37 – THAT SOUNDS... PATHETIC!

37 – THAT SOUNDS... PATHETIC!
37 – THAT SOUNDS... PATHETIC!
Meridian Water

The air around us was charged, electric, as I followed Renan down the narrow path. Every step he took was an annoying reminder that I was in enemy territory, under the escort of a man who seemed eager to put me in my place.

"Don't try to run," he said, not even bothering to look back at me. His voice was calm, but there was something about his tone that irritated me to my core.

"Oh, right, because I'd be dumb enough to try to escape unarmed in a forest full of wolves. Have you actually heard of my reputation?" I shot back, laced with sarcasm.

He stopped abruptly, forcing me to halt before I could crash into his back. When he turned to face me, his expression was ice-cold.

"Yeah, I’ve heard plenty about the blood and chaos you’ve left behind. Wow, what a brilliant woman." His words dripped with sarcasm.

"Thanks," I said with a smirk.

The muscle in his jaw twitched, and for a second, I thought he was either going to lunge at me or throw some venomous insult back. But instead, he just exhaled sharply, turned, and kept walking.

"Follow me," he ordered, his tone making it sound like he was dealing with a stubborn child.

I clenched my fists, hating how he acted like he had total control of the situation.

The path opened up to a clearing where several people in their human forms were moving about. Everything in me screamed that I shouldn’t be here. Their gazes weren’t just hostile—they were searching, almost desperate, for something. And I had no idea why.

"They look at you, hoping to see even a fragment, a shred, of the girl they once knew," Renan said, his voice laced with both fury and pain.

"They should stop wasting their time,” I muttered.

He let out a dry, humorless laugh.

"I tried telling them that." He turned to face me fully, his blue eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite name. "There's nothing left. Just emptiness."

The words hit harder than I expected. I stepped closer, refusing to back down.

"At least I’m not clinging to feelings for someone who’s never coming back," I snapped, my voice dripping with mockery.

"At least I know who I am," he shot back, his voice low and rough.

"So do I. I know exactly who I am. You’re the ones who don’t." I rolled my eyes.

"I do now," he nodded.

His gaze locked onto mine, and for a split second, it felt like an electric current pulsed between us. Then a familiar voice broke the tension.

It was the kid from my first day here—I hadn’t seen him since.

"Mel," he said, approaching cautiously. "Renan..."

"Meridian," I corrected sharply, already tired of this.

"Sorry. Meridian," he cleared his throat, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in his expression—hurt? I had struck a nerve. And for a brief moment, that disarmed me. I didn’t fight children. They were just kids, molded by their surroundings.

"I'm glad you're out of your room," he said softly.

"It’s not like I had a choice, considering I’m a prisoner," I reminded him coldly.

"Want to see what we’re working on?" The boy quickly changed the subject, his eyes lighting up as he swallowed back unshed tears.

"She’d love to," Renan answered before I could refuse, his tone sharp and acidic, making my blood simmer.

I followed anyway.

"We’re preparing for the solstice," the kid said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Do you remember what the is?"

I shook my head, more focused on scanning the area for even the smallest opportunity to escape.

"It’s an autumn celebration. The forest changes, just like the season—like nature telling us that everything is new again. Cycles end, and for some wolves, it's a time of rebirth. It’s still a few months away, but we’ve already started preparing because we get excited." His smile faltered slightly. "Since you were taken, we haven’t celebrated a single solstice. But this time, you’ll be here. We’ll protect you."

I wanted to scoff, to remind him that in a few months, this pack would regret taking me. That the prince would come for me, or I’d find my own way out. But he was just a kid, clinging to memories of someone who wasn’t me. Someone who didn’t exist. And if they had trained him to get inside my head, then he was just another pawn—one with strings someone else was pulling.

And I didn’t hurt children.

He must’ve sensed my lack of response because he quickly turned away, retreating to his work. I could tell he left to avoid showing too much emotion. A child. So vulnerable.

Renan wasted no time leading me away from the others, his strides long and determined.

"Come on. I want to show you something." His eyes met mine briefly before turning forward again.

"Do I even have a choice?" I sneered.

"Good thing that wasn’t an invitation," he replied, his smirk razor-sharp.

I rolled my eyes, irritation flaring up in me.

I followed him down a narrow trail that led to a secluded area. The trees formed a natural canopy, and the wind carried an eerie stillness, as if the place held whispers of the past.

"What is this?" I asked, scanning my surroundings.

"This was Mel’s favorite place," Renan said, his voice distant, as if he were fighting off whatever memories it brought back. "She used to come here when she needed to reconnect with herself, before making decisions, when she felt lost."

"And why bring me here?" I scoffed.

"Mel would spend hours here—planning, dreaming, talking about the future." He sighed, stepping toward a wall covered in handwritten notes, some scribbled on old parchment, others on weathered post-its. "They think you’ll remember." He sighed again, heavier this time. "I used to see her here. But I always watched from a distance. I never read what she wrote... I didn’t want to invade her space. Just watching her dream, so lost in her own thoughts, was enough for me."

"That sounds... pathetic," I said coldly. But even I could hear the slight waver in my voice.

I was touching the notes, scanning the scribbles—plans like becoming a wolf and kissing Renan.

Something inside me twisted, and my voice lost a fraction of its usual sharpness.

Renan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. My body tensed, caught off guard.

"Nothing?" he whispered. "Unbelievable." His gaze burned into mine, a storm of frustration and pain swirling behind his eyes. "One second, I see her in you... and the next, there’s nothing. Just a void."

"We only see what we want to see," I murmured, grasping at the last shreds of control.

Don’t drop your guard. Don’t fall for the game. Don’t let them win.

He held my gaze for a few seconds longer, searching for something—something I wasn’t sure either of us would ever find.

What were we looking for?

Then he exhaled a dry, humorless laugh, shaking his head in quiet frustration. Straightening his posture, he took a step back.

"Let’s go back."