Chapter 1: Death's Call

Mala'khai's POV

I sighed happily watching my son interact with his uncle Logan. I watch them as I near the kitchen to grab some lunch for myself observing their interaction with each other, although Logan is much older than Paul but the two still interact like brothers, they guffawing loudly at some crude joke Paul's told. I smile inwardly unaffected by the crudeness in the brand of slapstick comedy that Logan and Paul subscribe to. Having lived with it for almost 3 years now it's become a customary ear-chime. Pulling up a bar stool next to Logan I greet them with "You know what they say about toilet humour Paul.. Logan" chided them gently.

Paul looks at me, amusement in the silvery eyes that are surprisingly identical to mine even though there is not a strip of DNA we share it makes our story of father and son more believable even with the smaller-than-usual age gap. " Yeah, tell that to my degree in Mechanical Engineering Pops" he snorts engaging in his food animatedly. Logan returns a snort and eye rolling in reply. I shake my head at them and seat myself whilst enjoying the picturesque view of the Otakwa Mountain offered by the backyard and getting lost in the pleasure of the view, my thoughts drift slightly. Home again, the nostalgic scenery and atmosphere of this place always evokes a scene of peace and wonderment without being so foreign that it loses the sense of belonging and homey-ness. It's been so long since we've been here, cannot believe another year has passed. So much has changed, Ezra has taken his place as Alpha, unsurprisingly with Liam as 1st Beta and Gordon Trenton as 2nd Beta. The celebrations of a new Chief and Alpha have been vivacious to say the least, I've never seen Ezra so happy and Elizabeth, the ever-blushing Elizabeth sprinkled more merriment to the events by announcing her 2nd pregnancy. The whole week has been a gala of gleeful smiles and laughs. Shaking my head out of my happy thoughts smiling brightly at my mother as he gently places a large bowl of my favourite salmon pasta dish in front of me.

Moaning at the delicious perfection of my mother culinary skills I say " Mother have I told you lately how much I adore you?" He snorts lightly as he clears up the other dishes on around the table where Tatiana –the damn early bird- and Bruce must have been eating since half the food is still on the plate.

He turns to me with a smile on his face "Flattery will get you nowhere my poodle." He teases right back but his use of the dead nickname makes Paul look over at us from his side of the table.

"Poodle?" he asks already snickering at me. I sigh in mock offense but smile internally at my son's laughter fills the room even if it is at my expense just when I thought the hideous nickname would be forgotten Logan joins in the 'fun' saying " Oh gods I remember that was..." he clicks his fingers trying to remember and then his face lights up as he remembers. "When Tatiana made you wear dresses and make up! She named you poodle!"

Paul and Logan cackle harder. I look at my mother with a 'see what you've done now?' expression he just looks at me innocently and says " Aww come on poodle,you were quite cute. Hey Paulie do you wanna see pictures" He pitches my cheek mockingly me playfully. I bat his hand away turning red in embarrassment.

"No mother you are not allowed to show puppy those god awful pictures but at least I wasn't named cupcake" I say. Paul pauses from his laughter and Logan barely holds it in. "who was cupcake?" I look at him and drop my voice to a whisper knowing that he will hear it even if he's at the other end of the table " don't tell him I said this because he'll kill me if I told you this but it was... Ezra" Paul's eyes widen in his mind I see him imaging the 7 foot mighty Alpha and trying to juxtapose this image with the image of a cupcake theme dressed drag queen he just laughs harder. I smile at him but am disturbed by angry words in someone's mind. I frown minutely and focus on the words and realize it's my father's mental voice. I focus a little more on it. It's a haze in my father's mind is due to his fragmented thoughts, jumping from one to the next with no coherent order. I look over at him to see if anything is wrong, he's frowning deeply and breathing heavily through his nostrils – a trait which all the Quitaran shape shifters adopt to stop from phasing or half-phasing on emotional impulse- He's pacing so much he's tearing up the grass under his boot-clad feet. The concern I feel deepens a bit as I focus a little more on his thoughts. Paul's face, a tombstone and a whole lot of curses. That rings alarm bells. I decide to stop snooping and ask him instead, rising from my stool and murmuring a quick "Thank you" to my mother for lunch, I walk onto the patio leading to the backyard intent on finding what has upset my usually composed father and what it has to do with my son. Climbing down the stairs at a brisk pace I reach him in quick strides.

" Piere" I say standing just a few feet away from him and watching him as he pauses his angry marathon pacing to turn to me. The look on his face is one of anger, sadness and deep worry, his mouth in a tight line so unlike his usual curved up line. He looks at me the same emotions whirling in his eyes, his posture rigid and angry.

"Mon Flis" he says brightly in attempting to mask his obviously decomposed state.

" Piere what has happened?" I didn't ask if something was wrong nor what's wrong because that usually leads to an evasive answer. I watched him exhale, his anger leaving him to be replaced with the deepening concern I was feeling.

" Lynch called me." He said ominously, Lynch? What would our family lawyer have to say about Paul? Because at this point I was damn sure it was about my boy judging by the consistent image of Paul's face in my father's mind but before I could comment he continued.

"Lynch was just doing a favour for an acquaintance that has been trying to contact us, Biers his name was." He pauses sucking in a breath again. I wait for him to continue.

" Biers's a state lawyer in Washington state in Forks, He called about settling Mr. J. Lahoute's debts and his funeral." He says in a half worried and half angry tone the worry and anger I knew where on behalf of my boy.

My first thought was Paul, oh my god my poor boy. My frown deepens and I digest the information with the same anger and unwilling acceptance my father has. My anger is driven by the unfairness of the situation, Paul's life has just started and his past his creeping up to destroy it again. I mentally cursed the gods for this sticky situation the only solace is that at least the stay at that place will be temporary and begrudgingly accept it. All through my internal turmoil my father is watching me , mirroring my feelings in his thoughts both of us concerned about the main victim in the situation.

"How much did the debt amount to?" I ask distractedly still coming to terms with what I have to do now, I don't really care about the bill because I know my bank account will cover the debt and still appear unscathed.

"He said he can't discuss the details telephonically and that the funeral's on Wednesday and that Joseph asked,-no begged for Paul to be there" I'm not surprised at this knowing Joseph Lahoute even for the few weeks I had he was an utterly selfish prick.

My father says stiffly looking away from me to the laughing figure of Paul he can see through the big glass sliding doors and frowning at having to ruin that happiness. My breath sharpens a little that it's this coming Wednesday.. talk about a belated warning. My thoughts whirl, concern and anger playing in equally in mind wrestling each other whilst rationality tries to play referee. We look at each other pain in my eyes and the same reflected in my fathers'as well as deep parental concern, my heart sinks knowing that in the next 30 minutes that it will be my eyes mirroring my father's expression as I look at Paul. Piere smiles sadly at me.

'You should be the one to tell him Mala'khai'

" I know" I exhale a long breath also breathing through my nostrils.

' I'm so sorry mon fils, I don't like it as much as you if there was a way to protect him forever from his past. You know I would have found it'

" Oui Piere, I know, I just wish it weren't now, he's just got comfortable in his own skin and .." My voice trails off thinking about my boy and the pain that place will remind him of.

" Merde Piere this just ... "

'I know mon fils, the only comfort I can offer is that we will support you as always poodle'

I try to smile at his attempt to lighten the mood by using my childhood nickname but it comes out as a grimace.

" But why now Piere? How do I tell my son that..."

" Tell me what?" A new voice enters the conversation and I jump a little caught by surprise. Paul's always had an aptitude for stealth of the mind and body neither I nor Papa heard him. We look at him in the anxiety clear on our faces. Paul stands with his posture forever configured in defensive manner even in his most relaxed state of mind. He's wearing Levi jeans, and a white diesel T-shirt. His mouth is turned down slightly as he senses the tense mood of the conversation. His grey eyes that are similar to mine swivel between us and his frown deepens in his confusion and trepidation. I don't need to read his thoughts, the question is clear in his eyes.

'You have to be the one to tell him poodle' Piere says as he walks away smiling reassuringly at Paul as he passes him with a quick hug. Paul's eyebrow's furrow as he watches his Grandpa's retreating back.

"Tell me what?" he verbalizes when he was actually asking ' what's going on?"

I sigh and make a gesture for him to come closer and sling my arm over his shoulders. He's at shorter than me and so the position is comfortable and allows me to comfort him without alarming him because I've rationalized that this was something I expected even if it was so soon. It's just the last tendrils of darkness surrounding my son until he's truly free from his past I hoped. Before he starts to panic I speak evenly composing myself.

" Puppy, there's something you need to know." I begin. I start to walk taking him with me in my stroll,

'What is it Papa?' He asks again an edge of panic and worry in his mental voice. I squeeze him to reassure him.

" Your fath- " I pause momentarily unable to denounce myself as his father and trying to ease the hatred out of my voice, it works somewhat. "Joesph Lahoute 's lawyer called and to inform you about the funeral and that he asked specifically for you to be there" I manage to verbalize the bombshell in an almost toneless voice hoping that calmness would cushion the blow.

I was wrong it didn't help at all. Memories that were dead and buried creep into Paul's consciousness and he starts to tremble but I know I have to continue in a voice as gentle as I can manage I say " He said that the funeral will be on Wednesday and that he would like to see us to clear things up" being deliberately vague to avoid adding to his worry, Paul didn't need the guilt and anger of knowing that a debt awaited him because truly it didn't I would take care of it as soon as possible but I had to give my boy options if it's one thing I could do to protect him from potential pain was give him an out option if he didn't want to go back to that backwater town but on the other hand perhaps this was the gods way of providing an avenue for the closure I know he needed. My problem was with if he was ready or not but I knew that wasn't my decision to make. I squeeze his shoulders in effort to ease his trembling.

" There are options Puppy, we don't have to go if you don't want to, you don't owe him anything... I know as difficult as it may seem it may be good for you to finally close that chapter in your book get the closure I know you need. However whatever you choose you know that I will be with you"

Truly I was in two minds about this in both solutions I wasn't sure if Paul would be unscathed, I didn't want him to go because I knew this would be a painful revisit and it may just pull him into his depression again and on flipside of the coin, I wanted him to go because begrudgingly Joseph, the bastard was still his father, I can't deny him the right to bury him. Paul's body shakes have increased and he abruptly pulls away from me looking angry and scared as he speaks in unadultred hatred and venom in his mental voice and verbal voice it takes me a minute to differentiate.

'Good riddance the fucker' He thought but he says "I don't fucking want to do this but... I know that'll regret it in the end if I don't. FUCK HIM! Why now goddamnit? Fuck everything was going so smoothly couldn't the bitch have died at another- No shit couldn't he have died and left me THE FUCK alone! Motherfucking cunt even in death!" He pauses from his tirade his chest heaving with years of pent-up anger. He looks me in the eye now a pleading edge his angry eyes "gods what will I do now Piere?" he breathes out venom in his voice but I know it's directed at Joseph. I sigh silently, I want him to decide this on his own because it his father and that only Paul will know if he's ready to face the haunted place of his past. I look at him, mentally kicking away the feeling of déjà vu because it's the same position I was in not 20 minutes ago just my role has changed.

" Pup, I will be with you whatever you choose, Although I hate to think about the potential pain it could cause but perhaps if we look at it more optimistically, this is your last obstacle then you can lay all the demons in the past to rest but Paul only you can decide whether you're ready or not" He nods his eyes closing as he pulls air through his nose to keep from phasing. I squeeze his shoulder with one hand and give him a parting reassuring smile. I walk away to give him his much needed time and space to think about this but his thoughts stop my retreat as I near the stairs leading up to the patio.

'Tell Logan to pack as well' he says simply resonated acceptance and hesitation in his tone. I nod minutely knowing his wolf eyes can see the small motion.

Author's note: Hi everyone, hope you liked it. Oh and all mistakes please forgive me ( first timer) and if there's something wrong with the French, please correct me I don't mean to offend anyone. I'm just using google translate so.. Tell me what you think..