“You mated with that lycan?” Oliver asked me, I looked at him confused, “So what am I supposed to do? Sing baby shark over a beer?” I retorted, “He is my Erastis, obviously I’ll mark him” I said.
“At least you could have introduced him PHYSICALLY before doing it.. don’t you consider us a family?” Clark said anger evident in his voice. I slipped down on the chair feeling guilty, “It’s not like that.. it just happened.. yesterday. But I told you guys about him over the phone and you also talked with him!!” I said sitting up.
“As you said, ON THE PHONE. Meeting someone physically and talking to them over the phone is different, Nora!” My dad snapped setting my heart heavy on my chest, “At least– *sigh* I have missed half of your life.. I didn’t even know you existed.. and now that I know.. of everything.. I don’t want you to just have anything.. you’re so much more precious than that.. you’re worth so much more. I feel like I have no importance in your life” he said rubbing his face with his palms. We all sat there shell shocked, dad has never, I mean NEVER been an emotional person. And this is the fir- second time I have seen him like that. 1
I wrapped my hands around his hand, “I never melt for you to feel that way dad. You’re in no way insignificant in my life. Whatever I am, I am because if you and your blessings,, all of yours. If I am as strong as people say I am, it’s all because of you.. never ever feel that way dad. You mean more to me than you can imagine” I said and sat on his lap wrapping my arms around my neck, “I am sorry to make you feel any less, daddy” I said and buried my face in his neck.
I felt three more pairs of arms wrapped around us, “Group hug!!” Gina said making us all chuckle. After that we sat down for a nice lunch that Gina made for us, Adrian refused to eat if I am not the one to feed him and looking at his tantrums his elder sister also joined so here I am feeding both my siblings. I joked with both of them making them giggle while they told me their school stories, “Oh and you know last week our teacher told us to draw someone who inspires us.. and I drew you!!” Lilly squeaked.
My smile suddenly dropped, “I wanna be like you when I grow up!” She said looking up at me dreamily. I quickly placed a smile on my face as tears gathered in my eyes, “You wanna be like me baby?” She nodded her head, I kissed her forehead, “Yes even his teacher asked him to draw someone who they look upto and he drew Papa and you!” Lilly said pointing to Adrian who’s eyes went wide recalling, “YES, I draw yow an Papa” he said and hoped off the chair, “I’ll show yow” he said running off to his room, Lilly followed his brother as well.
“Oh come on! Why don’t they look upto me?” Oliver whined, “Because you’re not someone a child should look upto” Clark joked. The four of them started joking where as I sat there moved to core, “Daddy, I wanna see them.. now” I said getting up. My siblings and Gina looked at me confused but it was my dad who had an indifferent look on his face. He nodded his head, “I have linked the guards, as soon as they are back in their quarters, we’ll go see them” he said cutting piece of the stake. The two kids came back with a paper in both of their hands, they pushed it in my direction with wide smiles.
“I– love them” I said looking at their version of me through their eyes. Lilly drew a colourful picture of me with a cape and a crown on my head while Adrian drew me with a Halo over my head while I had cookies and cake in each hand. I chuckled and looked at them, “That’s what you guys see me as?” I asked making the two nod I’m excitement, “It’s beautiful, can I keep them?” I asked putting the picture against my beating heart.
“Yes!” “Yupp I have made several others” they both answered. Throughout the lunch I couldn’t swallow even a single drop of water my throat felt clogged by an unrecognized emotion. 1
“Which reminds me, I would like for all of you to come for a dinner tomorrow night to meet my Erastis..” I said remembering what I had planned for tomorrow, “We’d love to meet your Erastis!” Gina said with a smile while the three men just grunted.
After the lunch was over, there four of us made our way to the prison. None of us said anything as to why I wanna meet them face to face. My mind was racing with a lot of things.. things I never thought I would have ever felt. My stance was rigid and emitted dominance. As we made our way to the cell they all were kept my insides became more certain about my decision.
I could hear them all groaning and crying pain and suffering. My heart raced as I stood in front of the door, “What’s on your mind?” Dad asked in confusion.
“You’ll see. Open the door” I turned to the guard who just nodded and opened the door.
I stepped inside and my heart stopped for a second. They are going through everything I wanted them to go, by everything I designed for the mistakes they made. For a moment I saw me in the and them in me from where I stood, “Guards! Get them all down and clean them all up” I ordered making my lycan know it’s presence. The prisoners were shocked hearing my voice, seeing me after years of thinking I was dead, “N-nora?” One of them whispered in disbelief. I ignored him,, everyone in the room who is staring at me in disbelief or confusion.
The guards didn’t even ask their alpha for permission to abide by my orders they just did as they were told to do. And within a few minutes the entire pack of wounded TealRiver sat on the ground in front of me, “You all have suffered enough, long enough to understand that there are consequences of your actions. You have made mistakes huge, unforgettable ones but everyone deserves a chance in life regardless of their crimes. I am letting you all free now, you can go back to your pack or wherever but remember, I have my eyes on you and one single mistake, you’ll face worst than this.” I said loudly, my voice booming with power and dauntless. I stood above all of them tall and proud looking at their face relaxing in relief made me realise that I made the right decision.
“And remember, don’t start a warm you can’t win.” I warned them, my face my leaking any emotions out, “Leave them 10 miles away from their pack border. Make sure no one sees anyone of you” I whispered to the head guard of the prison who nodded stiffly.
The TealRiver all mumbled a thank you and sorry as they were leaving but I remained indifferent to them. As soon as they were out my siblings and father turned to look at me, “Do you realise what you just did?” Clark asked looking sceptical of my actions, “There could be another war!! If they open their mouth! And we are finally happy in our lives. I don’t want any of my men to fight that worthless pack!” Oliver said, the alpha in him standing up.
“That’s the thing.. we’re happy in their misery..” I said calmly. My brothers looked shocked for a second, “Tell me if I am wrong.. don’t you feel content seeing them in agony? Don’t all of us?” I asked, they stood there dumbfound. It’s was just dad who looked almost.. intrigued.
“We have dragged the hate and vengeance too long and too far. We are punishing them for their past mistakes,, I know they should be. But instead of correcting them we are using their methods to make them realise! That doesn’t make us any worst than them!” I said shaking my head, I pulled the chair nearby and sat on it with my head down.
“What are we going to teach the next generation? To slaughter people for their mistakes? To live for vengeance and revenge? That their life is incomplete without the blood of their enemies in their hand? This has gone too far! They have suffer enough, all of them I am not saying to let go of the memories, I am telling you to let go of the pain. We need to move on, not for them but for us. Always looking behind your back is not what anyone wants…” I told them everything I was feeling.
“Who are the kids looking upto? Nobody but a cold blooded murderer. I am no better than those fuckers! I raped their lives and murdered their wish to live. Just like they did to me.. but I don’t wanna be that person anymore, I don’t want to be so cold, purposeless and cynical that the only way I feel content is by their screams of pain. I am better than that,, I want to be better than that.. I want.. need that for all of us” I said as tears leaked from my eyes.
I felt my dad’s arms wrap around me pulling me back on my feet, “I am so proud of the woman you’ve become” he said hugging me. I pulled back to look at his eyes which were very similar to mine, grey-blue eyes, “You mean it?” I asked, needing reassurance. He nodded his head and kissed my forehead. Both of my brothers gave me a pat of appreciation, “You’re a strong person.” Oliver said with a small smile.
As we make our way back to the alpha house, Clark suddenly stops on his track, “What if that son of a bitch, Justin decides to attack the pack?” He asked Dad.
“I’ll take care of that, he won’t be the alpha for long anyway.. and even if they decide to rage a war, you have my pack standing with you” I said feeling proud of my pack. Both of my pack.