Page 77 of Alpha Power

Luther turned, his face hard. "Axel, you remain here and monitor everyone's progress. Make sure Roman and Ophelia return soon with answers."

Axel nodded and placed his headset over his ears. Music began to blare from them, so loud she was able to hear exactly what was playing clear as day. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin. It wasn't exactly her vibe, but to each their own.

"Maddox and Darius, boots to the ground in 10."

"Yes, my Lord," they responded quickly, blurring out of the room.

Luther went to speak again, but Void interrupted him. "I hope you don't plan to bark an order at me."

He scowled, choosing to ignore Void instead. "Zamorra, be ready to leave in 10 minutes." He spun, leaving the room in a fury of frustration.

"Do you have to antagonise him so much?" she hissed.

"Yes," Void answered honestly. "It's fun." He looked at his watch, pursing his lips. "I gotta go grab a few supplies, meet you out front in five." He ran out quickly.

"Supplies?"

Void's supplies turned out to be his switch-blade, a flask filled with shifter moonshine and his lucky silver scrunchie, which coincidentally was the same one she had given him as a child.

It was his birthday. She was only four at the time, but she remembered it vividly. That immense feeling of desperation as she tried to find the perfect present to give to her favourite uncle. What better than to give him her favourite silver scrunchie.

"Do you think he'll like it Ma?" Zamorra swung her tiny legs back and forth on her chair, being extra careful to wrap her uncle's gift in her fancy silver wrapping paper. Silver was her favourite colour. Like her hair.

"I'm sure he'll love it honey," Adele, her mother, responded as she put a pair of folded clothes away in her dresser. Her light brown hair tumbled down her back, long and thick, her eyes the same chocolate brown as her uncle’s. She gave Zamorra a loving smile, then inclined her head to the door. "Come on ZoZo, he'll be here any minute."

Zamorra hopped down from her chair, excited. She loved it when her uncle came to visit. It was usually only once a year, on her birthday. But every now and then he would stop in out of the blue and surprise them. Like today, which just so happened to be his birthday.

Tyres driving over gravel reached her ears and she sprinted to the window above her bed, head bopping out of the opening, her silver hair flowing in the wind.

Void stepped out of a black sedan, a pair of dark sunglasses on his face and a smile on his lips. He looked up and caught sight of her through the open window. "Zo!" He yelled, waving a hand.

She ducked back inside and climbed down from her bed. Barrelling past her mother without a care in the world, she ran for the stairs, her tiny legs moving as fast as they could.

Her father wasn't home, having left for work before she even woke up. That's usually how it went every day. But he made sure to always be home before sundown. That was when they trained. Zamorra never missed a day of training.

The front door opened just as she got halfway down the stairs and she jumped.

"Oomph," Void grunted, catching her. "Christ, you've gotten heavy."

"I caught my first deer today!" Zamorra squealed. "And I ate it allllllll."

"Did you?" Void kicked the door shut with his foot and walked in, still carrying her in his arms.

Adele was making her way down the stairs with a laundry basket in her hands when she spotted them. She narrowed her eyes. "Void. Shoes."

He rolled his eyes and placed Zamorra softly on her feet. "I don't know how you put up with her, Zo," he mock whispered, making her giggle. He untied his boots and left them at the door.

"I'm surprised you could visit, especially today." Adele placed the basket down on the dining table and turned to face him, hands on her hips.

Void lifted his shoulder in a half shrug and scruffed Zamorra's hair.

"Uncle! Don't!" Zamorra screeched, frantically patting it down to try and fix it.

"Barnabas took half the pack to Russia on some secret mission a couple days ago. Figured it would be the perfect time to slip away and visit my favourite person."

"Me?!" Zamorra clapped her hands excitedly, bouncing up and down on the spot.

"No, King Tuket." Her face dropped instantly. He booped her nose with the tip of his finger. "Of course you, you turd."

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