Shadow placed his beer back into the refrigerator. "Alright Sous, its-".
He was cut off mid sentence when he saw Sous enter into the kitchen of his modest home with her luggage. His mouth nearly stayed agap, astonished with how tall she gotten. She stood over him at five foot eight inchs.
Sous laughed. "What's wrong?" She asked. Her voice cracking as it was getting deeper like that of a female Alpha.
"You're so tall..." This little girl who he met when she was eleven. Who was so short and skawny, now was fourteen years old with lean muscle and height.
She laughed once more. "Should I play basketball? Its a popular human sport." She laughed again, patting his shoulder.
Shadow looked down at her hand that was on him. Her hand...was large. Shadow took out his hand with his palm opened then back at Sous. He looked up at her...he...looked up...at...her.
Her antennas were also coming close to being done it seemed like but not quite yet.
Shadow took his beer out and took another swig. He placed it back in and smacked his lips. It was all just coming ahead so much. They grew up so fast. This must have been what Monica felt.
Sous slapped Shadow on the back, making him stumble because of her strength. "Alright, I'm ready to head to Red Woods."
"And little baby basilisk?"
Sous laughed once more. Little baby basilisk was hardly little any more, and surely not a baby.
"Little baby basilisk is fine. He's a big boy now and can handle his own. He can hunt on his own and everythang. He's an adult practically. Just think in about a decade, he'll be as big as this whole street block." Sous laughed once more, so full of giggles.
Shadow and Sous went into the living room where Shadow created a transportation seal. "Oh you should be learning to teleport soon."
Sous shook her head as she adjusted her strap on her back. "Nah, that's not until next year, fourth year."
Shadow nodded his head acknowledging his mistake. The seal lighted up and swiftly transported them to Red Woods by Sous' shack.
Sous went inside of her shack to make sure all was well. All was well in place as she stepped back out in the porch.
"What time does the ferry leave to Dimona?" Shadow asked.
"Tomorrow morning. I wanted to go see Kara today. She missed my birthday because of school but she's out now."
"Tell Monica I'm at the shack. Be back by eleven. We gotta get up early to the tugboat on the river."
Sous ran off waving at Shadow.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star...how I wonder wha-oops!"
Kara smiled at the young female child. In the grand parlor of the home, Kara was giving piano lessons to a little Alpha. They sat on the black bench together and was doing a simple song. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
The doorbell rung. Kara looked down at the girl and patted her on the back. "I'll be right back. Stay practicing, okay."
Kara walked to the door and opened it to reveal Sous. She nearly chocked on her own spit. Looking at Sous, she looked amazing. Handsome. Hot even!
Kara reached out and hugged the Alpha. Still so short, she came to Sous' waist, standing only at four feet and eleven inches.
"You're so short!" Sous squealed.
"No, you're too tall!" Kara huffed. Sous laughed and picked Kara by the waist and twirled her around in her arms.
Kara squealed and slapped Sous a couple of times on the arms. "Let me go get you some water. Go in the parlor. I'mma about done with the class."
Sous walked in and heard the small Alpha on the piano. She walked closer, listening to her slowly and accurately play with the keys, singing along as she did.
"Twinkle...twinkle...litt...le...star...how...I...wonder...what...you...are."
Sous analyzed those words, unsure of why they were making her feel so lost, warm, found, and cold all at the same time.
"Up...a..bove...the...world...so...high," the girl continued, striking each key.
"Like...a...diamond...in the...sky..." Sous whispered.
Kara came in happily and handed Sous a bottle of water. She continued to practice with the girl until her parents came and got her.
"Where's Monica?" Sous asked, looking around.
Kara wiped down the piano even closing the lid. "Oh, she's with siree."
Sous nodded her head knowing Shadow was going to be disappointed.
"Here, let me show you my room!" Kara took Sous' hands and they ran up the stairs from the grand parlor to the living room then upstairs. Kara giggled all the while. This was Sous' first time being in the Apex home.
Kara closed the door behind her and sat next to Sous on the bed. They stared at one another, their faces red. Kara looked down, slightly touching Sous' arm, feeling her muscles, her biceps.
Sous leaned in and smelt Kara's musk. "You're, uh, you're going into heat." It wasn't a question. Sous could smell it. She saw Kara's face turn peachy.
"I'm nervous," Kara whispered. "It'll be my first one. What if an Alpha forces themselves on me?"
Sous shook her head.
"No. You're the Alpha's daughter. No one would do that. Besides, Monica will probably give you a suppressant or Doureena will keep you in your room for those three days."
Kara was quiet for a spell. "What if Zhiliary smells my scent...she may think I'm ready."
"Ready for what?"
Kara kept her head down, looking at the hands in her lap. "Ready to mate."
"You're too young," Sous reminded Kara.
"I've read some packs have the Omegas mate young."
Sous shook her head once more. "Hmm hmm, not Apex. It won't happen. Monica won't allow it."
They were quiet once more. Kara's face became even redder. "How will...it be when you have your first...rut?"
Now it was Sous't turn to turn red. "I haven't had one yet..."
"Abel did. It was horrible. He was howling all night. It gotten so bad, siree had to take me and Derrick to a hotel. Can a rut be so powerful that an Alpha would mate with their siblings?"
Sous shrugged her shoulders, unsure, just like Kara.
Sous followed Shadow onto the tugboat that morning. Sous walked to the captain's chair and looked out as Shadow got things going.
"Kara is in heat."
Shadow spit out his mug of beer and looked at Sous. "You didn't mate with her, did you?!"
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!" Sous placed her hands up, waving her hands frantically.
Shadow sighed and sat back down in the seat. "Thank goodness." He looked at Sous, bringing the mug to his lips. "Don't scare me like that."
Sous laughed nervously, wondering what would have happened if she had said yes. The Omega probably would have beat the shit out of her. It probably would be deserved.
It took a few hours to get to the island and when they did, Sous gave Shadow a hug. Her body over powering his. He hugged her tightly, feeling safe with this Alpha. Something he never felt with any Alpha before.
He placed his hands on Sous' shoulders. "Be good."
Sous laughed, her laugh deep yet gentle. "What's the problem?"
"You're a teenager now, Sous, an official teenager."