C12

“What’s going on here?” I am baffled. Queen Hearst is crying the same as Yoshiko. My head hurts and a little bit dizzy, what really happened and I am lying here in bed again? I tried to remember what happened when I was on the mountain, I think I lost consciousness then—

“You did it, I am so happy for you,” said Kline briskly in the middle of my thought.

“Excuse me?” Did what?

“You belong in this world no one will ever look down on you again for being a human” she added. I am still puzzled.

“I can not be wrong this time, you are my missing daughter,” Queen Hearst said.  My missing daughter? 

“Daughter?” I affirm.

“Yes you are my daughter Sachiko, you are the child I lost twenty years ago” she disclosed. No, this is a jest, right?

“Your daughter? You are a royal wolf and they said I am a daughter of an alpha, he can not be my father. I am not your daughter this is a slip-up” I spurn pointing my fingers at king Vinsor.

“Yes you are not mine but you are hers, “  king Vinsor said.

“What?”

“I’ll just let your mom explains everything”  he moves his head looking to his queen.

“What he said is right, I am your mother but he is not your father.  Gaviell Denyxsa is your father alpha of Blood Moon pack” I heard about that pack once but I thought it was just something unbelievable. Blood Moon pack is known to be the most dangerous wolf pack on this continent, the alpha has the most powerful leading characteristics that made the pack the most respectful pack before the Montromey kingdom.

“How can you be so sure that I am your daughter?”

“While unconscious on top of the mountain you transformed into a silver-gray wolf and the moon turns red. I was there and saw everything, other air creatures swooped around the mountain in lead by ravens and eagles” Kline explained.

“The moon turns red when your father transformed”,  the queen said.

“Vinsor is not my mate but we love each other and our love bore Yoshiko, it was late when I meet your father and found out that he is my mate. Because of that Vinsor and I decided to end what is between us and I accepted your father and that we had you but when you were just one month rogues attacked us here in Montromey while having a celebration” she added.

“You accepted him but both of you are together, you did not ruin him, right? What happened with the attack?” She can not do that to her mate, or did she?

“I am holding you that time, your mom was busy getting us food. To save you and Yoshiko he protected us until his last breath” king Vinson was the one to answer. My father died for them? I look at him and Yoshiko with an unbelievable stare like criticizing them in and out.

“I gave you to one of your father’s servants to keep you away from here but when we found him in the forest he was lifeless and you are were also gone. We looked for you in the whole forest as well as in the surrounding area but we could not find you” he added.

“Wasn’t it an audacity what you did? Don’t you have a mate? You know that she was my father’s given mate?” Out of resentment, I asked the king.

“I met my mate before I even met your mother but like her, my mate also died. She took her own life and your mother built me and healed the pain and wounds left by the death of my mate” he answered.

“Before your father lost his life he asked  Vinsor to take care of us both and not to be left behind” the queen explained next or if called is my mother.

“You said twenty years ago? Then that means I am already twenty?” One month when the rogues attacked so I am twenty years old but I want to be sure.

“Yes, you are” the queen answered.

“ A late-stage wolf, nice” I commented. Supposedly a wolf transforms in its eighteens and finds its mate but in my case, it is the opposite.

“Late or not what is important is that you find your way of life,” Yoshiko said.

Then I am indeed the son of alpha and noble. From sitting on the bed I got down and wear my sandal before looking at Kline.

“Where is Eiji?” I asked so she looked at Yoshiko. And what does my question have to do with him?

“Why?” she asked back. Was it wrong to ask where he is?

“I am asking do not answer me a question” I scolded her.

“He is in the falls” again?

Without any word I left them there and went into the falls. I found Eiji standing on the side of the river.

“Eiji” I called him. He turn his back and face me with his forehead creased.

“You are not the same as the girl I meet two months ago”  he asserted.

“How is that?” Not the same? Nothing changed in me I only transformed.

“You are no human Sachiko” I am still a human.

“That is because I already transformed into a wolf” he smiled which I did as well.

“I am happy for you”

“Thank you”

“Then you are? How do I address you now?”  His question made me cackle?

“Do you belong with the highness’s race?” I ask back.

“Yes, I am a lycan” well didn’t know that.

“Then address me just like how you address my brother and cousin”  hope he understands.

“Brother? Cousin?”

“Yoshiko and Kline”  his mouth slightly open for a couple of seconds before smiling.

“I see so you are the missing piece of the highness's” 

“And your missing friend” I added and he stared at me.

“Ha?”

“Can I knock?” For a couple of seconds, he only stared at me before talking again.

“Knock?”

“You said before that even if we are separated for a long time you will never close the door on me so I do not have to knock”

“What are you saying?” 

"Can’t he remember?”

“Friends, apart or not never left alone until we are old enough and have met other friends” I recited the promise we always recited together when we were kids.

Yes, I remember it all, when I was still a kid there is a boy I used to play with whose name is Jiji but we separated due to a tragedy. I remember Eiji’s hints when we first met here, I can not imagine that the boy I was playing with was a wolf. I thought we were just ordinary kids playing in the forest, falls, and wherever we could be.

“A-achi? You are Chichi?”  he stutters mentioning my name given when we were young.

“Jiji” I smiled and said my name as well.

As fast as it was the turtle ran towards me and immediately hugged me.

“Sorry I did nothing to save you that day, every day I carry the guilt of what happened. I was always by the side of every river to deplore my poltroonery” I never blamed him for what happened to me.

“What happened way back there is not your fault, I do not blame you and I never will,” I told him to get rid of the guilt he feels.  He pulled away from me but I laughed when I saw his eyes were red.

“What are you laughing at?” He glared asking.

“You are still young and gentle but a real gentleman cry so do not force yourself trying to hide those tears inside you flowing silently” is what I said right? But honestly, not because he is a man means he has no right to cry and be emotional.

“A man does not cry” he contradicted.

“Who told you that?”

“My aunt”

“Sorry to contradict your aunt but she is wrong, in my view, a man cries. We all cry, we all feel emotional because we have feelings, we have the heart to feel happiness and pain” I explained and he smiled as he pats my head and messed up my hair.

“Hey stop it I am not a kid” I complained.

“But you are” What?

“Stop messing around and answer my question Stryker” his forehead creased hearing his last name.

“If I won’t miss Montromey” ops.

“It is Denyxsa not Montromey” his face is priceless.

“Denyxsa?” He sounded like he knows the name.

“Yeah”

“Blood Moon pack” he uttered.

“You know that pack?” He only stared at me.

“You?”

“Never mind just answer my question”

“What question?”

“Jiji lot of things happened and changed of course what you said from the past may have changed or what so I am asking if should I knock or not” he pulled me for another hug.

“What I said before never change, you always had the place in my life that I will never close the door for it. Now that I already met you again I promise to never do what I have done before, I will always help and protect you no matter what happens” why do I feel something weird with his words.

Confused, I did not ask him what he meant by the words he uttered. What matters to me now is that I know the truth in my being and I have already completed nothing more than that matters.

“I am happy for you Achi and I am glad that I met you again. Never forget what I just promise and in the future I want you to be happy and do what is right” he said pulling away from me.

“What?”

“Sorry but I have to go see you again tomorrow” instead of answering he kissed my forehead and bid me goodbye. I only stared at his back walking away. What is he saying?

I walk back into the castle thinking about his words. Do what is right? I saw the queen pacing back n forth at the castle's entrance. 

“Is everything okay your highness?”  I ask her.

“Goodness there you are I thought you left” she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief answering my question.

“And where will I go if ever I left?”

“Just don’t leave please” she begs.

“I am not” this is so weird.

“Sachiko” Kline together with Yoshiko came out from behind.

“Why?” I look at Kline who called my name a while ago.

“Where is Eiji?” She asks.

“I do not know, he left several minutes ago” I answered shrugging my shoulder.

“Why did you go looking out for him?” Yoshiko also asks. What is wrong with me looking for my friend?

“I am Eiji’s friend so stop criticizing like I have done something unwanted to him” though it is not criticizing the way they ask me to say so.

“Quit it” the queen middle in.

“It was as if they were going to fight me that I went to Eiji” I grouch.

“That is enough, you are no longer children to quarrel against a friend,”  the queen said stopping us.

I made a sign that I am keeping my mouth shut, this is so awkward.

“Sorry but I do not know how will I feel that you are my family. It seems like only yesterday you saved my life and did not think about it but still, I am happy that I found out where I came from” I honestly said.

“I do not know if I have anything to blame for what happened to me, for what I went through. All my life I have not complained and uttered words about the judgments and hardships I have experienced but now I feel like I want to curse. Because my real family is people who are respected while me I do not know if tomorrow the judgments will silence me” I let out a sigh of resentment that made me cry.

“But that is okay I am still alive and breathing. I laughed recovering from what I said while wiping my eyes.

“I do not know what you have been through but I hope you give us a chance to appreciate you and be a part of your life. Allow us to witness the next chapters of your life from now on” mother pleaded.

“Who I am to refuse the grace bestowed upon me?  Closer to her I was the one to make the move, hugged her.

 Why would I go away when the opportunity has brought me to them.