Chapter 18: Coming Clean

[Dove]
As a punishment for breaking the rule of stepping into forbidden grounds, I had to help with the harvesting and help out at Connie’s B&B.

Cole didn’t tell me this - Megan did.

She was my new ‘escort’ - Owin had left the village for his political duties and Jude needed to increase training for the young warriors.

As for Cole, we were back to square one - he was missing in action again. I have not seen him for a week.

“Okay, give me that.”

A toned bronze arm slithered into my blurry view and removed the beet from my stagnant hand. I blinked the mist away, looked up and smiled at a bemused face.

“Cry or smile - choose one,” Megan shook her head and threw the beet into my basket, “don’t do both - you look scary.”

I returned to the record book and scribbled a note about the unusually small beet that just went into the basket.

Megan sounded so much like Cole that it felt like he was next to me. The thought reddened my eyes again. I turned from her and lifted my chin to the bright blue sky, making the tears flow back.

“Dove, is everything alright?”

We turned around and nodded at Patrick’s smiling sweaty face. Switching to a proud grin, he stepped closer and clasped both hands enthusiastically, “We appreciate your help, our Luna. Remember to check with us before you step into an unknown area.”

After giving me his daily reminder, he went to check the field.

Megan said that Cole told Patrick that I had stepped through the hedges by accident, so Patrick started to nag at me like my guardian. Since I missed my father, I actually enjoyed his attention and concern.

I also learned from Patrick that the pack grows almost all fruits and vegetables it consumes. They would keep some and sell the rest. The money would buy the right technology to help with their daily chores. Megan keeps all resources in check while Patrick ensures the harvest.

Megan told me that the pack uses a system very different from my old pack's. In my old pack, being assigned to the fields means a demotion to an Omega. But here, work is distributed according to interests and strengths so every werewolf contributes to the pack.

The system works because everyone wants the same thing: a peaceful and quiet life. It was as Cole had said - everyone here just wants to be left in peace.

I dropped another beet into the basket and said, “I’m going to keep trying until I talk to Cole.”

Megan cradled my face and cheered, “That’s the spirit. Men are just weird. So we have to be normal for them.”

I laughed and nodded.


******

[Cole]
There was still no news from his Gamma.

Cole watched on with a grim look as the young warriors, now fitter and stronger, threw punches at the perfect angle and swerved kicks at precise timings. He nodded with a bent of his mouth - Jude’s training was showing results.

He turned to the spiky hair Beta on his right and frowned, “Seriously, are you going to avoid Megan forever?”

Jude kept his gaze ahead, “Are you going to avoid Dove forever?”

Cole narrowed his gaze and growled, “I’m talking about you and Megan, you mutt.”

“What about it?” An innocent voice asked.

A brief silence fell between them, then Jude asked, “Did Owin send a messenger?”

Cole sighed and shook his head, and then returned to the fighting werewolves. He said, “No. I’m thinking if I should join him. It’s really quiet out there.”

He turned and saw Jude’s tensed jaw. Then, Jude faced him with a solemn expression that only appeared when he sensed a looming situation, and said, “I think you should. As much as Owin’s skilled, he’s still no match for those elders should they decide to gang up on him.”

Cole lifted his chin and searched his mind. Then, he said, “I’ll set off tomorrow. You’re in charge till I’m back.”


******

Cole emerged from the waters and brushed his face.

He couldn’t sleep. Dove had been occupying his entire mind so he had been coming to the waterfall to cool off. The spiky coldness could numb his brain for a while so he could rest.

Ignoring the glow of the moon, he turned from the loud crashing waterfall and halted in surprise.

Dove was standing at the bank.

Wiping the water from his face, he looked again and she was glowing beautifully in the moonlight.

He tore his gaze from the alluring sight, groaned inwardly and continued towards the bank. Once out of the waters, he heard his name, but he refused to stop for her and zoomed past without a word.

“Cole, please!”

Cole slowed down, almost giving in to the pleading voice. It sounded coarser. A thought sprang in Cole’s mind: had she been crying a lot? He wanted to find out but he couldn’t do it now. This is a battle that he must win.

Fuck, he cursed silently and strode on.

“Cole, wait!” She pleaded once more. Her voice was stronger. “I’m sorry that I broke my promise and misplaced your trust.”

Cole moved on with larger steps and heard her footsteps growing faster and getting clearer.

“I should’ve told you the truth about the cave when you asked me,” she continued in between deep breaths.

Fuck, Cole cursed silently. His legs slowed down. He groaned as she neared him.

“I really feel that something is not right.”

Cole spun around and she halted in surprise, two arms’ length from him. He glared at her panting face and said, “I told you I don’t want to hear it.”

“Please, Cole. I didn’t mean to bring up the past and hurt everyone,” she whispered.

“Well, you did. Are you happy?”

“Why do you say that?”

Cole saw her swollen eyes reddened, he swallowed hard. She sniffed to suppress an incoming wave and fixed her gaze at him.

“I would never want to harm you or your family,” she sniffed.

“Bullshit, Dove!” Cole took an angry step forward, raised a finger at the moon and growled, “You went to the cave because you wanted to prove that your precious Goddess was perfect so you could keep that perfect image of Her.”

Dove took a brave step forward, both hands gripped in tight fists, and cried, “No! It was because the Moon Goddess saved me, Cole.”

And then, it all tumbled out in a shaky voice - beautiful face and her chummies from her old home, the icy lake, the stream of moonlight and her near escape from death.

By the time Dove had finished, Cole was shaking in pure fury. He imagined a ten-year-old Dove helplessly struggling and gasping for that string of light in the dark depths of the harsh waters and his limbs went numb. What would happen if…

“... the Moon Goddess hadn’t come to me, I would probably be--,” she choked.

Sensing the spikes of fear in her voice, Cole cursed silently. He immediately pulled her towards him and wound his arms around her like a protective ring.

In his warmth, the iceberg of those cold memories melted rapidly through her tears.