“Are you….” “Are you also…” I swallow, glancing at Bray, who is still admiring Ruben’s tattoos. “Are you similar to Jadi and Melina?” I enquire, nervously clasping and unclasping my hands.”
Ruben and Priscilla share a gaze before Priscilla exhales a reply. “Y-yes…. We acknowledge that he is also your companion.
I have a chilling wrath coursing beneath my skin, not directed at their deception but at the realisation that I had never been genuinely liberated from werewolves as I had presumed. They permeated every facet of my existence like a contagion.
“Are you displeased with us?” Priscilla enquires, her expression fraught with concern. “We never intended any harm towards you or Bray,” she immediately clarifies, as if to emphasise that they were not the malevolent beings they actually were. “We would never contemplate inflicting harm upon you or Bray.”
I nearly deride her response. ‘I won’t harm you…’ This is the assurance every werewolf offers before they sink their fangs into your back while you are unsuspecting.
I nod silently. “I bear no anger towards you,” I respond icily with a shrug. “You cannot alter your nature.” Furthermore, what has been accomplished is irreversible.
Priscilla moves anxiously on her feet as I pose a question that troubled me during the night.
Are there any packs in proximity?”I enquire, my heart racing. If Liberty Bay was encircled by packs, it was merely a matter of time before Aldo and the Blood Night wolves sought me out. I must depart immediately if that were the situation.
“No,” Ruben asserts, shaking his head. “We are the sole wolves in Liberty Bay.” Priscilla and I are rogues, akin to Jadi and Melina.
“Where is your pack?” I enquire, seeking to ascertain just whom I am engaging with.
A grave expression envelops Ruben’s countenance. “Gone… They were massacred in an assault.” Priscilla and I were the sole survivors.
“What about Jadi and Melina?”
“The origin of their pack and the reasons for their rogue status remain unknown.” “You will need to enquire with them,” Ruben replies, lightly patting Bray on the head. An uncomfortable silence envelops us as I tap my fingers against my thighs. “We should depart… We have matters to attend to at home… I will return for Jadi at 8:30 for work,” he states with an awkward smile, gradually making his way to the door alongside Priscilla. “Farewell, Tal.”
I form a slight grin and guide them outside, aware that I may be perceived as unkind, yet unable to restrain myself. My frustration with my circumstances is overwhelming.
Jadi emerges in the doorway, prompting Bray to hastily pull him inside the room. My son indicates the 10 shopping bags on the floor with intrigue.
“What do you have there?” He smiles, intrusively probing into matters that do not concern him.
“Bray!” I admonish him, the young lad startled into humiliation. “That does not belong to you! Refrain from touching it!”
Jadi scowls at me and kneels to comfort the young child. He retrieves a plush wolf from a suitcase and places the little grey wolf in Bray’s arms. Bray gazes at it in wonder, embracing it securely to his b****t.
“Mother, observe! I acquired a wolf!” he exclaims, igniting my inner fury.
I fixate on the actual wolf present and he nonchalantly shrugs before retrieving a small black box from the same bag. He cautiously approaches and extends the box towards me, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.
For Bray’s sake, I suppress my wrath and accept the box from him. With great care, I lift the lid and examine the small box, revealing a rose gold bracelet within. It is a remarkable present, characterised by its understated elegance, with tiny diamond studs embedded in the chain.
This is not included in the agreement.
“I did not request a gift,” I stammer, utterly at a loss for words.
Is this an olive branch?
He rubs the back of his head and offers a shy smile. Despite my reservations, his bashful demeanour is endearing, prompting me to gaze at the bracelet in my hands as I contemplate my next action.
I cannot acquiesce to this. It is excessive. Our acquaintance is insufficient to warrant the exchange of gifts. I wish to express my sentiments, however a troubling idea intrudes: would he retaliate if I declined his gift?
I look back at Bray, who is interacting with his new wolf, and conclude that it is prudent to avoid incurring the wolf’s displeasure for the time being. Cain had a volatile temperament; it is uncertain how Jadi’s wolf might react if provoked. For now, I must adhere to the wolf’s stipulations. As I prepare to return the bracelet to its box, Jadi gently places a hesitant hand on my wrist and extends his palm, indicating his desire.
