Family Holiday (Final)

The harmonious family of five walked out of the company and entered the car that Sayuri had rented.

Well, when one said 'car', it was actually a luxury 7-seater limousine. The chauffeur stood there as he opened the door. The children entered first, with Alex and Aurora making sure Ariel entered and sat down before they entered.

Sayuri smiled at the chauffeur as she passed him, saying, "Thank you, Andy."

Andy nodded politely to her, and to Kyle. Once he was sure everyone was settled in, he closed the door and entered the car himself.

Once inside, Alex watched at his father who naturally sat next to his mother and was practically glued together.

The seats had been set so that the two rows faced each other, and his parents sat on the seats that were facing the direction the car was moving while the three of them sat on the seats that were facing the opposite direction.

"Why didn't you say anything to Karen about the way she was staring at you?" Alex asked – partly curious, partly to get his father in trouble, "It was so obvious that she had fallen for you. Hard."

Kyle grinned as he turned towards his son, raising an eyebrow, "Why should I say anything? She can't help it and there's no point embarrassing her for it."

At that moment, the divider between the driver and the back was lifted, cutting out any sound.

Alex frowned.

Kyle leaned back on the seat, and smirked at his son's obvious displeasure and confusion.

"Look, there will always be things that will be out of your control," Kyle said, "If you were to get upset or deal with every single thing that happens, you're going to go crazy."

"The fact that I affect people, or get their admiration, is something I have learned to live with from a very young age," Kyle told him, "As is something you're going to learn to have to deal with as well."

Alex sneered, thinking of the many gazes he had been slowly getting accustomed to over the years. No one dared to come up to him, or even gush to him like how so many women had done to his father.

He didn't have to deal with that because it was nothing.

As if reading his mind, he heard his father say, "You're still young. It'll get worse as you grow older."

Alex frowned, not believing his father.

He felt his father was part of the reason the women ran up to him. He wasn't ruthless enough to stop them or nip them in the bud. He just let it be.

Alex didn't think he'd ever face such a problem because there was no one who dared to come up to him right now. If they didn't now, they wouldn't in the future. He wasn't as carefree or friendly like his father.

He knew what people said about him.

Though he looked like a carbon copy of his father, there were differences.

Such as, his father was stern but warm while him?

He was cold and unapproachable.

Which was exactly how he liked it.

"I'm not as friendly as you," Alex said, "So I won't have the same problem you have."

Alex's frown became bigger when he saw his father laugh.

What?

What did he say that was so funny?

"Alex, dear," Sayuri said, "Your father is right. Though you may think you're cold and people wouldn't dare come up to you – you're only eight years old right now. Girls get bolder as they grow older. Some, become more desperate than another – or rather, more shameless."

"Aren't you bothered, Mother?" Alex asked, reverting to the more serious term for his mother; something he did whenever he started talking about something he deemed serious.

"Of course I am," Sayuri said, "but not at your father. At the women."

"So why didn't you say anything to Karen?"

"I didn't have to," Sayuri replied, "I staked my claim on your father just by showing up."

"Huh?" Alex couldn't help but say.

Aurora rolled her eyes at her brother and poked him in the ribs with her elbow, "Anyone who saw how loving Daddy is with Mummy would give up."

"And Mummy is pretty!" Ariel piped up, "Everyone else is ug… I mean, not so pretty."

"Your father is right to say that he can't control everything," Sayuri continued, "There will always be people who would fall for your father. If I was to do something to every person who did, the company would be practically empty."

Ariel giggled, "Everybody loves Daddy!"

"Yes, Rie," Sayuri said, "But it doesn't matter how many people do, Daddy only loves us."

Ariel nodded, "Yup, yup."

"I trust your father," Sayuri told Alex who kept quiet all this while, "And he would ignore the ones who just admire from a distance, get rid of those that cross the line and …"

Sayuri's lips went up a bit more as she continued, "For those that he mistakenly deems not to be a problem, I will deal with it."

She then looked at her children seriously, "You're all too young to truly understand this right now but know this. The partner you choose must be one who can deal with all the people who will admire you, and even be in love with you. If they can't, and they get eaten by jealousy, they're not for you. They will question you, doubt you, and worse, blame you."

"You will need a partner that truly loves you for you, and trusts you completely," Sayuri said, "Because you would never betray that trust. For such a trust to be solid, you need to always talk to each other."

Sayuri patted Kyle's thigh and said, "Enough of this. Just know that Karen is not a danger for now. If she goes into the delusional stage, your father will deal with her – or, I will."

All three children bopped their heads up and down, each with varying degrees of understanding.

Though Alex and Aurora would never have thought that the one who understood the best, happened to be the youngest of the lot. When they grew older, the insights of their younger sister helped them in more ways than they could count.

✿ Author posts on WN and neovel ✿

The rest of the holiday passed like how a holiday really should have been spent (in Alex's opinion).

They stayed in a private beach house that had people coming over to clean and cook while they basically just lounged about in the house doing activities together and playing at the private beach.

However, as the days passed by in such a leisurely manner … Alex found himself to be more dissatisfied.

He couldn't explain what was the cause of his growing feeling and felt that perhaps, it was due to the fact that he was missing Max.

He couldn't bring Max because no matter how well behaved he was, Max was still mostly wolf. Max would have been okay for a few days but eventually, he would be restless and most likely pine for his den.

How was Max doing now?

Was he okay at home?

Did Max miss him?

Probably not.

The Alpha wasn't in and Max could play to his hearts' content, right?

Alex sighed, watching the sea and the way the waves were hitting the shore. His sister's happy shriek was filling the air and he turned to see his father throwing Ariel into the air and catching her.

Aurora was a distance away, scouring the beach for seashells that she would collect.

His mother was just lying on the beach chair, sipping on a cold drink and a book was on the side table.

Alex kicked the sand and then buried his toes in the soft sand.

Why wasn't he satisfied with such a warm family holiday?

Suddenly, he thought of the first day of having to visit the company.

At that time, he had complained bitterly in his heart and even scolded his father for being such a boring person to be doing work while they were supposed to be on a holiday.

Now, however, he felt that that day was the most interesting day of all.

He thought of the people his father had fired and how interesting it had been to hear the reason and the web that was weaved.

He remembered Karen and how she had been acting, then of what his parents had said about 'dealing' with such people. He thought back on what his mother had done by showing up and the way they were acting so loving together – and how the people around were staring.

He had learned so much at that time, and even when he thought back again on what his parents had said and he recalled the situation – he learned more.

Alex started walking away from the peaceful family scene and thought to himself.

Perhaps, he wasn't suited for such activity? Such 'tame' activities, that is.

He started missing Max again.

At least, with Max, he could be running together crazily or watch Max hunt. That was much more exciting than just lazing about.

Alex sighed yet again as he thought of how his father seemed to be enjoying his holiday as well.

Why was he the only odd one out?