THE NEXT ALPHA

Chapter 1

The beautiful morning sun shone brightly up in the sky, warming up the earth.The sound of birds whipped and the sun rays that slightly managed to get in through the parted curtain woke up Frank and he couldn't sleep again.

Frank stretched himself as he turned over to his wife who was still sleeping peacefully besides him. He stood up and slowly planted a light kiss on her forehead before standing up. He walked over to the restroom and eased himself and also brushed his teeth before coming out. Frank made his way back into his bedroom and sat down beside his sleeping wife. Frank always wakes up before his wife and that made him always wonder why she usually sleeps so long because she always goes to bed before him and always wakes up after Frank was prepared for his work.

Most times Frank has to make breakfast before his wife would still be sleeping. He stood up from besides her as he made his way out of the bedroom. He hurried into the kitchen and started prepared breakfast.

After making breakfast he walked over to the dining room with the food in his bowl. He dropped the bowl in the dining room and went back into the kitchen. He took three breakable plates and cutleries and returned back to the dining room. He made his way back into his bedroom. His wife was still asleep.

"Honey woke up," he tapped her gently and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Good and have your bath and come down for breakfast." He told her and got down from the bed. He walked over to his daughter's bedroom and opened the door to see her sleeping peacefully too. He shaked his head negatively and walked towards her.

"Laura woke up, it's morning already." He said, sitting beside her on the bed.

"Good morning dad," she greeted and sat up on the bed.

"Good morning, aren't you going to school today?" He asked.

"Yes dad, I'm going to school, I should probably get ready immediately." Laura said as she started getting down from the bed.

"Wait, don't be too fast, young lady." He stopped her. She moved back and stood in front of him.

"Please sit," he said, and she sat down.

"Tell me Laura what is wrong,why are you still sleeping at this time?" He asked.

"It's nothing dad," she replied.

"Hmm," he exhaled. "You and I know that you weren't this way before but after your birthday, you totally changed, please tell me if there is something wrong." He said,

"There is nothing wrong dad, I'm totally fine, you know if I wasn't fine you would be the first to know." Laura told him.

"Ok, I believe you, but don't hesitate to tell me if you ever noticed anything about yourself ok." He said,

"I won't dad, it's a promise." She faked a smile. She knows deep down inside of her she wasn't really ok, but her mother had told her to keep it a secret from her father.

"Ok, I love you Laura, always remember that." He said.

"I love you too Daddy." She replied and stood up from her bed and started walking over to the bathroom.

"Hurry up and come down for breakfast ok, I will be at the dining room waiting." He shouted so she could hear him as he also stood up and walked out of her bedroom.

Laura sat on the cold floor in her bathroom and hot tears flowed down from her cheeks. All her life she had never hidden anything from her father, she had always been closed to him. But now she had to hide this from him. Since her birthday which was about two weeks ago she had never been happy since she discovered something else about herself. Her mother had warned her to keep it away from her father who had been her best friend since she was very little. She felt so hurt and sad to not be able to share her deepest secret with her father that she loves so much. She remained seated on the floor as she cried her eyes out.

Frank waited for his wife and his daughter in the dining room for a while before his wife finally came in but his daughter didn't.

"What is Laura still doing in her room until now?" Frank asked.

"I don't know, maybe I should go and check up on her." Valerie said,

"Ok please be fast with that if she is doing that." He told her.

She stood up from the chair she was in, and walked out of the dining room leaving just Frank who remained there waiting patiently for them.

Valerie walked over to her daughter's room and opened the door. She walked in and she could hear her sobbing from her bathroom. She walked over there and opened the door. Laura quickly stood up from the floor thinking it was her dad.

"Laura what's wrong with you?" Valerie asked her.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." She replied, wiping her tears with her thumb.

"Come on, talk to me." Valerie said, walking closer to her even more.

"Mum, I feel terrible not being able to tell Dad the truth." She spoke up.

"Come on baby, I understand, Ok but we don't have much choice here." Valerie said, holding her hand softly.

"I know mum, but I just feel terrible that's all." She replied.

"Ok, I understand, but just take off your clothes and have your bath and come down for breakfast, your dad and I are waiting for you." Valerie said,

"Ok mum, I will do just that." She replied.

"That's my girl but don't take too long so your dad won't come here by himself." Valerie told her, and she just nodded before she walked out of the bathroom. Laura sighed heavily and started taking off her clothes. She was already so very late for school, so there was no way she could possibly go to school again.

After having her bath she walked into her room and quickly got dressed into casual clothes as she walked over to the dining room. She saw her parents sitting there. She knew they had been waiting for her for a long time now.

"I'm sorry Dad," she quickly apologized.

"No it's fine baby, just come sit the food is getting cold." Frank told her, and she quickly walked over to him and sat down.

Frank stood up and dished out the food before sitting back to eat. "You are already dressed casually and I guess you won't be going to school today right?" Frank asked.

"No dad, I'm already so late already." She replied.

"I know that, and it's also the same with me but it's good I'm not working for someone,or else I would get fired today because of my beautiful wife and daughter." Frank said, and they both started laughing and he also joined in the laughter.

While Laura was laughing Frank noticed her eyes were a little swollen, and his laughter quickly died down.

"Come on baby tell me what is really wrong?" Frank asked her.

"Dad, it's nothing, I'm totally fine." She tried pushing it off.

"You can't tell me it's nothing, Laura, have you been crying? Please talk to me." He said,

"Like I said earlier, dad I'm totally fine." She told him but within her,tears were starting to find their way into her eyes. Valerie quickly noticed the tears threatening to flow down her eyes.

"Laura, go to your room immediately, I would like to have a word with you father privately." Valarie ordered.

Laura stood up from her chair and made her way to her bedroom. Valarie sighed and turned over to her husband.

"Honey, you shouldn't be forcing her to tell you anything,if she doesn't want to." Valerie said,

"Why should I?" He asked.

"Because she is not a baby anymore, you should allow her to be for once, she is your daughter and she loves you, she will tell you when the time is right, you shouldn't force the word out of her mouth." She said,

"Hmm," he exhaled. "You are right though but I just can't help but think about it, she has something bothering her and I can't really help it honestly." He told her.

"I totally understand you, I know you care so much about her but you should really let her decide on this." She said,

"I don't really know." He sighed.

"She can't hide anything from you for so long,trust me she will definitely tell you about it pretty soon." She assured him.

"Ok then," he replied.

"Yes, I should go to her." She told him, and stood up on her feet and walked out of the dining room.

Frank sighed and stood up reluctantly from his chair and started packing up the dishes they have used in eating. He took them off to the kitchen and washed them off before walking out of the kitchen. He grabbed his bags and car keys from the table in the sitting room before making his way out of the house. He walked hastily to the garage and got into his car and drove off.

After the close of the day, Frank went back home. He walked into his sitting room and found it totally empty, without anyone in it. "Where could they be?" He asked himself as he made his way to his bedroom. He dropped his bag on his study table and started undressing while walking into his bathroom.

He walked out of his bathroom with a towel tied around his waist and went over to his closet. He picked up a Jean short and a t-shirt which he dropped in his bed before walking over to his dresser. He grabbed his skin lotion and poured some content into his hand Which he applied on his body before walking back to his bed. He untied the towel in his waist and got dressed before walking out of the room.

He made his way over to his daughter's room. He sighed and stood at the door for a while before knocking. He knocked several times but got no response. He flipped the door open and walked into an empty room. "Where could they have got to?" He asked no one in particular and shut the door and slowly started walking away. He stopped by the kitchen to get himself some water to drink.

As he walked closer to the kitchen he heard their voices talking and laughing from the kitchen. He quickly opened the door and the sweet aroma of pasta and meatballs sauce welcomed him.

"I have been searching everywhere for you guys but here you are." He walked closer to them.

"Dad," Laura called, running over to him.

Frank's eyes flipped open in the middle of the night and he slowly stretched his hand to the position of his wife. He searched for her with his hands but couldn't find her. "Where are you honey?" He called her but got no response.

He slowly stood up from the bed as he walked over to the light and turned it on before he proceeded into his restroom. He eased himself before returning back into his room as he made his way to the kitchen. Immediately he walked into his kitchen and his eyes caught sight of two wolves which were eating something from the floor. He quickly hid himself behind the door as he watched the animals continue eating.

"Oh my goodness, how did these wild animals get into my house? There are no Bushes around here." He thought as he remained hidden at that spot. He grabbed a long stick and he was about to come out of his hideout but gasped at what he was seeing in front of him. The wolves started turning into humans. He continued watching them as they turned into his wife and daughter.