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“Mhm,” Neo replied and took a few steps forward before coming to a stop once more. “If you really don’t want to speak to Dimitris about it until things settle, I think you need to ask Loki.”
“Why would I get that fucker involved?” I huffed. “Don’t say it's because we’re siblings. That excuse doesn’t count.”
“I thought you two were getting along?” Neo pondered, though his voice was far too amused to take him seriously. He began walking forward, and all I could do was follow.
“We tolerate one another for Willow’s sake.” That was all I was really going to say because that was the only reason I was taming my emotions.
Neither of us had a chance to really confront why I’d been deemed an orphan while he was originally assigned to oversee Willow’s protection before he was kidnapped.
I was sure he had the knowledge and answers to so many questions I carried in my rattled mind, but to confront him and get all the information I needed would mean time. Uninterrupted time—and maybe Willow present to be a referee—but I didn’t want to admit that deep down, I was frightened to know the truth.
To grasp who I really am.
I’d accepted being a shadow wolf and the dark qualities I carried with such a role, but if I was supposed to be a reaper wolf like Loki, what the fuck happened? Was I still in the late-blooming stages, or was there some sort of ritual I needed to undergo to free those shackles that kept my true power imprisoned within myself?
What happened to our packs? Our families? These crowns of royalty? Do we each get our throne, or will we have to compete for the power? Where do I lie in all of this whirlpool of discovery? What’s my true purpose?
There had to be a reason as to why I’d gone through the tortuous abandoned childhood I’d undergone. I was secretly wishing there were and it was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed and my resilience to survive would be recognized.
Maybe I was hoping to be like Willow. To finally be taking those last steps toward unraveling the truth to all her suffering and hardships.
“Well, for Willow, I think you need to discuss what happened with Loki when you have the chance and determine if that’s normal or a negative sign.”
“Negative sign?” Sure, almost killing one of my packmates—one of Sugar’s mates at that—was probably a negative sign, but the way he said it made it seem like what I’d done was irrelevant.
“I used to try to suppress Nico when he tried to take control and have his way. He’d force himself out and purposely make me struggle to take control as an act of rebellion. This was before we met Saint and Jayce, so Dimitris was able to help me a lot. He basically got the short end of the stick of my tantrums and lucidity, but he never turned a blind eye. No matter how much of a pain of an ass we were to him, he stuck through it.”
He paused in his steps to peer at me as I came to a stop next to him.
“I know Willow is your foundation in this world. The rock or light at the end of the tunnel when you need saving grace. It’s easy to rely on her because she’s the antidote to all our problems when we need her the most, but right now, Willow needs us more than ever,” Neo reasoned. “She’s a blooming flower that the world is excited to witness for the first time, but she’s vulnerable to the changes in the environment. Storms, fires, changes in temperature that can wither her gorgeous petals until her beauty is stripped away by the harshness of hatred all around her.”
He glanced forward as the magic circles in his eyes dimmed away into hollowness.
“I’m not trying to dismiss the importance of taking care of yourself. Willow’s happiness and mental balance lie in our survival and well-being, but it’s also important for us to acknowledge when we need help and not hesitate to reach out to someone within our pack for guidance or potential aid,” he elaborated. “If you don’t want to rely on Dimitris right now because he’s overwhelmed, I really think you should speak with Loki. Despite the difference, he’s your older brother and knows a lot more about what you are because he’s a reflection of it.”
He proceeded to walk again and I followed as he wrapped up his words of advice.
“I won’t say a word about what happened unless you wish for me to, and I have a strong hunch Willa won’t say anything either. This is your challenge that you need to deal with, but remember that not everything needs to be fought alone.”
“You’re acting like an Alpha,” I muttered softly, but his words of wisdom were far more helpful than I would publicly admit.
“If I wanted the role as Alpha in this pack, I could have gotten it ages ago,” he declared. “But I don’t have the mental capability nor commitment to solve everyone else’s problems.”
“So you like where you are in the pack?” I concluded.
“I’m very content,” he replied and came to a stop. “As long as I’m able to mix my passions and hobbies with what we do and love Willow, I’m completely content. I don’t feel threatened by my own packmates, no matter if they’re as old as Dimitris or as new as Arthur.”
He glanced over to me as his intense gaze softened a few notches.
“To me, our pack is family. No matter our differences or crazed personalities, at the end of the day, we have each other’s backs.” He was full of confidence. “It’s hard to give a person or group absolute trust, but the Forbidden Pack was destined to be this way. A group of endangered wolves that were brought together by a beautiful, powerful woman with pink hair and gender-bending skills.”
Wasn’t that the ultimate truth?
“Thanks, Neo,” I whispered and looked forward. “I’ll talk to Loki about it after the runway show, and if not, I’ll reach out to Dimitris.”
“Good.”
“Where’s Willa though?” I asked the question because there was nothing but trees before us.
