No fear

The town market buzzed with life during midday when the sun was high, and the heat was on. It was where all creatures mingled, each hiding their true nature. 

Salazar pulled the hood of his jacket closer, ducking his head as he ventured through the crowd. 

Although no one would burn him alive if they learned that he was not entirely human, he had been accustomed to avoiding looking at anyone in particular when he was in public.

Part of the curse he was given was to see a person's lifespan. As much as possible. Salazar had been cautious not to make eye contact or accidentally bump into anyone. 

His power to see the future sometimes becomes a little too much that he has no control over it. 

Seeing the red eyesore of a door down a few blocks from where he was, Salazar sighed with relief. He put power to his feet and moved quickly, maneuvering his way to get past the people who seemed to be walking like dead persons in front of him.

Despite hurrying his way to meet with the wise, older Seer, Salazar made sure to avoid touching anyone by accident.

"The last thing I need is a sudden glimpse of someone's untimely death," he shivered at the thought, images of the carnage he had seen in his vision coming to mind. 

When he reached Daeja's place, he immediately tapped the door thrice. A few seconds passed before the red door creakily opened. 

Salazar stepped inside, the smell of dust and ancient books wafting through his nose. 

"You are late," a soft voice came from the counter to his right. No visible person was sitting there, but Salazar chuckled in response.

"Does this mean you also saw the alarming vision?"

A woman, no older than her forties with curly raven hair and pierced eyebrows, appeared before Salazar in a blink of an eye. 

Instead of an ordinary pair of eyes, in them were white balls that had frightened Salazar the first time he met Daeja.

She leaned forward, sniffing the air around Salazar before clicking her tongue and dusting his shoulders, getting rid of the invisible dirt that clung to him. 

"I'm afraid so," Daeja answered somewhat ruefully, resuming a close distance from Salazar. "Their paths already crossed, and fate will bring them together no matter what we do."

"Are you sure?" Salazar asked, his face sceptical even though he knew that Daeja's foresight had never been wrong. 

"Everyone," the younger Seer paused, recalling the tragic future that awaited them. "And I mean everyone will die. Maybe we could influence their choices or warn them about what will happen if they stay together."

The elder Seer shook her head, making her hair dance around her shoulders. 

"You have seen what happens to those who try to intervene with the fates, haven't you?"

Salazar felt the hairs all over his body come to attention as cold, dreadful shivers made his stomach churn. He knew first-hand what it took to pay the price of meddling with what was supposed to happen.

He stared at Daeja, uncertain what to do with the vision he had received.

"We can't just sit and do nothing, Daeja,"

Daeja clicked her tongue in response. 

"These beings had done nothing good to you, and yet you would do anything to save them," Daeja took a deep breath, narrowing her gaze at the younger Seer. "I know a way to prevent the inevitable bloodshed. However, are you willing to pay the price?"

–

Thud!

The Alpha slammed a fist on the wooden table, creating a massive crack while his eyes were ablaze. 

Jordan stood opposite her father in his study. She glared at him with no plans of taking back what she had said earlier.

The mother and son were brought back to the infirmary, Jordane assuring that no decision was going to be made regarding them until she resolved her conflict with her father. 

She had her friend, Livvy, stay with the woman and made her stand guard. 

Jordan couldn't trust her father's words. Much as she wanted to avoid causing commotion and her mother's wrath, she knew she couldn't let her father punish an innocent life just because his birth was a mistake.

"What do you think you're doing?" her father demanded, seething with rage. Jordan scoffed in response. 

"What do you think you're doing?" she threw back at the Alpha, infuriating him further. 

"How can I expect the other wolves to follow my lead when my daughter questions my decisions."

"Because it is questionable." she retorted. "Killing a newborn? Since when did taking an innocent life been okay with you?"

A minute of silence hung in the air as father and daughter battled in a stare-me-down contest. The tension created electrical sparks that were invisible to the naked eye but could be felt severely by anyone who was to join them.

Her mother decided to stay at the infirmary, leaving Jordan to be scolded by her father. However, she was no longer a teenage brat who was afraid to answer the Alpha.

"That child is not welcome here," the Alpha growled, sounding more frustrated that he couldn't give his daughter a direct response to her query. 

“Sure,” Jordane spat. "But you have no right to decide whether he lives or dies. You're not the moon goddess, and you're not the god of death either. "

"He will suffer the same fate if I hand him to the other pack. I am giving them mercy."

"Mercy?" Jordane mimicked her father's previous fist-slamming. "That's bullshit, father. You and I know there's no mercy in what you're offering. I don't care what you want to happen, but I'm giving you two options."

The young wolf paused, giving her father a determined stare.

"First option is to let them stay. When the child is old enough to make decisions independently, then you can throw them out."

The Alpha seethed, inevitably listening to Jordane's unwavering persuasion. 

"Second option is to hand them over to the other pack. But," Jordane paused, folding her arms over her chest. "I will go with them and personally see to it that the child lives."