SIX YEARS LATER...
Hunter flared his nostrils in anger, his expression hardened. His rage and pride quickly resurfaced. In a fit of fury, Hunter delivered a painful slap to my face, the impact echoing in the room.
“Never speak to your Alpha like that again, Fierce. You have no idea what I had to do to protect you,” shouted Hunter, his voice reverberating in the cabin walls.
My cheek stung, and the tears I had tried to contain began to flow. I was hurt, not just physically but emotionally. The sense of helplessness overwhelmed me, and I no longer knew how to handle the situation.
I touched my face, feeling the burn of the blow. “You're not my Alpha, Hunter. And you're the one who has no idea what I had to do to protect myself all these years,” I replied firmly, refusing to back down in the face of his anger.
“There's a difference between us, Fierce. I do know. I know about Ulrich, and I know about the human,” retorted Hunter, revealing knowledge that widened my eyes.
“How do you know about Constance?” I asked, surprise taking hold of me.
Hunter opened his lips to respond, but before he could do so, the door creaked open, stealing both of our attention. When I turned, I faced Zora, whose green eyes widened at the scene before her. The bags she carried in her hands fell to the floor with a soft noise, but Zora seemed more surprised than angered.
“Fierce? What are you doing here?” Zora asked, perplexed, while she assessed me from head to toe.
I scrutinized her in return, noting that she seemed like the same old Zora, with her long red hair, piercing green eyes, and elegant white clothes. The noticeable difference was the scattered bags around her.
Hunter intervened before I could respond. “Fierce came seeking help.”
Zora approached, curious. “What kind of help?” she inquired, her eyes seeking mine for an explanation.
“My children have been kidnapped, Zora. And as far as I know, there's a werewolf involved,” I replied, feeling the weight of the words as I spoke them aloud.
The surprise on Zora's face was palpable. “You have children? Whose are they?” she asked, confused.
Hunter suggested, “Let's have dinner first, then we can discuss the matter more calmly.”
Zora agreed. She looked at Hunter, questioning the logistics of the meal.
“How would you like it served?” Zora asked.
“The human way,” replied Hunter, indicating that, for now, we could maintain our facade in front of human society.
The door opened again, and a wolf, sent to retrieve my belongings, appeared. I accepted the bags from their jaws and thanked them, knowing that I now had the opportunity for a comforting bath before dinner.
“Thank you. Now I can take a good bath before dinner,” I commented, trying to stay calm despite the turmoil unfolding around me.
Zora, observing the interaction, seemed intrigued and eager to understand the complexity of the situation. I knew the night would be long, full of revelations and inevitable confrontations. However, for now, the promise of a soothing bath was a welcome relief before diving into the whirlwind of challenges that awaited.
***
I went up to the room Hunter had kindly provided, carrying with me the emotional burden the situation demanded. My bag contained only the essentials – a white T-shirt and jeans, practical and neutral attire. The tension in the air accompanied me as I entered the bathroom for a shower, seeking a moment of tranquility before facing the complexities downstairs.
The warm water from the shower fell on my skin, and I took the opportunity to organize my thoughts. The reason I was there was clear: to find my children, Cassian, Dorian, and Kane, and rescue them, even if it meant dealing with Hunter and the pack I had, in a way, abandoned. As the water flowed, my mind repeated the determination to achieve my goal, no matter the cost.
After the invigorating shower, I descended to the dining room, where Zora and Hunter were already waiting for me. The atmosphere was charged with expectations. I sat at the table, ready to face whatever came.
Zora, curious and hesitant, began to inquire, “How are you sure a werewolf is involved? Hunter told me you lost your wolf.”
I looked at Hunter before answering. “I didn't lose my wolf, Zora. I still need to resolve that issue. Despite her not wanting to manifest, my sense of smell remains sharp.”
Intrigued, Zora suggested, “Then why not track your children using your sense of smell?”
Hunter intervened, explaining the complexity of the situation. “The children don't know they're hybrids, so they've never transformed into wolves, and their father is human. Fierce chose to keep this from them, but now her sense of smell can't locate them since they've never turned into wolves.”
Zora expressed concern. “That's very dangerous.”
Hunter, with a serious expression, added, “Everything will be resolved after the pack votes on whether we should help Fierce. Until then, maybe we should change the subject.”
I accepted the change of topic, taking a sip of beer to calm my nerves. There were still many uncertainties to face, and the vote would decide the future of my quest for my children.
Curious to dispel the tension, I casually asked, “Do you have children?”
Zora and Hunter exchanged uncomfortable glances before Hunter answered abruptly, “No.”
The brief response left a silence in the air, indicating that this topic wasn't frequently addressed and was laden with unspoken meanings.
“I'm sorry,” I murmured, with genuine compassion. After all, the absence of children was a wound that didn't heal easily.
Zora sighed, sharing her difficult journey. “We've tried everything, but for some reason, something prevents us from having our own children, putting the whole pack at risk.”
I remained silent, aware of the hidden reason that prevented them from having pups. Sibyl, the wise omega who once belonged to the pack, had explained that only the Alpha and his Luna had the gift of bearing offspring. I knew that my children with Hunter were a forbidden exception, a truth I carried as a burden. My children were the exception that broke that rule, and Hunter had no idea.
Hunter, wanting to dispel the melancholy, stated, “We'll have children at some point.”
Zora, seeking understanding, asked, “How did you manage to have children, Fierce?”
I took a generous sip of beer before responding with a half-smile, “Maybe because I left the pack and got involved with a human.”
Zora, displaying sincerity, expressed, “You're lucky, Fierce. I hope you find your children soon.”
I stared at Hunter, locking my gaze with his. “I hope to have all the help I can get.”
Hunter, staring intensely at me, concluded bluntly, “It all depends on the pack.”
Hunter's response was short but also revealing. Hunter's golden eyes revealed that the fate of my quest for my children depended on the pack's decision. The vote would determine not only the pack's response to my plea for help but also the fate of my children and the unfolding of events that would, one way or another, change the dynamics of the pack and my relationship with Hunter.