“Therefore, you must elucidate everything to her,” Roccos states, with Jadi nodding in agreement. “Henceforth, you two shall be known as Melina and Jadi Thorne, mother and son.” You are two rogues who have lost their pack, the Snow Belle pack, due to Stonecold and its friends. Do you comprehend?”
Jadi examines the information and nods once again.
Thus, I conclude that this is how she became his mother, as I assemble all the fragments of information.
“Inform her that in a fortnight, we will possess the documentation for her to assume full legal custody of you,” Rocco states. “She will be recognised as your mother by the State and this pack.”
Following Jadi’s explanation of the circumstances to Melina, the trio exits the room, with Jadi glancing back at his confinement one final time before shutting the door.
Once more, the recollection diminishes, the darkness transitioning into a little chamber with two compact cots. Two drawers are positioned adjacent to the beds, and a door on the left wall provides access to the bathroom and shower.
It seems to be early morning, with Jadi and Melina soundly asleep. Jadi appears to be approximately 10 or 11 years old; but, to my dismay, bruises remain on his face. An alarm sounds at 5:30 am, startling Jadi awake. Upon his sitting up, I observe a significant bloodstain on his t-shirt and on the bed. He hastens to the shower to cleanse himself for the day, and upon exiting, he is attired solely in his jeans, exposing a lengthy laceration between his shoulder blades that resembles the end of a whip. His back and torso bear further bruises and scars, prompting me to question how a wolf could inflict harm on a pup devoid of any wolf presence.
Jadi discreetly gathers Melina’s garments from a dresser, meticulously folding them and arranging them at the foot of her bed. I observe as he softly taps her shoulder, assisting her into an upright position upon her awakening. She gestures to him, prompting an audible grunt from him before he rises to retrieve the first aid pack. With meticulous attention, she cleans and redresses his wound, cradling Jadi’s cheeks and kissing his forehead upon completion.
Upon completing the cleaning and organising of their chamber, the two proceed to the mess hall, where several other omegas are entering for breakfast. All individuals queue to obtain their sustenance, with Jadi and Melina relegated to the rear of the queue. When it is their turn to receive a plate, only one pancake remains.
Tears pour in my eyes as I observe Jadi promptly pass the dish to Melina as he retrieves two glasses of orange juice.
Melina scowls at him as they take a seat at a table in the corner, sliding her dish towards Jadi. He merely shakes his head and calmly sips his orange juice. She gestures to him, yet he merely shakes his head once more. Frustrated, Melina seizes a knife and divides the pancake, retaining one half and sliding the other towards Jadi.
Recognising Melina’s unwillingness to relent, he reluctantly accepts his portion and consumes it.
I struggle to refrain from admiring their affection for one another. Jadi was not her son, nor was Melina his mother; however, they cared for one another as a close-knit family. They were neither resentful nor irate regarding their circumstances, but rather content to enjoy each other’s companionship and share their few resources.
The leader of the Omegas, a petite, robust lady with a head of grey hair, stands at the front of the mess hall holding a clipboard. She sequentially addresses us by name, assigning tasks for the day. She yells Melina’s name and turns to Jadi for clarification.
“Melina, you are assigned to laundry duty with Maureen and Lily.” The Head Omega advises that all linens, bedding, and towels must be laundered, pressed, and stored. You are to report to the construction site with Amadeas. He will provide you with your assignments.
Jadi translates to Melina, causing her complexion to blanch. They engage in a brief argument until she abruptly departs to attend to her tasks, leaving little Jadi alone. He broods momentarily but then adopts a courageous demeanour and exits the mess hall.
I accompany him outdoors, my gaze drifting to observe his backpack. It is significantly smaller than River Moon, yet larger than Blood Night. Numerous Omegas and Warriors pass by him without a single glance, as though he were invisible to them.
He arrives at what seems to be a playground building site, where several guys are transporting bars, slides, and other components for installation. Jadi is the youngest member of the crew, with the other men being taller than him. A man with a dense blonde beard summons Jadi and directs him to fill the sandbox, indicating the wheelbarrows and sandbags.
