet little girl didn't deserve this.
The detective sighed heavily, "Tia's physically fine. Though emotionally that is a different story," Brass responded sympathetically, sounding tired and slightly uncomfortable.
I swallowed hard, trying to get my bearings. Before I found my voice mumbling quietly down the phone.
"When can I come get her?" Getting Tia as far away from that city as possible was my highest priority right now. I wanted my niece by my side and safely away from LA.
"Actually due to certain circumstances with things down here, I will drive her up to La Push. I don't want Tia down here for the funeral because she's only a four-year old." The detective's voice sounded weary, almost like he'd given these kinds of speeches long ago too many times.
As much as I wanted to get her by myself, there wasn't anything I could do, and so I conceded, "Yeah, of course." I agreed reluctantly. Tia had been through enough already and if by missing my own brother's funeral to look after her, I would do it. Nick would want me to put his daughter first, after all.
"I will call you when I am near the territory of La Push. I will see you soon, Mr. Lahote. Again, I am deeply sorry for your loss," The detective captain voiced out his condolences from his part, making my already stinging eyes welling up slightly.
"Okay and… goodbye detective. Thank you for everything," I spoke softly into the phone before I hung up. Pressing my shaking hands to my face as I felt the finality of what had happened sink in and helplessly trying to stop the grief. Yet, a single tear managed to escape from the corner of my eyes, uncontrollable.
Paul walked towards me grinning, "Hey dad."
"Hi Paul," I replied distractedly, sighing quietly.
"What's wrong with you, Dad? You look like you've seen a ghost or something." He questioned, looking at me critically. I could tell he was trying to joke around, but he really look concerned.
Clearing my throat, I explained what had happened to him whilst battling with the tsunami of emotions within. "I just got a phone call about your Uncle Nick. There was a burglar in the house and Nick was murdered." I hear Paul inhaled sharply at this. "Nick gave me custody of Tia and, she is coming up here to live with us."
"Oh my god!" He breathed out before he begin speaking at the top speed, sounding highly distressed. "I am so sorry dad! How is Tia doing? What happened?" Paul asked, his voice saturated with concern, worry and anxiety over his cousin. I think I could even see his hand shaking from my peripheral vision.
It would be testing to repeat what I'd just learnt, but pushing the grief aside to mourn properly later, I replied, "Apparently Tia found Nick and called the police. The doctors say that she is traumatized by it all and she will need time to properly heal."
Paul nodded his head sadly and looked out towards the window when a howl broke through the night. I sighed and looked over to Paul and told him, "No shifting around Tia. The last thing we need is to have something supernatural in her life right now. The less she knows the better." I told him wisely.
Paul shook his head in refusal and took off out the door. My son has always been headstrong and stubborn, but hopefully he would take what I'd said straight to his heart.
And undoubtedly and hopefully, to his mind as well.
Paul's P.O.V
I phase into my silver wolf form before I even neared the rims of the forest area, "I can't believe my uncle is dead and my four year old little cousin Tia is coming to live with me and my dad," My thought was for all to feel as I approached Sam.
"S'up boss!?" I asked our alpha, Sam, my loud bark echoing around us.
"Are you okay? Sorry about your uncle," He spoke in condolences, his voice lacing with sadness for a brief moment before moving onto business "And we have new two members of the pack."
Glad for the opportunity to be distracted I took it in with both hands, "Who and who?"
"What the hell is going on?" The two new members asked, appearing all of a sudden.
"This is Jacob Black and Quil Ateara," Sam said in his authoritative voice, replying to my question.
Our current alpha continued, "Jacob, it is your birthright to be alpha," sounding as though Sam was offering to step down.
"Um, Sam I don't want to be in a pack and I don't want be to an alpha," Jacob said hesitantly.
"Alright, I guess I am alpha then," Sam conceded, before turning to me as I felt my thoughts turning towards Tia and Uncle Nick.
"Paul are you okay?" Our leader asked in worry, the topic of alpha well out of his mind. His thoughts showed me that much.
"I don't know, Sam," I admitted whilst spotting my brothers looking at me in concern. "I think everything is starting to catch up with me."
"It will be okay, Paul. She will okay. She is a tough cookie," Sam said, remembering when he first met Tia. She is two and he's giving her Baby Penguin Pink.
Smiling as I witnessed his flashback, I voiced my gratitude, "Thank you, Sam,"
"How old is she again?" Jared asked, coming in front of my sight.
"She is four years old." I clarified fondly. Yet, the tremors in my voice betrayed the hint of sadness that was lacing it quite artfully.
"Four." He mulled it over for a moment before he continues, still looking thoughtful. "She is little and to have seen all that…" Jared remarked, his thoughts sending out waves of sympathy.
I smiled grimly for a moment, "Yes, she is a sweet little princess."
"She looks like a Disney princess." Jared countered.
"Yes, she is," I replied, seeing the others nodding in agreement.
