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?”

Rosalie and I before giving her consent, Kota bouncing with excitement while Rio

the stroller for Rosalie’s

out different buildings and explaining their purpose to us

hawk whenever he runs ahead of us with Rio reassure her that

I help Evan set up a picnic for the girls, spreading out a blanket with snacks and pillows for

Rio through the open field to the playground,

game of sorts where they run

I could help comfort

She is already frightened.

not need to scare her

perimeter of the park, picking flowers, thin sticks,

them into crowns, her nimble fingers delicately folding the flower stems and

over her shoulder, praising her incredible

then presents the crown to Rosalie, placing

this for me?” Rosalie asks with a smile as she puts

says, remembering the ‘thank you’ sign

another flower crown and places it

so focused on her pup and not noticing Agnes

Agnes “Sorry,”

a trembling

at her for a few moments before taking

is all,” Talia apologizes, turning to me

apologizes

watches their interaction with intrigue before asking a question I had been asking

of werewolves?” She asks bluntly, placing her chin in her hand and looking at Talia

shifts uncomfortably on her pillow and

pup…” she says with a

“How old is he?”

tight line, as if holding her tongue,

months old…

smiles proudly before

had a hard time talking to us about her story,” she says

if you don’t want to tell us.But just FYI, you are safe here so

hurt you already if we wanted

and watches Kota play

them to herself for the time being.We remain at the park for lunch and a few hours thereafter until Kota and Rio tire themselves out and lifting his arms up for

I can see the

on ahead of us to the guest house can feel a small pain in my heart as we make the

Maybe hold her hand…

Grayson suggests.

but pick up my pace until I walk alongside her, Kota mumbling with sleepiness in

of courage I have, I touch her hand,

for her to snap at

she suddenly takes my hand, interlocking our fingers in a

I can

bites down on her lower lip as a small whimper escapes her throat and she squeezes my hand

onto me for a

her hand as if it were

f**k!” she groans, wiping a few stray tears that

her face and holds her head

She

room,” She instructs

her to let me wash him in her place.Talia looks like she might burst

you do it?” She asks, her

in my heart returns as she looks at me with

boy for breaking his mother’s heart, but I know he is truly unaware of how much his simple request is hurting her.I accept and Talia hands

in there

likes to splash you so be firm and have him help you clean up if he makes a mess.He needs to learn that there

leaving me alone with

climbs into the bubble filled tub, grabbing a handful of bubbles and throwing them up in the

work to wash him so that he can enjoy the bubbles before the water

forewarned, Kota tries to splash me many times, but I grab his two little hands and place

m-no-more, Kota,”

plug in the tub, the water slowly draining down the hole much to Kota’s dismay

the little

mommy is s-sad,” I whisper to

blue and brown eyes blinking

is mommy sad?” He asks, a patient look in his

thi-thi-think s-she miss-misses home,” I

“Oh,” he sighs.

like it here.” I hide my smile and finish

like i-it t-t-too,”

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255