1 The Beginning of the End

"I love you, Beta James!!!" Rouge squealed into Beta James' ears.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and her tiny legs around his waist. He laughed at her theatrics. Twirling her around the living room as she squealed some more, bursting the delicate ears of all pack members currently sitting in the room.

"You're always so loud Silver!" Rouges four-year-old brother; Saint grumbled as he sucked on his lollipop. A frown marring his delicate features.

"Quiet little one, what do you know about me?!"

Rouge replied with a smirk on her lips, perching herself into a more comfortable position on Beta James' back.

"Mama please tell Saint to stop interfering in adult conversations, thank you!"

Saint scoffed and shook his head while everyone in the room laughed. It was always a joy watching the two siblings argue like grown-ups.

"That's enough Rouge, stop bullying your brother miss smarty pants" Luna Skylar replied walking towards Beta James, struggling to pull Rouge off him.

"Silver Rouge Wolfe!" Skylar called her daughter by her full name. "Enough! It's time for bed. It's past your bedtime" Luna Skylar scolded in a stern voice. Rouge held on tighter. Her mother's words came in through one ear and out the next.

"But mama!!! I love him and we're going to be married soon. Can't I stay with him a tiny bit loonngeeer?" She complained.

"Daddy, help me out here!" Rouge pleaded to her father who was sat on the couch with Saint in his embrace.

Skylar groaned, giving up. She walked away from Rouge and picked up Saint.

"Bedtime for you too kiddo, Jesse, deal with your daughter please before she runs off with your beta" Luna Skylar joked before leaving the dining room whispering goodnight to fellow pack members as she went.

Alpha Jesse watched his mate till she was no longer within his view before turning to Rouge. With a smile, he moved closer to his pouting daughter, who was now giving him a pitiful look with her hazel eyes that she inherited from him.

"Silver..." he started. Rouge looked up at him from the chest of Beta James with rounded watery eyes.

"Oh, no you don't." Alpha Jesse warned.

"Don't try to be cute. I'm not sleeping on the couch because of you again" He warned. Rouge sighed in defeat and stretched out her arms towards her father. Allowing herself to be carried away from Beta James.

"Can he please tuck me in today daddy?" She asked in a soft voice, hanging on her father's waist. Jesse turned to James for confirmation and he nodded.

"It's fine, Alpha. I don't mind" beta James replied with a shrug. He turned to Rouge and bowed deeply.

"May I have the honour, my lady?" He said In what Jesse would have considered the worst British accent. He faked gagged before setting Rouge down on her feet. Rouge on the other hand was absolutely impressed. Her eyes glowed with admiration and she also got in character first dipping in a curtsy and clearing her throat.

"Yes you may good sir" she replied before looping her hands with Beta James and sashaying towards the door.

"No good night kiss for Daddy?" Alpha Jesse asked with a pout.

"Oops" Rouge squealed and in a flash ran back to her father giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before running back to Beta James looping her arm with his.

"Night daddy, I love you" she shouted as she dragged Beta James out the door.

Alpha Jesse watched the door close and listened to his daughter's loud footsteps as she ran up the stairs. A smile still painted on his lips. Rouge had always had a strong bond with his best friend and beta- James Maxwell and he sometimes wondered who she loved more, himself or his beta.

He shook the thought away. It didn't really matter though. James was family.

Rouge was laid in her king-sized bed with her eyes half-open. Excluding the grandeur, her bedroom looked like that of any seven-year-old girl. It had the classic princess theme and was painted a light shade of pink with soft pink curtains hanging from the four posters of the bed.

She was fighting a losing battle with sleep. She rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes once more trying to wipe away the drowsiness as she listened to Beta James read the last lines of the storybook. Seeing her battle, Beta James closed the book in his hand and put it to rest on the nightstand.

"It's really late Silver, you have to go to bed. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow," he said as he ran his hand through her long curls fanning it out over her pillow as he regarded her. Rouge nodded.

"Promise..." she began, before letting out a yawn.

"Promise you'll stay with me just a little longer till I fall asleep," she asked. Her hand over his.

"I'll make you a better offer." He said with a soft laugh.

"I promise to stay with you till you fall asleep not just today but every day. Forever and always my lovely" He countered with an intense knowing look in his eyes that Rouge did not understand. She smiled widely at his declaration.

"I love you, Beta James," she said before closing her eyes, surrendering to sleep.

James kept his word and stayed by her side until the fluttering of her lashes stopped and her breathing stabilised confirming she was in deep sleep.

He stared at her small face taking in all her features. Her thick, long lashes that cast a shadow on her cheek and a small mouth that was in a pout as she slept. He then bent over and kissed her on her forehead and then on each cheek. His lips hovered over hers for a few seconds but he thought better of it and pulled back.

'Soon.' He thought.

"I love you more," Beta James whispered to the sleeping child.

He stayed a bit longer watching Rouge sleep before he was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Luna Skylar rested on the frame of the bedroom door, a smile on her face.

"I don't know how you do it James" she spoke softly.

James got off the couch and put his index finger over his lips indicating for her to be silent before walking towards her on his tippy toes. Werewolves were sensitive creatures with very good hearing and he did not want to wake Rouge.

Luna Skylar nodded at him and moved backwards out of the room giving him room as he softly closed the door behind them.

"It takes me at least an hour more before I can get her to quiet down," she said with a perplexed smile.

"What can I say? the ladies love me" James Joked, nose raised in the air as he dusted off invisible dust from his shoulder. Luna Skylar shook her head at his theatrics, a small smile on her lips.

"I hear you. You'll be an excellent father one day James. Just wait till your mate comes along."

Beta James smiled at her comment.

"Someday" he replied.

"You should head to bed now Luna. It has been a long day"

Skylar placed the palm of her hand over the back of her neck and stretched out her tired muscles. She really felt tired today.

"Good night James," Luna Skylar said walking towards the Alphas wing.

"Good night Luna Skylar" he replied as he watched her walk away from him. She didn't turn back to catch his change of expression. His kind smile had faded into an ugly sneer.

'Soon'. He thought, taking one more look at Rouge's closed door.

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