Love Unspoken

William came to a halt, turning his gaze back towards Orion.

After a moment of tense silence, he erupted, "What a shame that in this lifetime, you are destined to be nothing more than my son." His words hung heavy in the air, a bitter declaration of disappointment.

Without another word, he dismissed Orion's presence, climbing into his car and driving away. Orion remained rooted to the spot, his eyes cast downward, fixated on the ground. He was silent, lost in the echo of his father's harsh words. Quinn, watching him with a growing concern, reached out to touch his arm. Time seemed to stretch out before Orion finally lifted his gaze to meet hers.

Under the dim light, his face was a mask of pallor, a stark contrast to his usual vibrant self. In a matter of minutes, he seemed to have aged years.

His eyes, once bright, now glimmered with a wounded light, a hint of helplessness lurking within their depths. He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him.Feeling his distress, Quinn tightened her grip on his arm, a silent offer of comfort.

Orion closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath before gently extricating himself from Quinn's grasp. His voice was hoarse as he reassured her, "I'm fine."

it a raspy, nasal quality.He made his way towards the cages, but hesitated as he neared them.Quinn, standing beside him, mustered the courage to approach the cages. As she drew closer, the sight

a golden retriever. Its cold, unresponsive body sent a chill down her spine. The sight brought back memories of Ulysses' death. He had looked just as peaceful, as if

for the complete experience

she saw familiar places, things, and

sadness would creep up on her, a painful reminder of the person who should have been

truly understand the finality of death and the separation it brought. Whether it was a

emotions ran deep.Gathering his courage, Orion approached the cages. His face was set in grim determination as he reached out to open the cages, flicking on the overhead light. The harsh light revealed the tragic conditions inside.Orion's hand trembled as he reached out

from Orion's eye as he choked out, "This was the twenty-ninth animal I'd adopted. I remember boasting that I would fill this facility

their faces. They must never have imagined they would die because of me. They must have been desperate, waiting for me to save them. Why didn't I