I woke up a day later, in my room. My brother was beside me but he was just staring into space. I heard low voices from the throne room and wanted to go meet my parents. I got up from the bed but fell back, still dizzy. Gavin looked at me but did not help me up. That was strange. My brother would rather get hurt than see me hurt. I turned to him to ask why he didn’t catch me, but what I saw in Gavin’s eyes nearly got me blind. His eyes were red, probably from crying, or something else. Those eyes were filled with hatred, regret and scorn.
“Gavin… what is it?” I reluctantly asked him.
“You killed them Akira. You killed mom and dad. Now we are orphans.” He snarled at me.
I fell back on the bed, too shocked to react. Then the memories came back to me: my birthday, the pups’ competition, the attack, mom running away with us, dad’s screams, the gunshot.
“Where is Mom and Dad?” I struggled to ask, in a mouse-like voice that I could not recognize.
“They are dead. And it’s your fault!” Gavin said and stormed out of my room. I wish I was dead there and then, now I have my wish.
Why should my death be delayed? The earlier it comes, the better for me. I thought as my mind went back to the medical report drilling a hole in my purse. Maybe things would not have gotten this bad between Gavin and if I had come into my wolf at my eighteenth birthday. But the Moon Goddess had joined others to plot against me. The ordinarily sad day had become sadder. It was already sad because each birthday I had after my parents’ death was spent in sorrow of their loss. I had hoped to come into my wolf and probably connect with them or do something special for our pack. But No, I was condemned to be wolfless, a reproach to our pack and an additional burden to my brother, who became the alpha of our pack two years ago when he came into his wolf. He had been tolerating me since our parents’ death but he let go of his restraints on my eighteenth birthday. I entered my den in the forest as I relived the saddest day of my life.
I had heard loud banging on my door and my brother burst into my room without waiting for me to invite him in. he checked my hair and my hands, looking any sign of my wolf. The disappointed look I saw in his eyes still bore into my soul, even now.
“Akira, you are wolfless?” I nodded in affirmation, there was nothing to say.