Chapter 108
Astor’s Pov
+25 Points >
The sun was warm on my face as I watched Marco try to catch a butterfly. Isabella was laughing following her brother behind. It felt right, felt like home but there was one person
missing.
I would have liked to have her here.but she hadly slept and she needs to rest.
“Daddy, look” Isabella giggled, holding up a tiny red beetle in her cupped hands.
“That’s a lovely one, sweetheart,” I said, my heart swelling. I loved this moment more than anything. My kids are my whole world. Especially now that I know Isabella is biologically
mine.
It was always a fear of mine that one day she’ll understand and not want anything to do with
me in the future.
Marco ran back, a little breathless. “Dad, can we play soccer now?” he asked, his eyes sparkling.
“Soon, buddy,” I ruffled his hair. “But first, I want to talk to you about something important.”
I sat down on the soft grass, pulling Marco onto my lap and Isabella nestled in beside me. Marco looked up at me, his brow furrowed in a cute, questioning way.
“Marco,” I began, keeping my voice gentle. “You know how there are many wolves around?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yeah. A lot of them.”
I chuckled. ” See, we are very special. We’re part of something ancient, something that makes us different from the humans you knew before.”
His eyes widened. He’d lived in the human world for most of his short life, so this was all new
to him.
“We are werewolves,” I explained slowly, watching his reaction. “It means we can change into big, strong wolves. Not just any wolves, but our wolves. It makes us part of a pack, like a big, close family. It gives us special senses, and it makes us protect the ones we love with everything we have.”
He looked a little scared, but mostly fascinated. “Like… you change into a wolf?”
“Yes” I grinned. “And we’re smarter. We keep our minds, even when we’re wolves. It’s a part of
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who we are, a gift from our ancestors.”
Isabella piped up, “Daddy’s wolf is fluffy!”
Marco’s eyes got even wider. “You- you can change now?”
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I looked at him, seeing the curiosity, with a hint of nervousness. I wanted him to understand and not to be afraid. “Would you like to see?”
He nodded, my brave little boy.
I set Marco down gently, standing up. Isabella, knowing what was coming, took a few steps back, ready for the show. I closed my eyes, focusing, letting the change take over. It was always quick, a rush of power, bones shifting and stretching, skin thickening into fur. In a blink, I was in my wolf form.
A gasp escaped Marco’s lips. He stood there, frozen, his eyes like saucers. My wolf was big, probably taller than him on all fours. His entire face was a picture of awe.
“Papa… wolf!” he whispered, a sound of
pure wonder.
Isabella, on the other hand, was already dashing towards me. She knew this wolf. She’d ridden on my back and buried her face in my fur countless times. She reached me and, without a moment’s hesitation, threw her arms around my neck, her small hands sinking into my thick fur. “You’re back!” she giggled, pressing her cheek against my snout.
I nudged her gently with my muzzle, a soft rumble escaping my chest. Marco, seeing Isabella’s comfort, slowly took a step forward, then another. He reached out a hesitant hand, his fingers barely touching my side. My fur was soft, warm. He looked up at my big wolf eyes, and I gave him a soft whimper, letting him know it was still me.
He finally smiled, a wide, joyful grin, and then he was petting me too, running his fingers through my fur, giggling when I gave his hand a gentle lick. For a few wonderful minutes, I rolled around on the grass with them, letting them climb onto my back, nudging them playfully with my nose. Their laughter was the best sound in the world.
Then I shifted back.
“That was amazing” Marco exclaimed, practically buzzing with excitement.
“It truly is,” I agreed, pulling him into a hug. “And one day, when you’re older, you’ll feel that power too.”
“Can we play soccer now, Dad?” Isabella asked, already running towards the little goal cones I’d set up.
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one thing I love is attention span because you can literally make her angry about anything and within a few seconds she’s already jumping into something else.
I don’t know who she gets it from between me and her mom because we’re both really passionate about things that we’re really doing but the mere fact that I can make similarities between her and us is more than enough for me because I yearned for the kind of connection.
“Absolutely!” I grabbed the ball, and soon we were a whirlwind of yells and laughter. I let them score goal after goal, my heart light with their happiness. I will make sure that my children are always this happy and for that I’m willing to do anything.
We were in the middle of a particularly fierce match Isabella bravely guarding the goal while Marco tried to dribble past me when I saw them.
My parents.
Looking regal and calm as ever, were walking towards us across the pack grounds. I haven’t seen them in month and I don’t know how are you really feel about my parents for the last couple of years and particularly now that I found out what my father did.
but that wasn’t the source of my discomfort but the person who accompanied them was.
My smile faltered. My stomach lurched. The joy that had filled me just moments before drained away, replaced by a cold, hard knot of pure disgust. I was happy to see my parents. But Alice just the sight of her made my blood run cold. Her perfectly styled hair, her innocent–looking dress, the way she walked like she owned the place. I hated her with every fiber of my being.
I made sure to get Isabella while she was still asleep because I didn’t want to even see her face.
Isabella, spotting her grandparents, let out a delighted squeal. “Grandma! Grandpa!” she cried, abandoning her goalie duties to sprint towards them. My mother scooped her up, showering her with kisses while my father patted her head with a gentle smile.
I forced myself to walk towards them, a tight smile plastered on my face. I embraced my mother genuinely then patted my father on the back.
“Astor, my boy,” my father said. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too.” I gave them another squeeze pretending like I couldn’t see the person next to them.
“Marco,” I called, beckoning him over. He came, a little shy, hiding slightly behind my leg. “Mom, Dad, this is Marco.”
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My mother’s eyes softened instantly. “Oh, Marco! It’s so wonderful to finally meet you, darling!” She reached out, gently cupping his cheek. “You look so much like your father when he was a little boy, Astor.”
My father nodded in agreement. “Indeed he does. Welcome to the pack, son.”
Marco, still a bit overwhelmed, managed a small, shy smile. That’s when I noticed it. Alice was staring at Marco, her eyes narrowed, a look of uncomfortable disdain on her face. It wasn’t just me but Marco could feel it too. He flinched, pulling back slightly, his small hand gripping my pants.
My blood boiled. How dare she? I scooped Marco up without a thought, holding him close against my chest, shielding him from her venomous gaze.
“Alice,” I said, my voice carefully neutral, though inside I felt like roaring. “What are you doing here?”
She gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, a plastic, calculated thing I’d seen a million times before. “Astor.” she cooed, taking a step closer. “I wanted to spend some time with you and Isabella. You know, as a family.”
the fact that she had the liver to say something like that to me after she broke my family and kept my daughter away from her real mother is disgusting.
My stomach churned. Family? The word tasted like ash in my mouth when it came from her. I forced my own smile, a mirror of her fake one. “Oh, that’s a very good idea, Alice,” I lied smoothly. “But for now, I’m hoping to spend some time with my parents. It’s been a while.”
Her smile tightened. “We’ve all missed you, Astor.” She aimed the comment at my mother, trying to make it sound like I was the one neglecting them.
but the truth of the matter is that she is nothing to me so I don’t owe her anything.
My mother, bless her heart, immediately jumped in. “Yes, Astor, why haven’t you been spending more time with Isabella? Alice tells me that you’ve been busy with Marco and you’re forgetting about your little girl.”
I knew what Alice was doing, manipulating my mom into making me feel guilty. But I wouldn’t fall for it. “Mom, I spend plenty of time with Isabella. “I leveled a look at Alice, a silent challenge in my eyes. “In fact, Alice, I think it’s a wonderful idea for us to spend time together. Why don’t you join us for dinner tonight?”
The words felt like poison on my tongue. Dinner with her? I wanted to vomit, to scream, to run as far away as possible. I hated her with every single fiber of my body. But I had to play her game. I had to pretend, for Isabella’s sake. I had to get our daughter away from her, and
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this was the only way. If I pretended to want a happy family, she’d have no reason to fight me. Not yet.
“That’s lovely, Astor,” she said, her smile faltering just a fraction, surprised by my sudden agreement.
“Perfect,” I said, a wave of revulsion washing over me. “Tonight, then. It will be delightful.” I squeezed Marco tighter, feeling his small weight in my arms. Tonight, I would endure her. Tonight, I would play the part. For my daughter and for Faith.
