Chapter 87: Brave Wolves
Meredith woke before dawn. The faint light of the rising sun painted the edges of the forest in golden hues. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she felt the weight of the dream lingering in her chest.
The vivid images of Damien, Xavier, and Magnus—of what once was and could never be again—were still fresh in her mind. A single tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another, and she hastily wiped them away.
“Not today,” she told herself, forcing a deep breath into her lungs. “The boys need me more than them. They always do.”
Pushing herself out of bed, she smoothed her hair and went about her usual routine. As her sons slept soundly, she padded into the kitchen and began preparing breakfast. She swiftly sliced bread, scrambled eggs, and heated milk.
Soon, the delicious smell wafted through the air, and as expected, it wasn't long before the sound of little feet thumping against the wooden floor reached her ears.
“Mama!” Daemond's voice was the first to ring out. He ran into the kitchen, his dark curls a messy halo around his face.
Behind him came Ksaver, rubbing his eyes sleepily but smiling nonetheless. Marcus trailed behind with a slight yawn.
Meredith turned to greet them. Her face softened at the sight of their lovely expressions.
“Good morning, my loves,” she said warmly, pulling each of them into a hug.
“Mama, I'm hungry!” Daemond declared, already climbing onto his chair at the table.
“Me too!” Ksaver added, his eyes gleaming at the sight of the food.
Marcus, still clutching his favorite wooden toy, toddled over to her and leaned against her leg. “Mama, is the bw’akfast ready?”
Marcus’s head wound had completely healed, leaving only a faint mark that would soon fade entirely. The sight of his cheerful face filled Meredith with relief.
Meredith chuckled, ruffling his soft hair. “Almost, sweetheart. Go sit with your brothers.”
The boys giggled and settled at the table, their bright eyes following her every move as she served their plates. As they ate, the boys chattered excitedly about their plans for the day.
“Mama, can we play outside later?” Daemond asked, his mouth full of eggs.
“Daemond, chew first, then talk,” Meredith corrected gently, earning a sheepish grin from her eldest.
Ksaver added, “Mama, I wanna pick flowers! Pretty ones for you! I know you'll love them.”
Meredith's heart swelled at his sweetness. “That sounds wonderful, Ksaver.”
Marcus, not wanting to be left out, waved his spoon enthusiastically. “Can we go to the park, Mama? Pwease?”
Meredith smiled. “Alright, we'll go to the park after breakfast. But first, we need to get you all bathed and ready.”
The boys’ cheers echoed around the room.
After finishing their meal, Meredith led them to the washroom. Their laughter filled the small space as she bathed them one by one.
Daemond splashed water everywhere, Ksaver giggled as he tried to soap his arms, and Marcus kept trying to sneak more bubbles onto his brothers’ heads.
“Hold still, Marcus!” Meredith laughed, carefully rinsing his hair.
Once they were clean, she dressed them in their best play clothes. They were simple outfits she had worked tirelessly to mend and keep in good condition.
“Now,” she said, kneeling to their level, “are my little wolves ready for an adventure in the park?”
“Yes, Mama!” they chorused, their eyes sparkling brightly.
Meredith's heart swelled as she looked at her boys. Despite the hardships, despite the loneliness that haunted her late at night, moments like this made everything worthwhile.
“Let's go, then,” she said, holding out her hands.
The boys eagerly grabbed them, each chattering about what they wanted to do at the park as they headed out into the bright morning sunlight. They were greeted with the sounds of chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the faint laughter of children from nearby cottages.
It wasn't a grand park by any means. It was just a small clearing with a wooden swing set, a few benches, and patches of wildflowers. But to Daemond, Ksaver, and Marcus, it might as well have been a magical kingdom.
The moment they arrived, the triplets darted toward the swings, their little legs carrying them as fast as they could.
“Mama! Push me first!” Daemond called, gripping the rope of a swing and looking back with wide eyes.
“No, me, Mama!” Ksaver shouted, trying to climb onto the adjacent swing.
Marcus waddled over to the smallest swing at the end, clutching the rope with both hands. “Mama, I'm ready!”
Meredith couldn't help but laugh. “Alright, alright, one at a time!” she said, walking over and starting with Marcus, who giggled gleefully as she gave him a gentle push.
“Higher, Mama!” Daemond demanded.
“Not too high!” Ksaver said nervously as she began pushing his swing next.
She watched them with a smile as their laughter rang out across the clearing. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget her worries and simply enjoy this precious time with her boys.
After a while, they moved on to the open field, where Daemond declared, “I'm gonna be the brave wolf!”
Ksaver nodded eagerly. “Me too! I'm gonna find treasures!”
Marcus trailed behind them and shouted, “I'm gonna f-find… d-dwagons!”
Meredith sat on a nearby bench, watching as her boys ran around. Daemond picked up a stick and waved it like a sword, protecting his imaginary pack from unseen dangers.
Ksaver crouched near a cluster of flowers, carefully plucking a few and holding them up like prizes. Marcus stumbled over a rock but quickly got back up, brushing himself off and pointing toward the trees.
“Mama, look! A dragon!” he shouted.
“Oh no, a dragon!” Meredith gasped, playing along. “Quick, my brave wolves! Save me!”
The triplets ran back to her. Daemond waved his stick valiantly. “Don't worry, Mama, we'll protect you!”
Ksaver clutched his flowers tightly, as if they were magical artifacts that could ward off danger. “No dragon can hurt you, Mama!”
Marcus wrapped his tiny arms around her leg, looking up at her. “You're safe with us, Mama.”
Meredith's laughter echoed again. She knelt to pull all three of them into a hug.
“My brave wolves,” she whispered. “You make Mama the happiest in the world.”
They stayed like that for a moment, the warmth of the sun on their backs and the love between them wrapping around her.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Meredith finally said, “Alright, my little adventurers. Let's rest for a bit.”
She spread out a small blanket she had brought, laying out some of the leftover bread and a small jar of jam. The boys devoured their bread and jam at first, giggling and chatting about dragons and wolves. But as the minutes passed, their voices seemed to wane.
Meredith furrowed her brow as she noticed their gazes shifting somewhere else.
“Boys?” she asked softly, tilting her head to meet their eyes.
Daemond, Ksaver, and Marcus weren't looking at her anymore. Their eyes were fixed on the nearby families scattered across the area. She followed their gazes and felt her heart clench.
A father hoisted his son high into the sky, twirling him around as the boy shrieked. Another father crouched down, pretending to be a monster as his daughter giggled and ran in circles around him. One knelt on the grass, letting his child climb onto his back for a piggyback ride.
Meredith swallowed hard as her gaze flicked back to her boys. Daemond clutched his stick sword tightly, his small fingers white.
Ksaver sat cross-legged, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, his head slightly bowed. Marcus had his thumb in his mouth. With unblinking eyes, he stared at the father lifting his son onto his shoulders.
They didn't say a word, but their longing for their fathers was like a weight Meredith couldn't lift.
She didn't need to ask. She knew what they were thinking.
Daemond was the first to break the silence. He didn't look at her. “Mama… do we… do we have a Papa?”
The question hit her like a blow. Meredith's hands froze. She had to take a steadying breath before she could respond.
“Of course, you do,” she said.
“Then… where is he?” Ksaver asked, his eyes still on the playing families.
Marcus pulled his thumb from his mouth and looked up at her. “Why Papa not with us, Mama?”
Meredith felt a lump rise in her throat, and her chest ached with the weight of their questions. They were too young to understand the complexities of her past, of why she had left and why she could never return.
She scooted closer to them, wrapping an arm around Daemond and pulling Ksaver and Marcus into her lap.
“Your Papa…” she began softly. “Your Papa loves you. All three of you. More than anything in the world.”
Daemond looked up at her with wide eyes. “Then why isn't he here?”
Meredith's heart shattered. She pressed her lips together, stroking Daemond's hair gently.
“Sometimes… grown-ups have to make hard decisions. Your Papa… he's not with us right now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. Actually, you are all so special to… him.”
Ksaver frowned. “Really?”
Meredith's breath hitched. “Yes,” she admitted softly. “And he would do anything to keep you safe.”
Marcus looked up at her. “Will he come back, Mama?”
Meredith blinked back tears that threatened to fall. She didn't know how to answer. How could she, when she didn't know the answer herself?
“I don't know,” she said honestly. “But I promise you this. I will always be here for you. No matter what. And we don't need anyone else to be happy.”
The boys leaned into her embrace, their small hands clutching her dress. She kissed the tops of their heads, her tears falling silently onto their hair.
In the distance, the fathers continued to play with their children, their laughter ringing out across her ears. And for a moment, Meredith let herself dream of a world where her boys had their Papas, a world where she wasn't so alone.
But as the sun dipped lower in the sky, she tucked those dreams away, focusing instead on the warmth of her boys in her arms and the strength she would always find for them, even if it broke her a little more each day.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered breathlessly.