Alpha's Nala

Legaxy

"Hailey!"

"Flower!"

Both Howard and Axel yell upon seeing me. Then, without another word, they started racing towards me.

Frozen on my seat, I just watched them boys compete their way towards me. Until, it was Howard Martin Dyme, the big and muscular brother of mine, that got to me first.

He quickly picked me up from the chair I was sitting in with one swift of his broad, firm arms and started spinning me around.

"Oh my goodness! I have missed you so much, Hailey bear." He shrieked gleefully, still spinning around.

"I miss you too, Howie," I muttered, a giggle came out of my throat.

As he put me down and was about to greet me, Axel David Dyme - my tall and lean brother - popped in front of me and engulfed me into a long, bone-crushing hug.

"Hey! I was here first!" I heard Howard complain but Axel ignored him as he tightened his embrace around me.

"I miss you, my little Flower. Haven't you bloom so well and," he sniffed my hair, making me blush on his arms, "you still smell sweet... very, very sweet." He continued in a gentle, quiet tone.

Why the nickname now?

Since Axel sees me as a fragile and delicate sister, apart from the reason Mum calling me Lily, he thought it would be suitable to nickname me as 'Flower'.

I know, too cute... Let those eyes roll.

"I mi - miss you too Ax - Axel," I stuttered, trying to cool down my burning cheeks.

Though, it wasn't fast enough. Axel, after freeing himself from the embrace, chuckled when he caught sight of it.

"Still hating the compliments, Flower?" He asked while gently caressing my redden cheeks.

I swatted his hand away from my face.

"No. Ju-just the sniffing," I replied shyly, my eyes averting his delicate stare.

"Oh, just old habits." He chuckled again, "My apologies though." He's now scratching the back of his neck.

I smile upon seeing that.

"It's okay Ax. Just don't do it again, please."

He smirked.

"I'll try, Flower, I'll try." He promised and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead.

And there goes my blushing again.

"Dude, stop! She's getting red again." Howard laughed while grabbing Axel on his collar, pulling him away from me. Then, in Axel's place, Howard stand and gave me a formal hug.

"So, how's my Hailey be - oh wow, you look cute in pigtails. Did Mum do this?" Howard asked, feeling him touching the braid.

"Nope, I did," I respond casually.

"Oh, and where did you learn that?" He inquired after releasing me from the hug. His eyes currently studying my face.

The question, for some reason, caught me off guard, making my forehead wrinkled in question.

"Actually, I don't know. I just... well, I felt like I could do it. So, I did it and here it is." I slowly explained while touching my braided head.

Listening to this, I noticed Howard giving Axel a bothered look which Axel returned with a concerned gaze.

Then, both of them, at the exact same time, stared at me weirdly.

"What?" I blurted out.

"Hailey, don't you think that unconscious act is part of your memory?" Howard cautiously spoke the words and when my silver-gray eyes landed on his cyan ones, I saw he was uncomfortable.

"I'm" - I licked my lips - "unsure... I only felt it. Does that count?" I sounded uneasy now and my brothers noticed that.

Axel, with one swift motion, pulled me into another hug.

Axel whispered, "We just wanted to know if it's still happening... the flashbacks. Any episodes this past few days?" He

But it's the

the not-so-normal ones?" I heard Howard

head from Axel's chest to glance at Howard. He looks far more serious at the second, that if you took one look at him,

I quietly replied, "The last one transpired a month ago, with the same voice, the same scene in the

increasing

had undergone a moment ago, there are others that I have no idea about. Others that I, honestly, don't like recollecting.

it's just unfamiliar memories to me. I can't

the time on how or the

day and it's there; I just have

Odd?

Very...

very sorry, Flower." Axel cooed, his blue-green eyes were apologetic. "We were just a bit... disturbed, that's all. We mean you no harm." He added

from there, Mum called the

came to her side. As if saying she tricked them into doing the job and that I needed

Finally.

get away from the blushing and last-minute table set up, but also from the serious atmosphere, my brothers

as quickly as she can, she tries to

Goddess for

Dad - both having a serious conversation while standing on the threshold of the room. Then from serious, Dad became upset while Seth became wary, which made

was - or if it was related to me, because somehow their demeanor still looked calm and collected as

be a casual talk,' I

signature full smile - the one that sparkles, like a diamond ring under a bright

talks about our day - no, I didn't tell him about the invitation being

I could find

regarding the plan on how to announce the truth to everybody, Mum called

everybody during the meal. All laughing and chit-chatting to update

one, I was more of a listener than a talker,

give up

on asking me some random questions to make me talk until they came upon topics regarding my work. They were truly pleased

work sounds hard Hailey," Howard commented after a long

errands I fulfill

Axel gently interjected. "Though, Flower, it never really occurred to me that you have

I frowned at that.

did you expect a Personal Secretary

like one, then I am sorry." He paused and sighed, "Yet, I did expect you in a

know. It's part of

work under supervision,"

deepened and was about to defy

two" - she glared at me, then Axel - "quit it. Not in front of grace." She stated

us instantly shut

Ax, you should be glad." Howard started after the short pause, "Hailey's work sounds better, SAFER than the other jobs she has mentioned a while

"You don't want your sister to go through that task of getting into argument after argument with guests. Mainly,

Dad after his declaration and he made a fake innocent face as if asking me the 'what did I do' question - I could even hear it in

convinced and didn't further question me.

so, I got

unbelievable." I finally muttered and they

Well, not all.

gaze at a troubled Seth.

in the conversation, let alone his anticipated laughter to my funny reaction, made me tilted my head in wonder. I was about to ask what was

is something wrong?" Mum inquired, causing everybody else to quit their laughing

first and me realizing it might be related to the secret he was holding up to himself,

god, he's gonna declare it... Though,

full

whole message towards us. Most especially, one that is dangerous and involves the whole family or one of its members.

solve it quietly on his own. So, when you finally heard

as I said

Or just scared?

on him, he finally let out a

truth on the spot, I held my breath

right now." Seth stated in a rough, husky voice, "We

Oh.

That was it.

not the one I was expecting to hear,' I thought to myself as I slowly exhale the

of Dad becoming dead serious. He was always the cheerful one in the family and seeing him like this made me

else around me tenses up.