“I never want to hear you say that.” I said sternly. “What boys can do, you can do better. Let’s finish this last round together, okay?” I extended my hand towards her.
It took her a couple of seconds but she took it and began jogging again. I walked next to her, motivating her to finish her jog. She collapsed next to Niklaus and Kol, lying on the grass with her arms spread wide, copying the boys.
“All three of you did well.” I looked at all of them. “But you can do a lot better. Now that the warm up is do-”
“Warm up?” Viktoria groaned. “That was warm up?”
“Yes.” I said. “Since all of you are tired, we will do target practicing. Who knows how to use guns?”
“I do.” Niklaus looked in my eye. “I can shoot better than you too.”
“Yeah?” I smiled. Did he really have such a good aim?
“Not that the bar is too high anyways.” He whispered under his breath and walked away, towards the shooting range.
“My Dadda is the best!” Viktoria screamed after him in anger.
“It’s fine, Viktoria.” I said to calm her down.
“No, it’s not!” She got off the ground and ran after her brother.
I shook my head. I thought she didn’t have the energy to even walk!
“Here they go again.” Kol shook his head.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing, Alpha. It’s just, they have been fighting a lot since you came back. Tori doesn’t like it that Klaus doesn’t like you. They used to be best friends. Now they can’t stop fighting.” He told me as we walked towards the shooting range. Kol seemed more mature than his age. He looked like a good, sensible kid.
“You can call me Uncle Nikolai.” I told him. “And I’ll see what I can do. Don’t worry about it.” Fighting between siblings is a big no. They have to be a team. It’s them, against the world. Always.
“But right now, you are my Alpha.” Kol smiled at me. I smiled back. I liked the kid. Max and Nat have turned out to be good parents.
I saw Viktoria punch Niklaus and he pushed her on the ground.
I ran towards them.
Viktoria started crying but she flung the sand at Niklaus’s face and then got up and ran away. Niklaus rubbed his eyes and began chasing after her in anger.
I picked him up before he could reach her and threw him over my shoulder before I coiled my arm Viktoria by her waist with my other arm and held her sideways by my waist. Both the kids were wiggling and screaming and flailing their arms and legs and Niklaus was punching my back with a strength that made me proud.
“You can go start your practice, we will catch up in a couple of minutes.” I told Kol who nodded and them I took my kids to the side.
“I will only put you both down if you promise me that you will not hit each other or try to run away.” I informed them.
“Fine! Just put me down.” Niklaus grunted and I placed him down.
“I promise, Dadda.” I placed Viktoria down too and then I crouched down to their level.
“You both are siblings. Under no circumstances will you two fight. I don’t care if it’s because of me or your mother or anybody else.” I stared at both of them seriously. “You two are a team, one that no one can break. You might not have me or your mother when you grow old, but you will have each other. It’s you against the world. Always.”
Then I looked into Niklaus’s grey eyes unflinchingly, one that held the same hatred that I once held for my father. “You like it or not, I am your father. I am the reason you are here. Accept it. You like me or you don’t, it’s your choice. But I demand respect. As your father and as your Alpha King. You won’t get away with being disrespectful just because you are my son, you will be dealt with just like any other person. Hate me all you want, I’m staying. I’m always going to be around. You better get used it it.” His eyes lowered.
And then I told the both of them, my voice hard. “This is the last time I see you two fighting. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Klaus mumbled weakly.
“I asked, do you understand?” I growled louder.
“I understand!” He screamed at me, his eyes snapping at mine, filled with anger, hatred and tears and then he ran away.
“I understand, Dadda.” Viktoria wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me, her voice small. “I’m sorry, I won’t fight with Klaus again, please don’t get mad at me. It scares me.”
Goddess, this girl is precious. I hugged her back. “I’m not mad, Viktoria, not anymore. Go to the shooting range and say sorry to your brother.”
“Yes, Dadda.” She nodded and then ran away.
“You can stop hiding now.” I said and then Ava stepped out from her hiding spot, which was behind a pillar.
“The way to deal with him is not by being strict with him.” Her eyes cold and her tone reprimanding.
“He can’t get away with everything just because he is my son. And you have made both of them soft, too soft for their own good.” Her walls were drawn up high, unlike last night.
“It’s called being affectionate towards your kids-something you wouldn’t know.” She jabbed.
“Being affectionate will not help them when they are facing an enemy.”
“You are becoming exactly like your own father.” Her eyes flashed in anger. “It’s always about fighting, about being the best, about being perfect at every single thing with you, isn’t it?
“I am nothing like me father!” I snarled. “Don’t you ever compare me to him.”
“Then stop behaving like him! Niklaus is your son! If you want him to like you, you need to show him your love and not your toughness.”
“I don’t need anybody’s approval.” I growled, taking a step closer to her. “And behaving like Adrik?” I hissed in her face. “Did I ever beat the living daylights out of you? Did I ever fuck you in front of our kids?”
“What?” That seem to thaw the ice in her eyes a little. Her face was still impassive but I saw something akin to worry in her eyes before it was gone in a second.
“Don’t talk about things you don’t know.” Ava would never say this. She cared too much about me to hurt me by comparing me with my mortal enemy.
But this new Ava seemed to enjoy hurting me.
She has no idea what kind of a father he was. She has no idea about the kind of nightmares I had lived through. Why did she think I was after him all my life? Why would I spend so much time and energy after someone just like that? For my personal amusement? I wasn’t sick.
I had had enough for today and couldn’t take more from her. So I turned and walked away from her.
‘Come to the training grounds. Let’s spar.’ I told Valerie.
‘I’m am already on my way there. What happened?’
‘Your daughter knows exactly how to push my buttons.’ I growled.
‘Sorry.’ She replied and I mentally kicked myself. I’m being a dick to her for no reason.