No! He nods his head, declining to conclude his game.
“Bray, approach here.” We must depart. “I implore you to don your shoes,” I plead, inching closer to him.
Negative!” He vociferates, turning onto his abdomen and pressing his face on the floor while he thrashes his legs in frustration. “I refuse to!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, striving to summon the remaining fragments of my patience. Tiana endeavours to soothe him, although Bray merely erupts in tears, incoherently wailing about his need to play with his wolf toy.
“Bray, you may still engage with the wolf,” I exhale. “Simply don your shoes, and you may play.”
Bray shakes his head and retreats into his small teepee in the corner of the living room, weeping vehemently about his desire to play with his wolf. I am on the brink of tears as well, already overwhelmed by the abrupt transition to a werewolf pack. Jadi returns and, upon hearing Bray’s cries, crawls beside the teepee and peers inside.
“It is futile,” I exclaim, collapsing into the couch in exasperation. “He will not heed your words.”
Jadi frowns and retrieves the shoes from my hand, crawling back to the Teepee and re-entering. Tiana and I observe with amusement, anticipating his failure. Jadi forces the upper portion of his substantial body into the Teepee, and we abruptly hear him erupting into exaggerated sobs, his wails swiftly overpowering Bray’s.
Upon attentive listening, we were astonished to see that Bray ceased his crying.
“What is the reason for your tears?” “He hiccups at Jadi, who responds with even louder howls.
From our vantage point, I observe Bray prodding Jadi’s head while dabbing his own tears to comfort his companion.
“What is the reason for your tears?” He enquires once more, leaning his head on Jadi’s elbow.
Jadi shakes his head, intensifying Bray’s curiosity. The young boy nudges Jadi’s head to reveal his face until Jadi eventually raises his head and emits a loud fart noise in Bray’s direction. Bray gazes at him in astonishment before erupting into laughter, mimicking the farting sound. Within moments, Jadi has donned both of Bray’s shoes and exuberantly pulls him out of the teepee.
“How the …,” I gasp, once more recognising that my son was a traitor.
Jadi shrugs and sets the now cheerful puppy on my lap. Bray smiles bashfully at me and embraces his wolf to his b****t. Overwhelmed and unable to process the recent events, I get Bray to the car and secure him in his car seat.
Throughout the journey to the ferry, Rowan, who evidently prefers the name Chava, elucidates the strategy for us.
Andrew, Josie’s gamma, will retrieve you from the airport. You will reside in the guest house of the River Moon pack, Josie’s principal pack, for the entirety of your visit. Tiana informed me that you are a medical assistant and that there is a clinic within the pack where you can work if your stay exceeds two weeks. “We can locate options for Jadi and Melina as well,” he elucidates. “Additionally, there is a creche in River Moon for Bray, and I am confident he will enjoy the company of other pups.”
I recoil at the prospect of Bray engaging with other wolves. Although I recognise his hybrid nature, a part of me wishes he would remain detached from that aspect and opt to remain inside human society.
Chava persists in detailing the logistics for us, and soon we are aboard the boat. Tiana and Chava remain behind as the rest of us proceed to the airport and embark on a plane. Bray promptly occupies the window seat, gesturing towards the minuscule cities underneath us.
The forests of Washington and Oregon transition into the vibrant cities of the Bay Area as our plane descends into San Francisco. My anxiety peaks, prompting me to clutch Bray tightly in my arms while he sleeps, seeking solace. Observing my distress, Jadi intertwines his hand with mine, and for the first time, I do not withdraw. The warmth of his touch calms my tumultuous thoughts, and Bray’s heartbeat, akin to the fluttering of butterfly wings, alleviates my fears. I would be fine as long as Bray remained by my side.
Jadi grasps my hand as we locate our luggage. We remain vigilant, scanning for the individual designated to collect us. After thirty minutes of frantic searching, we encounter a man displaying a sign inscribed with “Braylon Ira.” Jadi becomes tense upon spotting the wolf, scrutinising the man intently before we advance.
Are you Ricky Ira?” he enquires with a grave expression.”
“Affirmative,” I respond hesitantly, his attractive hazel eyes scrutinising Jadi and Melina.
Upon observing the puppy in my embrace, his expression instantly becomes gentler. “I am Andrew.” “I will accompany you to River Moon,” he states with a whimsical grin. “Are you all hungry?” We can pause to obtain some food if you choose.
