The Light in Us

1. Fallon – aged six

1

Fallon – aged six

I push my face into my knees, squeezing them tightly.

“Fallon?”

When I don’t lift my head, my daddy sits next to me on my bed. He puts his hand on my back, rubbing it, and I sniff as I peek up at him. “Tough day, sweetheart?”

Nodding, I scramble into his lap when he holds out his arms. My daddy’s hugs are much better than the ones I give myself. I curl myself into him, hiccupping through the tears that still sit on my face. “Lara told me my perfume smells like snot bubbles!”

“I see.” It feels like he’s shaking against my cheek, but my daddy is frowning when I glance up, the corners of his mouth turned down even though his eyes look bright. “That’s not very nice. But you don’t know what your perfume smells like yet, baby. It won’t come in until you’re older, so just ignore Lara.”

“I know,” I grumble. “But what if it does smell like snot?”

I don’t want to be a walking snot bubble.

My daddy smiles. “I don’t think snot has a scent, really. But even if it did, it won’t matter. Remember why?”

I nod.

“Because I’ll have a mate. Like you and mommy.” I know all about mates. It means that somewhere out there, I have an alpha best friend. My daddy says they’ll be the other half of my soul, like my mommy is to him.

Lara told me I’d have to kiss them, but my daddy got red in the face and shook his head really quickly when I asked him, so I know she’s lying.

Good. Alphas are scary, except for my daddy.

But my mate won’t be scary. He’ll be my best friend. He’ll look after me and keep me safe. I might even have more than one, like Kayla’s mom. They have a whole pack .

I wouldn’t mind a pack of best friends.

I hope they like reading.

“That’s right.” My dad gently presses his finger into my nose, booping it. “How’s your light doing today?”

I wipe at my face, thinking about it. “S’okay.”

My daddy rocks me. “How about pancakes and a movie night? Would that make it a bit brighter?”

Pursing my lips, I give him a narrow-eyed look, like the one my mom gives him when he eats all the leftovers. “ Things don’t help with the light. That’s what you said.”

My daddy told me that we could buy everything in the whole store, but it doesn’t help the light fill up.

Only the things that make your heart happy can keep your light full, Fallon. And nothing you can buy can do that.

“You’re right. I did say that.” He stands, lifting me and settling me on his hip as he carries me out of the bedroom. I tuck my head into his neck as we head downstairs. “But spending time with people who love you – that will always help your light fill up. The pancakes and movie are just a bonus.”

I turn my head to peek. My mom is setting down plates on the floor, blankets piled all over our living room like my little nest upstairs. She bends to press a button, and fairy lights come on all around us like twinkling stars.

My daddy squeezes me before he settles me between them. My mom leans in to kiss my forehead, her smile bright as she holds up pancakes with marshmallows and raspberry syrup – my favorite . She made a smiley face out of them, too.

And they picked my favorite film, the one with the fishies that my daddy grumbles about but still knows all the voices. I watch it and hum along to the songs tucked carefully between them, warm and comfortable and safe.

And I can feel my light filling up, just like my daddy promised. I try to stop the yawn that stretches my mouth open, but I can’t stop it. “I feel better now.”

“That’s good, baby.” My mommy strokes my hair.

My eyes start to close.

My light is full again. And my mommy and daddy carry me up to bed, tucking me in next to my favorite blue fluffy comforter and my turtle toy.