Chapter 20: First steps

***Jane***

Agnes and I spend the morning with Kota, Rosalie, Rosalie’s baby Emile, and Evan, fighting our own anxiety from our lack of activity.

In all my life, I had never had a moment to rest, to just sit and watch a movie or play games without a care in the world.

Even if there was chance that I completed my chores, my mind and self-hatred would torture me relentlessly.

As a pup, my father put me through rigorous schooling and speech therapies to make me the best Alpha I could be.

Of course, I could never live up to his expectations.

He would make me stand before him once a week to recite the history of our pack or the laws that governed it and the kingdom.

If I faltered in my pronunciation, I would be struck with a whip.

There was never a day that I made it out of a recital without shedding blood.

My mother would weep sorrowfully, begging my father helplessly to have mercy.

She would sometimes be beaten herself for attempting to shield me.

It hurt my soul to fail her so miserably but no matter how hard I concentrated, my tongue would only grow stiffer, and my words would slur like a drunk.

After I was demoted to Omega status, I became a field hand, carrying weapons for the warriors in training or helping maintain the equipment in the hot sun or cold winters.

As I grew older, I learned many things to make myself useful such as plumbing, mechanics, painting and other basic maintenance jobs.

Agnes is no different.

With her hearing gone, she had to make herself useful to earn her meals.

No one wants an extra mouth to feed.

She was beaten relentlessly by other Omegas if she slipped up.

She learned to be quick in the kitchen, never resting for fear she would be cast out or killed by the Omegas.

So, as we sit comfortably on the couch watching Aladdin with Kota, Agnes and I find it hard to rest, wondering if at any moment, this pack’s kindness would run out.

Even Grayson could not find the words to soothe my racing thoughts.

Feeling myself about to break, I get up quietly and search for a pen and paper before approaching Rosalie with a note.

“Are you sure there is nothing we can do to be of service 2” Rosalie reads aloud before raising an eyebrow at me.

“Are you bored?” She asks nervously.

“W-we can go to the park if you like.Kota could stretch his legs and play with some other pups.Let me just get the stroller for Emile,” she says as Evan gets up from his spot to find said stroller.I shake my head at her, writing out my response.

“We just don’t want to be a burden.”She stares at the note before smiling up at me.

“You are our guests, not a burden,” She chuckles.

“Gwen asked for this favor and need,” She smiles.

“Just relax and enjoy yourselves. Take this a small vacation while Gwen finishes up her work.”

Just then we hear the door open, and Natalia appears on her own, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

“You’re back!” Rosalie chirps.

“How was the walk? Did you see all of River Moon?” She asks with a cheerful smile.

Talia smiles sheepishly, her eyes staring at her hands.

“It was …eye opening…” she replies quietly.

“Aurora just had an emergency to deal with.”

There’s a serious tone in her voice and Rosalie appears to understand the true meaning behind her words.

“Well, you’ve come just in time.I think Kota might enjoy some time at the park,”

She gestures to Kota watching the movie on the floor with Rio lying lazily next to him.

“Yeah, mommy!” Kota cries, scrambling to his feet.

“Can we go to the park?”

before giving her consent, Kota bouncing with excitement while

Rosalie’s pup, some

and explaining their purpose to us to keep the walk

runs ahead of us with Rio reassure her that her pup

picnic for the girls, spreading out a blanket with snacks and pillows for them

to the playground,

of sorts where they

I wish with all my heart that I could help comfort in

She is already frightened.

not need to scare her

the park, picking flowers, thin sticks, and long blades

and begins weaving them into crowns, her nimble

watches with awe over her shoulder,

to Rosalie, placing it on

this for me?” Rosalie asks with a smile as she puts her now sleeping pup away

you,” she says, remembering the

weaves yet another flower crown

been so focused on her pup and not noticing Agnes

Agnes “Sorry,”

signs with a

at her for a few moments before taking the

all,” Talia apologizes, turning to

and apologizes once again for

before asking a question I had been asking myself since I

placing her chin in

attacked?” Talia shifts uncomfortably on her pillow and shakes

have a lovely pup…” she says with a forced smile, adjusting

“How old is he?”

in a tight line, as if holding

months

before her face

us about her story,”

get it if you don’t want to tell us.But just FYI, you are safe here so you can stop looking at us like we’re going to eat you,” she says with

you

Kota

to herself for the time being.We remain at the park for lunch and

see the hurt in her

on ahead of us to the guest house can feel a small pain

Maybe hold her hand…

Grayson suggests.

until I walk

courage I have, I touch her hand, Talia flinching

I mentally prepare for her to snap at me but instead, she

suddenly takes my hand, interlocking our

I can still feel her hand shaking in

down on her lower lip as a small whimper escapes her throat

onto me for a little while

can’t.I’m sorry,” She explains, holding her hand as if it were

she groans, wiping a few stray tears that

and holds her head

just tired,” She whispers, avoiding

the room,” She instructs

bath for Kota, but he begs her to let me wash him in her place.Talia looks like she might burst into tears after being rejected by her son for

do it?” She asks,

returns as she looks at me

he is truly unaware of how much his simple request is hurting her.I accept

him stay in there too

you so be firm and have him help you clean up if he

leaving me alone with the

tub, grabbing a handful of bubbles and throwing

he can enjoy the bubbles before

I grab his two little hands and place

Kota,”

slowly draining down the hole much to Kota’s dismay glance at the door and listen for any

that we are alone, I dress the little boy in a

mommy is s-sad,” I whisper to him, sliding

on his thumb, his blue and brown

He asks, a patient look in

s-she miss-misses home,”

“Oh,” he sighs.

I hide my smile and finish putting on his other

like i-it t-t-too,”

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