Life is not a linear path

For it is filled with

Twists and turns

I stared down at the plate of food Fred gave to me, my stomach rumbled yet with the thoughts that ran through my mind, the food was not as important in that moment. Placing the plate down, I walked out of the kitchen.

"Hi Eliza, have you seen Mr. Burns?"

"yeah, boss just went to his office, enter through that door, his office is on the left"

"thank you" I made my way to Mr. Burns' office, my closed fist lingered at the door but I finally knocked.

"come in Vincent" he said. There he stood in his tiny office, a large table full of paperwork with two wooden chairs one behind the table and the other in front of it. "have you eaten?"

"that's not important right now. How do you know who I am?  Have we met before? Are you a werewolf? How long have you lived here?" I asked in quick succession as the door shut.

"I will answer all your questions but first take a sit" I sat down and he too followed suit "first of all, yes. I am a werewolf. I know you because Bloodhowlers used to be my pack but then I left 30 years ago. I still visited a couple of times over the years and I knew your father and your mother. and I have lived here for over 20 years now."

"how come I have never seen you before yesterday?" surely if he claimed to have known my mother and father I would have remembered his face.

"because you were always in your own world. I remember one-day Alpha Michael called you to introduce us but you barely even looked at me, you kept your head down, muttered a nice to meet you and walked away" he replied leaning back in his chair

"I don't remember"

"I know you don't, you were the Alpha that had no friends, the Alpha everyone feared"

"now look at me" I gave out a short and pitiful laugh "I am the Alpha with no family, friends and no one fears me"

"you are alive Vincent, that should count for something"

"yes am alive but for what purpose, I have lost everything, my family my home. I have no one" I confessed

"you still have a member of your pack who is willing to protect you. Werewolf or not you are still an Alpha in the eyes of the goddess."

"I am not worthy to be Alpha" after what had happened and the truth I learned. I did not deserve to be Alpha.

"but you are and there are members of your pack counting on you to save them" Mr. Burns revealed.

"everyone is gone and besides they did not want me to be their Alpha in the first place"

"Not everyone. I have heard rumors that just like you, some pack members managed to escape and are now living deep in the forests" I felt relieved knowing that they were alive, hoped that Katherine was among them yet I felt anger for what they had done.

"it doesn't matter. Do you know that the whole pack betrayed me? they all stood by as Alpha Dean attacked, they all did nothing when my parents were killed."

"I know and am sorry" Mr. Burns stood up from his seat and placed a hand on my shoulder "but they are still your people and the ones left alive need you"

"but how can I save them when I am human now, I can't fight against werewolves"

"but what if you can" my eyebrows raised looking up at the old man. Surely there was no way. Was there?

"my wolf is dead Mr. Burns."

"No. your wolf has been suppressed. If your wolf was dead, you would be dead too"

"but the witch told Dean that ...."

"the witch told the young Alpha what he wanted to hear and he believed her". I wanted to be optimistic, if what he said was true then not all was lost.

"so what do I need to do to get him back?"

"I don't know" and those three words jolted me back to reality. "but don't worry Alpha. We will figure it out" Mr. Burns quickly added noticing my dejection.

"so what happens now?"

"now you go to the kitchen and do your work" surely he did not expect me to wash dishes

"But..."

"but nothing Vincent. it's the only way I can keep you safe, you may not know this but Alpha Dean knows you are alive" he admitted. I felt no shock or fear upon hearing the news. I did not deserve anything good. "I don't know what he is waiting for but its best if you lay low for now. That's why I gave you a job. They must believe that you are no threat to them" I groaned

"can't it be anything apart from washing the dishes" seriously of all things

"it's either that or you can be a waiter" he stated.

I sighed and stood up "why did you choose to live among humans anyway?" I looked back at Mr. Burns, my fingers on the door knob

"My mate died and then one day I met Jemma's mum and I fell in love again. Never thought I would get another mate but that is story for another day now go start your work" Mr. Burns waved his hand dismissing me.

I walked back to the kitchen, ate my food. Put on an apron, hunched over the sink and began to do my job.

If someone told me that just a week ago I would be human and working as a kitchen help I would have thought them mad and yet here I was.

"Hi, how are you? am here for a job interview" I heard a voice say. I recognized that voice, I wiped my hands and made my way to the front "Alpha!" Jacob yelled standing at the counter across from Jemma, gaining the attention of everyone in the restaurant "what are you wearing?" Jacob's eyes widened staring at my apron leaving Jemma and everyone else in the restaurant baffled.

"Jacob. What are you doing here?" I muttered grabbing his hand and dragging him by the arm to a corner in the restaurant.

"I am here to watch out for you. you are still in danger, Alpha Dean knows you are alive" Jacob whispered

"I don't need your protection"

"Am sorry Alpha but you do. He called me to help keep you safe till we find a solution to your problem" I hated that, I was the one meant to be protecting people and not the other way round.

"wait. Whose we?" the door at the back opened and Mr. Burns walked towards the counter

"Jacob you are right on time, come to my office we need to talk about your job here"

"two people in one day, Dad what's going on?" Jemma asked her father

"I will tell you later honey. Jacob. My office. Vincent. back to work" Jacob's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. He had never seen anyone talk to me like that.

I guess he never thought he would see the day, well neither did I.