Chapter 5 SURVIVE

"Dad, what are you trying to say?" Amara asked, as she looked at her dad in confusion.

James Becker looked at Amara, his heart felt heavy and he couldn't bring himself to talk, even the quietness of the chapel wasn't helping.

He looked over at his wife, who sat across them, her face was filled with concern.

"What's wrong honey?" She asked.

Amara looked up at her father.

"Father, what's wrong?" She asked.

James opened his mouth to talk, but he was struggling to find the right words.

How could he tell Amara such a thing?

Rachel slowly shifted towards him.

"James honey, what's going on?" She asked.

"You have been so distant lately." She said,

Amara frowned as she stared at her father in confusion.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

James took a deep breath. "I... I have something important to discuss with you both."

Rachel slowly shifted to the side to get a good look at her husband.

"What is it, honey?" She asked, her voice soft.

Amara slowly grabbed her father's hands, holding him gently.

"Dad, you're scaring me, what's wrong dad?"

James held his breath, he was unsure of how to drop the news.

Rachel placed a gentle hand on his second hand.

"Honey please speak to me, what is wrong with you? Why do you want to tell us that is bothering you so much?"

James slowly looked up at Amara, then at Rachel.

He knew he had to find a way to break the news to them, that was the only way.

He silently sighed heavily, taking a deep breath.

He had no choice.

"Honey, we have lost everything," he whispered, his voice low and cracking.

Rachel's eyes slowly went wide with shock. "What do you mean?" She asked.

James's eyes slowly dropped to the floor.

"The company...it's all gone. Everything was burnt to the ground."

Amara and Rachel looked up in shock, their faces pale.

"Oh, James!" Rachel gasped.

Amara looked at her father confused.

"Dad, how?" She asked.

James shook his head. "I don't know, all I know is it wasn't a random accident, someone did it. And whoever it was...I'm sure they're after us." He explained.

"After us? Why?" Rachel asked, her voice trembling.

James sighed.

"I don't know, but I had to do something to protect this family." He said.

"Do something to protect the family? How?" Amara asked, confused.

James took a deep breath as he looked up at her. "Amara honey, I'm so sorry, I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me, I did it to protect this family."

Amara frowned, confused. "What do you mean?" She asked.

James slowly lowered his head in shame, he couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes.

"Amara, you're...you're getting married," he stammered.

They all fell silent for a few minutes, before Rachel finally spoke again.

"What?" She whispered in disbelief.

Amara looked at her father, confused. "What do you mean by married dad...I don't understand... what do you mean?" She asked, confused.

James slowly looked away, she could see the regret and shame in his eyes.

"In three days' time," he said, his voice low and cracking.

Amara slowly shook her head.

"Dad you're joking right?" She asked, smiling nervously.

James slowly shook his head, his eyes dark,

Alessia's face changed immediately.

"No! father, you can't be fucking serious!" She shouted,

Rachel's hands flew to her mouth.

"James, how could you?" She asked angrily.

"I had no choice. It's the only way to keep us safe." Her father looked away, his eyes filled with shame.

Amara slowly distanced herself from him. "Safe from who?" She spat angrily.

James looked away.. "From whoever destroyed our company." He said.

Rachel had already began to cry

"But Amara is just a child!"

James's face changed. "I know, Rachel. But I have to protect her."

Amara looked up at him angrily. "How are you protecting me? When you are marrying me off to a stranger?"

James's hands slowly reached for her, but Amara immediately moved her hand far away.

"Don't touch me!" she spat angrily.

She turned to Rachel who dragged her into a hug. "Oh, baby, we'll figure this out." Rachel said.

James's eyes were already filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Amara. I'm so sorry." He pleaded.

Amara looked up at him, irritated. "Who is he?" She asked.

James hesitated. "His name is...Maximus Branson, the son of my old friend Maxwell Branson." He said.

Rachel gasped in shock again.

She looked at James in anger.

"Seriously? Maxwell Branson? Why does it have to be him?" She asked angrily.

Amara looked dumbfounded.

"Maxwell who? I don't know who that is, I don't even think I've ever met him before!"

James looked away, he was disappointed in himself.

"When you were born," James explained, his voice low, "you were naturally betrothed to Maxwell's son, Maximus ."

Rachel gasped again.

"Betrothed? James, you never told me about any of this!"

"Dad, I don't want to get married, please..!"

James's eyes slowly filled up with tears again.

"In three days, you and Maximus will get married."

Amara shook her head, her eyes wide. "No, dad, that can't happen."

"I know, Amara. But he's our only hope."

Amara's eyes began to fill up with tears.

James' heart shattered again, seeing her in tears did something to him.

He gently grabbed her hands again, his eyes pleading with her to give him a chance to explain.

"Amara, I haven't been honest with you," he admitted, as his eyes filled up with tears.

Amara removed his hands from hers and looked away.

James sighed again.

"When I was younger, Maxwell Brauson was my friend...my brother. We were part of the Blue Shades pack."

Amara looked at him.

"Is that supposed to help?" She asked, still crying.

James clenched his jaw. " Maxwell and I were the strongest werewolves, Amara. We fought, conquered, and destroyed other packs across Europe, none of them were our match."

Rachel stared at him silently , her hands on Amara's.

"Back then I was ruthless, merciless. But then...I met your mother." James continued.

Amaras smiled a little as she thought of her parents first meeting each other.

"I was on a mission in Italy," James continued. "Rachel was a medical student, helping refugees. I saw her, and...something shifted inside me."

Rachel rolled her eyes, tears filling them up.

"I realized I couldn't keep living that life," James said. "The killing, the bloodshed. I left the pack, left everything and everyone I grew up with behind."

James's eyes were fixed on hers. "I built this company for us, for our family. I wanted a normal life, free from the bloodshed."

Rachel shook her head. "But now it's all gone." She whispered, her voice trembling.

Amara looked over at him, her face was filled in confusion.

"If you built a new life before, then why can't we start again?" she asked.

James's face changed. "Those packs we defeated back then...they're back. And they are after me, I'm sure they were behind the fire at the company, and now I'm sure they are coming for our family, Maxwell Brauson is the only one who can protect us." He said.

"Why would he help us?" Amara asked, her voice shaking.

James looked away. "Because of the deal we made, that is the only reason he's helping us."

Rachel's hand tightened around Amara's hand.

"What about Emily and Sophia? They are too young to live that kind of life." Amara said..

James's shoulders slumped, his face was filled with worry.

"I will find a way, I will find a way to make sure they are not exposed to it, but now we have to first get back with the pack, that's the only protection we can get." He said.

Amara slowly eyes filled with tears again.

"James, are you sure about this?" Her mother asked.

He nodded, as he looked away again.

"It's the only way to keep you both safe."

"And the marriage?" Amara asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

James's eyes pleaded for understanding. "It's the deal I made with Maxwell Branson, for our protection."

The all fell silent again, all of their faces pale as they thought about what he said.

Amara looked up at him again.

"You always said marriage is about love, and how much you love mom, but what if I don't love him, father?" She whispered, her voice cracking.

James's face changed. "Love can be built, you don't have to love him at first, but you will learn to love him eventually... you don't have to be scared, your mother and I are always going to be there for you."

James's voice cracked as he continued, "I wish I didn't have to do this, but this is the only way I can ensure all our safeties, who ever burnt the company down is coming back for us, I love you all too much to put your lives at risk."

"Dad...I'm scared..." She whispered.

James slowly went to his knees, kneeling before her.

"Please, Amara," he begged, his eyes filling up with tears.

"I know you don't want to do this, but please, think of the family."

Amara's eyes were fixed on her father's, and for the first time since she was born, she saw fear in his eyes.

Tears slowly rolled down her face as she nodded slowly.

"I...I... I don't know, father," she whispered.

Amara's voice cracked. "What if I hate him, what if he's abusive? What if he hits me?" She asked, her voice cracking.

James grabbed her hands again.

"You'll learn to love him, Amara. You must."

Amara's tears fell on James's hands.

"Promise me," James whispered, "promise me you'll go through with this."

Amara slowly nodded. "I...i...i promise, father."

James's face slowly filled up with relief.

He gently pulled both of them into his arms.

"We'll face this together," He whispered.

"We will survive and come out of this, I promise." He whispered.