The Alpha reclines in his chair while I interpret my destiny.
“The decision is yours, my dear Melina,” he writes on a second sheet of paper. “Will you perish as a worthless mongrel in the wilderness, victimised and slain by other rogues, or will you die a hero, concluding this conflict so that no other Stonecold wolf need ever fear for their offspring again?”
My shoulders trembled convulsively as I wept in exasperation. Why had the Moon Goddess not taken me with my family?
With a shattered and enraged heart, I embraced my new objective and relinquished my omega status to become a complete rogue. Three soldiers escorted me from the group and, to my dismay, exploited me. I was brutally beaten and assaulted, with the guards asserting that it would enhance my credibility to Alpha Noel.
With quaking legs and a diminished will to survive, I traversed the frigid forest alone for several days, narrowly evading other outlaws in the wilderness. Damon’s strategies proved beneficial, enabling me to traverse to Noel’s domain, where a contingent of guards apprehended me at the periphery of Blue Sky area.
They presented me to the Alpha, and I finally identified the man who murdered my kid and abducted my mate. I developed an immediate loathing and resolved to locate his concealed heir and eliminate him.
To my astonishment, Noel escorted me inside his residence and directly introduced me to the child he had concealed for years. All of my fury dissipated as I gazed into the eyes of the small, fractured youngster confined in a concealed area of the house. He quaked at his father’s presence, as though fearful of sharing the same air. I immediately recognised Jadi as yet another casualty of the conflict, a young life unjustly extinguished.
A slight anguish enveloped my heart as I beheld my beloved Archie, and I recognised that this was the Moon Goddess’s design from the outset. Jadi has lost his family, and I have lost mine. We were two fractured wolves united by calamity.
Vengeance departed from my heart, and all I desired was to safeguard the innocent child gazing at me with trepidation in his eyes.
Two decades have elapsed since I lost Damon and Archie; although the anguish remains, Jadi has infused my heart with joy and laughter. I have rediscovered the ability to smile and to perceive beauty among a landscape rife with anguish and hidden truths. Jadi is my cherished son, and I would never permit Noel or John to harm him.
Jenna smiles as I complete cleaning his hair, and I meticulously pull him from the bath, drying him with his towel and clothing him. I transport the small puppy back to the nursery, where I discover Bray still viewing his movies with Muppet. Jenna blinks drowsily as I place him in his rocker, and I softly rock him to slumber.
Bray approaches to observe the slumbering puppy, enquiring with an inquiry that eludes my comprehension. He inclines his head while awaiting a response, but I merely smile at the inquisitive puppy, placing my finger to my lips to signal silence so the infant may rest.
Subtle vibrations resonate beneath my feet, prompting me to glance upward and discover Jadi at the entrance, a soft smile adorning his lips.
Bray hastens to embrace Jadi, leaping into his arms and smiling. The two converse briefly, and my heart swells with gladness that my Jadi has discovered a young kid to cherish.
“How was your morning, mother?” he gestures, approaching me and kissing my forehead.
“It was satisfactory,” I respond. “Was your training successful?”
“Define ‘well,'” he smiles awkwardly, and I scowl at him.
“Exercise patience with yourself,” I advise him, aware of the significance of understanding his talent.
I am unafraid of him perceiving my recollections and discovering my former identity. I wished for him to understand that I once possessed a beautiful son and a devoted spouse, that I had experienced a love surpassing what most wolves would ever know, and that I hoped he would eventually discover love himself…
“You will soon learn to master it,” I remark, cradling his face. “Have confidence in yourself.”
Following a brief lunch, Bray implores me to engage in a game of hide and seek, appealing to me with a pair of endearing puppy eyes. The young lad beams victoriously when I acquiesce, and he requests Josie’s consent for Muppet to accompany us. We traverse the area briefly until we discover a secluded grove of trees where we may play without interruption. Bray and Muppet go, leaving me in the centre of a clearing to count audibly.
“One… Two… Three… Four…”
I feel uncomfortable as I fumble with the numbers and silently count to twenty.
“I am approaching, Bray!” I shout, my gaze searching the trees for any indication of the boy.
I inhale, detecting his aroma wafting across the breeze.
Jimmy muses that this is likely the most unfavourable game to engage in with a wolf.
