***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
with the stroller for Rosalie's pup,
chatters away, pointing out different buildings and explaining their purpose to us to
hawk whenever he runs ahead of us with Rio reassure her
up a picnic for the girls, spreading out a blanket
with Rio through the open field to the playground, several pups gathering around him and
ease, and they begin a game of sorts where they run after each other and freeze in place
vigilant, and I wish with all my heart that I could help comfort
She is already frightened.
do not need to scare her any
around the perimeter of the park, picking flowers, thin sticks,
with a large pile of foliage and begins weaving them into crowns, her nimble fingers delicately folding the flower stems and
awe over her shoulder,
to Rosalie, placing it
with a smile as
you," she says, remembering the ‘thank
flower crown and places
so focused on her pup and not noticing Agnes
Agnes "Sorry,"
a trembling hand,
few moments before taking the flower
you just scared me, is all," Talia
smiles nervously and apologizes once again
interaction with intrigue before asking a question I
are you so afraid of werewolves?" She asks bluntly, placing her chin in her hand and looking
Talia shifts uncomfortably on her
a lovely pup..." she says with a forced smile, adjusting
"How old is he?"
her lips in a tight line, as if holding
four months
before her face grows
hard time talking to us about her story,"
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 a light
would have hurt you already
and watches Kota play with
but decides to keep them to herself for the time being.We remain at the park for lunch and a few
a smile, but I can see the
can feel a small pain in my heart as we make the small trek in silence and try to think of something I could do to
Maybe hold her hand...
Grayson suggests.
pace until I walk alongside her, Kota mumbling with sleepiness in
drop of courage I have, I touch her hand, Talia flinching away at the sensation of
prepare for her to snap at
takes my hand,
I
whimper escapes her throat and she
onto me for a little while longer before letting
can't.I'm sorry," She explains, holding her hand as if
wiping a few stray tears
and holds
tired," She whispers,
the room," She instructs as she walks ahead
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 the second time today but nonetheless,
you do it?" She
returns as she looks at
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
in there too long,"
you so be firm and have him help you clean up if he makes a
hall, leaving me alone with
tub, grabbing a handful of bubbles
work to wash him so that he
Talia forewarned, Kota tries to splash me many times, but I grab his two little hands and place
Kota,"
draining down the hole much
dress the
is s-sad," I whisper
blue and brown eyes blinking
is mommy sad?" He asks, a patient look in
miss-misses home,"
"Oh," he sighs.
it here." I hide my smile and
like i-it t-t-too,"
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