EPISODE NINETY SEVEN
THEME: Father and son
MOON STONE FORTRESS
Jaylen stretched out lazily on the bed with his eyes heavy as he tried to blink his way into the darkness. His body paled out at the excess sleep he had indulged in. He stood up groggily from the bed. Jaylen pulled up the curtains that he had intentionally thrown down to induce himself to sleep.
The day was turning dark and evening was probably settling in. Sitting his half butt on the edge of the bed, Jaylen rubbed at his aching neck as all of him was in pain and his heart ached the most. He would have never thought Lorelei would stoop to such inconsiderate level and come at him.
It felt lonely here and he almost could feel like he doesn’t belong in the midst of them all. Searching around for his phone, Jaylen tapped on it to reach out to the one person who knows him too well.
‘Have you been having a rough day?’ Rosalyn’s voice felt like balm to his wounded knee.
Just as he had thought she would notice everything about him without necessarily seeing him. Jaylen sniffed as the emotions rushed back at him.
‘Talk to me Jay.’ She prompted.
‘I don’t want to stay here anymore.’ He said.
Jaylen had an habit of exposing his whole being to Rosalyn because she was more like an elder sister who would take in all of his tantrums and he has never been ashamed showing her that side of himself. On the other hand, Rosalyn has never made him feel uncomfortable with expressing himself.
‘What’s wrong?’ Rosalyn’s voice raised a bit.
‘So yesterday, just when I thought everything was fine between Jayden and I, we got into a very huge fight and now my supposed girlfriend is all about herself. No one bothers to know how much I am hurting inside. I feel so lonely here, maybe it was a wrong move coming here in the first place.’ He rushed out his words.
‘Don’t be like that Jaylen.’
‘I wish I could turn back the hands of time to when you and Granny insisted on me coming to this place. I should have stayed back. I want to come home.’
As he cried his heart out on the phone, Meagan and Carl stood still by the door with their hearts shattering at the sight of their son. When they didn’t hear from him all day, and Benjamin had informed them of Jaylen leaving them at the diner, they had been a bit worried, and since it was getting late Meagan thought it was best for them to check on him. Guilt saddled both parents when they heard Jaylen lamenting on the phone. He had unintentionally left the door open.
Carl motioned at Meagan to turn around and let Jaylen be alone but he turned his head at that moment.
‘I will call you back Rosa.’ Jaylen said into the phone. He sniffed. “What are you both doing here?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Meagan with tears in her eyes tried to look away from him. Carl heaved heavily as he stared up at his wife. She tried to blink back her tears and gulp hard as she held on to Jaylen’s gaze.
“We were wondering if you were okay since no one heard from you.” Leaving Carl’s wheel holder, Meagan walked towards Jaylen and sat next to him.
“I am fine.” Jaylen mumbled.
“I am so sorry baby. I would have never thought it will be like this. Please forgive us.” She pleaded as the tears fell freely from her eyes.
Jaylen didn’t bother to console her. He was just as hurt as everyone of them and he was mostly affected.
Carl cleared his throat from behind. “Please give Jaylen and I sometime alone baby.” He requested.
Meagan nodded her head in understanding before she stepped out of the room.
“Would you like to take a walk with me?” It sounded more of a plea than a question.
Jaylen sniffed as he stood up. He walked behind his father and pushed the wheel out. “Where are we headed?” Jaylen inquired when they had walked past the lake.
“The woods will be just fine, it has been a while since I smelt the leaves.” Carl responded.
“Ok.”
“This feels like heaven.” Carl muttered as they got into the woods. Carl inhaled the cool evening breeze as he stared up at his son. He smiled. “Do you mind running through the words with me?” He asked.
Jaylen didn’t appear to be in the mood for whatever fun moment his father wanted to have but being the reasonable child he always is, he nodded his head and decided to indulge him.
“I have never had the chance to see your wolf properly since your teenage years, Jaylen. I would like to see that now… if you don’t mind.”
“Are you sure you are strong enough to have this race with me? Dad, we don’t have to-”
Carl cuts in. “Come on, you worry too much son. I am fine.”
Jaylen walked out in front of him. “Alright dad.” He pulled out of his clothes with just his boxers on him. He moved few steps backward before his bones cracked as he made an attempt to shift into his wolf form.
As Jaylen made the shift into a big wolf form, Carl’s eyes watered with tears. At the first time, when Julius had been talking about Jaylen’s wolf, it didn’t sound real, even during the fight he still couldn’t believe his eyes but seeing his own son in his true form right in front of him and with the rare blessing of the white patch the Moon Goddess has bestowed on him, he couldn’t have wished for a better blessing.
Jaylen’s wolf walked towards him and nuzzled his father’s knee with his nose. “My son.” Carl smiled brightly as he caressed the wolf’s furs. “You are indeed a blessing.”
Carl poured out all of the emotions he was really feeling knowing Jaylen would be able to decipher them clearly. The eyes of Jaylen’s wolf was glazed with admiration as he leaned further into his father’s touch.
Carl blinked before shutting his eyes tightly. Jaylen moved away from him when he noticed his father’s movement. Jaylen would have stopped his father from whatever he wanted to do if he wasn’t in his wolf form but nothing could be done. With the last strength inside of him, Carl stood up and he yelled out loud as his bones shifted painfully into a Mackenzie Valley Wolf. The one time big form wolf had shrunk into a small size and Jaylen’s wolf hovered over him. The two werewolves stared at each other for a while before their minds linked together.
“Why is our wolf different from Jayden’s wolf?” Jaylen’s said from the mind portal.
“You are a full breed werewolf unlike him. Jayden has too much human blood mixed with that of his werewolf root.” Carl responded. He looked out into the woods despite anticipating the race with his son despite the weakness and pain he felt.
All of a sudden, Carl lunged into the wood and immediately Jaylen’s wolf raced after him. Jaylen’s wolf ran excitedly into the woods while Carl limped a bit behind. But Jaylen in his excitement, howled into the sky and urged his father to come along. He had never had to enjoy such moment with his father, having to do so right now was making him feel so alive.
After about what seemed like an hour of running through the woods, the both of them returned to the spot where Carl’s wheelchair was and they shifted back into their human bodies.
“I can’t believe we just did that!” Jaylen huffed out of breath.
Carl whimpered weakly as he leaned against the wheelchair. “Can you call the pack house for some change of clothes for me please.” He said, pointing towards his phone on the wheelchair.
“Ok dad.” Jaylen replied. He wore his clothes before picking up the phone. And with his back turned against his father, he texted his mother to send his father some clothes to wear.
When Jaylen turned around, he gasped out in shock, looking speechless at the sight of his father being slumped against the wheelchair. “Dad! Dad! Dad!” He looked lifeless.