Alpha’s Regret-My Luna Has A Son

Another two months later.

Today was the day, the last inspection to say whether or not all our hard work had paid off. Macey, Zoe, and I watched as Valarie talked to the health and safety inspector from the balcony. He had walked around the entire building with his measuring tape and torch, his clipboard tucked

under his arm and pen behind his ear as he went over every nook and cranny in this place.

We secretly called him the birdman. His nose looked more like a beak, his beady little eyes too far apart. Macey snorts when a gust of wind has him clutching his toupee. It was chocolate brown and not even close to the greying on the sides of his head. Valarie watched over his shoulder as he wrote on his clipboard on the front lawn, giving the place one last scrutinizing look before shaking his head in disbelief.

He tears off the piece of paper and hands it to Valarie, who stares at it. He walks over to his red sedan and climbs in while Valarie stares at the form.

“Come on, we should go see what birdman says needs doing this time, “ says Macey. Zoe and I went to retrieve our kids from our room, who played happily in their playpen with their blocks. Scooping up Valerian, I set his feet on the ground, and we carefully walked down the steps to the ground floor. He started walking earlier than expected. Last month he just stood up and took his first steps. He was pretty smart for his age.

Valarie is still standing in the yard, staring up at the Hotel. As we approached her, a look, I couldn’t decipher painted her face.

“He said four rogue women would never accomplish anything on our own without help, ladies, “ Valarie says, and I sigh, wondering what he has told her needs fixing.

We stop beside her and look back at the huge building. No more peeling paint, the exterior white with blue and light grey trims, the hedges cut to perfection, the roof painted a deep grey, flowers hung from the top, and flowers along the hand railings. It looked like a brand new place.

I lost track of the number of times doubts rained down on us, but now standing out the front looking upon the building a year later. I realized all the blood, sweat, tears, and frustration, and anger when people refused to help, were all worth it. Four rogue women with no future, no help, and just pure determination gave this run-down Hotel a new life.

Every callous, every blister, every cut and graze was all worth it, every sleepless night. It all paid off, and seeing the look on Valarie’s face was priceless. She was a tough woman, with an even tougher exterior, yet not even she could hide her emotion as we stared at what we accomplished.

“So, what’s the verdict?“ I ask, staring at our hard work.

“The verdict, ladies, is we are now open for business,“ Valarie says casually.

“Well, we will get it done. We can- “ Macey starts to say before stopping. I look at Valerie, her lips tugging up at the corners, and Macey looks around me at her. It took a few seconds for her words to register.

you said?” Macey asks

we did it, girls, ” Valarie says, and we all erupt in squeals of joy, jumping up and down excitedly.

did it. We did the impossible. But most of all, we

that we were more than just four rogue whores with an unrealistic idea. That unrealistic idea was now real and standing in front of us, showing us we were capable of so much more than anyone believed of

we talked about advertising and hiring. I had an idea. I ran that idea past

and run by rogues, the cities less desirable. Valarie loved the idea, so Macey, Zoe, and I went to every community center and put out word last month that

opened, we had fifty staff on rotational shifts. All that was needed was a head chef. But for now, Valarie

walks out back to grab a bottle

cough, I pause, looking out the doors leading to the

okay, Val?” I ask before

the storerooms. I see Valarie hunched over, having a coughing fit, the worst one I had seen her have as she gasped for air. The wine glasses slipped from my hands, shattering on the tiled

watching everything in slow motion as I saw her clutch the steel shelf, her hand covered in blood. Valarie turns to look at me, no doubt to tell me not to worry when she coughs again. Blood sprays from her lips and dribbles down her chin as her eyes glazed over,

hand weakly grabbing

as I turn her head so she doesn’t choke on her own blood while

coming, “ I tell her as Zoe races in, grabbing Valerian as he walks out and nearly walks over the broken glass. Zoe holds both babies, clutching them as she looks on in horror as Valarie lay gasping for air. Macey is talking frantically

as she gasps. Tears stream

world. I admired her strength, a woman I saw bigger than life and gave me a

will be here in twenty minutes. They are flat out, “ Macey says, pacing. Twenty minutes? I knew it would be because she is rogue;

Valerian?“ She gasps, barely audible,

him over so she can see him.

Valarie tells me; I nod, wiping the tears that were dripping off

her arm, not understanding, and Valarie smiles. I move her hand for her so she can touch his little

us crying and blubbering messes as we watch one of the most inspirational women we