***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?"
and I before giving her consent, Kota bouncing
with the stroller for Rosalie's pup, some blankets, and Rio’s
their purpose to us to keep the walk
he runs ahead of us with Rio reassure her
Evan set up a picnic for the girls, spreading out a
field to the playground, several
with ease, and they begin a game of sorts where
vigilant, and I wish with all my heart that I could help comfort in some way,
She is already frightened.
do not need to
around the perimeter of the park, picking flowers,
them into crowns, her
over her shoulder, praising
crown to Rosalie, placing it on top
a smile as she puts her now
you," she says, remembering the
another flower crown and places it on
having been so focused on
Agnes "Sorry,"
a
blinks at her for a few moments before taking the flower
just scared me, is all," Talia apologizes, turning to me
apologizes once again
watches their interaction with intrigue before asking a question I
werewolves?" She asks bluntly, placing her chin in her
shifts uncomfortably on her pillow and shakes
with a forced smile, adjusting her
"How old is he?"
her lips in a tight line, as if holding
months old…
before her face grows
hard time talking to us about her story," she
safe here so you can stop looking at us like we're going to eat you," she says with a light
hurt you already
watches Kota play
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
the hurt in
head at me to stop and walks on ahead of us to the guest house can feel
Maybe hold her hand...
Grayson suggests.
until I walk alongside her, Kota mumbling with sleepiness
I touch her hand, Talia flinching away at the sensation
stops as I mentally prepare for her to snap at me but instead, she just stares at
my mouth to apologize when she suddenly takes my
sparks tingle up my arm, but I can still feel
whimper escapes her throat and she squeezes my hand with all her
a little while
She explains, holding
groans, wiping a few stray tears that rolled down
her face and
just tired," She whispers, avoiding my
to the room," She instructs as she
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
you do it?" She asks, her
in my heart returns as she looks at me with glossy
scold the little 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
in there
and have him help you clean up if he
alone with the cheeky pup grinning
into the bubble filled tub, grabbing a handful of bubbles and throwing
him so that he can
times, but I
Kota," I
the hole much to Kota’s dismay glance
that we are alone, I dress the little boy in a pair of blue
t-think yo-your mommy is s-sad," I whisper to him, sliding his
his thumb, his blue and brown
mommy sad?" He asks, a patient look in
thi-thi-think s-she miss-misses home,"
"Oh," he sighs.
I like it here." I hide my smile and finish putting on his
like i-it t-t-too,"
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