Humphrey's POV
I put head out of the cart slightly and closed my eyes letting the cold air flow through my fur. I'd never felt so disheartened to be home, which is a situation I never thought I'd be in. I opened my eyes as the sign for Jasper park flew by and my heart twinged. The adventure was over and it would all be back to normal. *You can't just not tell her after all of this, just do it.* I yelled at myself, turning to look at Kate sleeping peacefully in the moon light coming from the hatch in the cart roof, sighing.
"Psst Kate... Kate wake up, wake up." I whispered, nudging her face with my nose. She groaned and opened her eyes getting up and yawning as my heart rate began to quicken. "Humphrey? Where are we?" She asked, arching her back as she stretched, looking at me with a curious expression. "We're... We're in Jasper." I replied as a surprised and strangely disappointed look spread across her face and she walked over to me, sitting at my side. I just want us to stay on this train together and see where we end up. Since we got taken to Idaho I've never felt so close to her. Of course I've always had a crush on her but I feel like during our journey, it's meant something. It's difficult to describe but I just want to be with her.
"Oh, we're home." She replied with a scoff, almost sounding disappointed to be back, although I agreed with her. As much as I missed home I didn't really want to come back. "Yep. We're home." I replied in the same tone. *Just tell her how you feel!* I told myself sternly. "There's something I..." We blurted at the same time. I chuckled and looked at the floor. "P-Please, you first." I said with a smile as Kate grinned small glow appearing on her cheeks. "Humphrey I just wanted to tell you these past couple of days, they've been kind of... Fun..." She started with an adorable smile as I felt my heart lift. "You've been kind of... Fun." She added.
"Really?" I asked with a huge smile spreading across my face. "Really." She replied with a slow nod. Then I remembered, now we're home maybe she won't think I'm fun any more, will she. She'll have Barf and she'll just forget about me. That thought is enough to put me off leaving this train. "Well that... That's great. I told you, we make a pretty good team." I said, putting on a fake smile. "We do." She giggled. I sighed feeling my stomach start to churn, this is it, my time to tell her how I feel.
"Okay, well..." I started, fidgeting with my paws trying my best to get the words out. "No, no, no don't tell me, you have to go to the bathroom again?" She asked jokingly. "Why? Do you see a truck stop?" I replied with a nervous chuckle, trying to play off how worried I was about telling her. She tilted her head and gave me the cutest smile that eased my nerves. "Kate I just wanted to tell you I..." I started, I tried to say 'love you' but my voice fell away. Telling her this could mean I loose her forever, but I guess I could always stay on the train.
"I... L-Love you." I blurted, closing my eyes tightly. She didn't reply and I felt my heart sinking. Great, I've gone and done it now.
Kate's POV
Did he just say he loved me? What am I meant to say to that, I mean he is my best friend but I can't. I promised dad I'd marry Garth and unite the packs, that's what's right. "Humphrey I..." I started, looking over his shoulder feeling my stomach churn. The packs we're facing off in the valley. "I need to go!" I exclaimed, pushing what he said to the back of my mind, jumping out of the carriage.
"But no, your daughter had to up and run away." Tony snapped, his voice a faint echo from deeper in the valley. I ran faster hearing Humphrey on my tail and skidded to a halt at the lip of the cliff. "I didn't run away!" I yelled down at them, Humphrey stood by my side as we started down the rocky face into the valley. Mum and dad ran to me and hugged me once I got to the floor. "We were so worried." Mum whimpered as dad stood at her side looking stern. "Where have you been?" He asked curiously as I pulled away from mum, Humphrey sat at my side.
"In Idaho." I replied still feeling excited to be home and seeing mum and dad again, but mostly thinking back to the adventure me and Humphrey had had together. "Idaho! What were you doing in Idaho?" He asked sounding stern as he looked, taking a step towards me raising an eyebrow. "We we're taken by humans to another park." I admitted as Humphrey stepped forwards. This can only go one way and it's not going to be pretty. "We were supposed to repopulate." He said with a smiling expression to say 'crazy right?' But mum took it as far from it as she could.
She lunged at him and pinned him to the floor by the throat, snarling savagely. Me and dad both seemed to panic over Humphrey's safety and ran to them. "No, no, no mum we didn't repopulate! Humphrey actually helped me get home." I said in a soothing tone hiding my panic as Humphrey started to look weak. She stopped snarling but didn't take her paws off his neck for a few seconds. I nodded down to him desperately and she got up, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. "Oh, what a nice boy." She smiled, her attitude changing faster than a blink as Humphrey gasped and panted for air.
"I came back becau-." I started standing back beside Humphrey before Tony cut across me. "You came back, to Marry Garth." He grumbled, pushing Garth towards me. He looked as worried as I was. Accept I knew I was about to rip someone's heart from their chest, so why would he be worried. I looked at Humphrey who had an expression like he had just been shot in the chest. I gulped and frowned, it's for the packs, for the benefit of everyone. *You need to do this* I told myself sternly, ignoring Humphrey and stepping towards Garth. "Yes, and unite the packs!" I yelled, looking around at the contending packs as they yowled and hollered in celebration, running down from their places to where we were all standing.
I heard Humphrey gasp and laugh a little, like he was going to go insane. I felt a sudden blanket of guilt smother me and I turned to look at him through the crowd, only just realising how hurt he was. He really couldn't believe what was happening. Dad looked prouder than ever with Tony laughing at his side, everyone celebrating around us, but I had tunnel vision staring at Humphrey. He stood looking shaky, staring at the floor with a mortified expression as he started towards me. I have some serious explaining to do.
"Married! You're getting M-Married?" He stuttered, his ears flat to his head and his eyes looking teary. "Yes, isn't it great? No more fighting during hunts, no more scraps and bones at dinner time. We're going to unite the packs." I replied trying to make him feel as good as everyone else, but it did the opposite. He frowned and shook his head, his mouth agape as a group of female wolves gather around me talking about the wedding and puppies and other things I didn't really care a great deal about. I'd just ripped his heart from him and thrown it to the floor. Maybe this wasn't the right thing to do after all.
Humphrey POV *Back at his den*
"No, of course that would happen, what we're you expecting? An Omega like you? HA HA! Not a chance!" I bellowed at myself my mind insane with sadness. I charged at my den, headbutting the rotten tree beside it hard, sending splinters flying. I didn't move, just kept my head against the soft, wet, rotten wood letting tears fall down my face. "You had your chance." I muttered with a sigh, digging my claws into the dirt.
"Humphrey? You good bro?" Salty asked as he, Shaky and Mooch walked up behind me. I shook myself and swallowed my grief wiping the tears from my eyes and turned to them with the most fake smile I've ever given anyone in my life. "Hey guys, yeah I'm good." I lied nodding with a sure expression on my face, but they'd known me long enough to see through my mask. "Why'd you leave so soon?" Mooch asked seriously, stepping forwards with a frown. "I was just-." I started before he cut across me. "Tired, yeah I'm sure." He said knowingly. I sighed and looked at the floor.
"Come on buddy, we're your best friends you can tell us." Shaky smiled. I sighed and looked at the floor. "It's just everything. Everything me and Kate had been through while I tried to get her back here made me realise how much I loved her, so I told her... But we had to run off of the train and all I got for an answer was her, marrying Barf." I vented, spitting his name as I slumped to the floor wanting to cry again. I looked up to them and they stayed silent, exchanging glances with each other.
"Look, I know this is going to be hard, but your just going to have to let her go. You can still be her friend right? Isn't that good enough?" Salty asked, sitting beside me putting his paw on my back. I felt myself get frustrated when he asked if that was good enough. "No it's not good enough, that's all I've ever been to anyone,just a wing man, a shoulder to cry on, a back up plan! I'm tired of this." I sighed, shaking my head and getting up. I know what I have to do to make this right. I need to leave and not come back, get on the train as soon as I can and just leaving. "I'm leaving Jasper. I need to get away from all of this. I'm sorry guys." I said, heading into my den, laying in the shadows feeling lower than ever, watching them as Mooch shook his head and they all left looking at a loss.
"Humphrey? Are you okay in there?" A familiar British voice asked from the mouth of my den. I opened my eyes and they we're sore from crying and from the bright morning sun. I got up and yawned spotting Marcel and Paddy standing there looking concerned. I felt a little twinkle of happiness in my chest as I sat in front of them. "Hey guys." I replied blankly. "You sound terrible my friend, what happened?" Marcel asked, bending his long neck down to see my face. "Haven't you heard? Kate's getting married." I replied feeling emotionless again. Paddy gasped and smiled up at Marcel pointing at me, but when Marcel shook his head Paddy's expression turned grave and sad and he looked at the floor.
"Oh dear... I'm sorry Humphrey, I know how much she meant to you..." He sighed, putting his wing on my shoulder. I lowered my head and sighed, closing my eyes. "When does the next train pass?" I asked, looking up at them. They looked at each other and sighed. "It's passing soon, I think... If you leave now you can make it." Paddy replied sounding like he regretted saying. "Thank you guys so much." I replied, pulling the two into a hug. "I hope I see you soon." I said doing my best to give them a smile. "You will." Marcel said with a nod as I turned my back on them and ran off towards the train tracks again.
Kate's POV
"Wow... It's a big crowd." I laughed nervously, sitting just outside the den looking down to where mine and Garth's wedding is going to be. Lilly brushed my tail carefully and silently as I watched a the crowd around the pedestal rock grow larger. "Yeah... Good times." She said sarcastically as my mind went back to Humphrey and what happened last night. I can't keep thinking about weather the discussion I made was wrong or right, it was for the good of our packs, even if it does mean loosing someone I've never been closer to. Oh who am I kidding? I'm an idiot!
"So I heard you and Garth spent some time together." I said, doing my best to take my mind off of Humphrey. Suddenly Lilly dragged the pine cone through my tail hard, pulling at it. "Ow! Lilly." I sighed, frowning over my shoulder. "Sorry." She replied coldly as I looked back down the hill. "I'm sure he's perfect marrying material." I said, trying to convince myself although I'm really doubting it. Lilly growled behind me and shattered the pine cone in her teeth. "Well, if you like that sort of thing... Big, brawny... And perfect." She said her voice faiding to a whisper. I looked down to her raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, Lilly your wearing your fur back!" I beamed, admiring how cute she looked with the new mane style. She looked shocked and quickly brushed it back over her eye. "Sorry... I know." She sighed, turning her back on my and walking back into the den. "But... I liked it." I protested, knowing that I was talking to myself. I went to follow her but a small round rock landed at my paws, taking my attention from her and to the two birds flying down to my feet.
"Marcel! Paddy!" I beamed feeling all my worried melt away at the sight of the two, pulling them into a hug. "What are you two doing here?" I asked curiously, realising that they said they would be leaving after we got on the train. "Well we just flew in to see that you'd made it home." Paddy replied. "And what do we find?" Marcel asked with an awkward chuckle. "Your getting married." They said in sync, faking laughs. I raised an eyebrow at them and smiled. "Yeah, I'm getting married... Who told you?" I asked curiously.
Paddy's expression turned hurt and Marcel frowned. "A certain grey omega wolf." He said blankly. I felt my heart lift and a smile spread across my face. "Humphrey? Is he here?" I asked. Their expressions turned colder and they looked at the floor. "What happened?" I asked feeling my heart stop and become over run with worry. "He's gone. Left a few minuets ago for the train. I've never seen someone so upset." Paddy said looking up at Marcel who shook his head.
This is all my fault. Humphrey gave up and left everything behind because I was so full of my responsibilities that I totally blocked him out, after everything he's done for me. "Don't be late Kate. You've got wedding to get to." Marcel said sounding quite severe, jabbing his club towards my sister who was heading down to the valley with my parents. I don't want to leave them but I know I have to, I have a job to do. "I'm sorry guys. See you soon." I smiled. They didn't smile back and just watched as I ran down from the den and after my family. The one person I wanted to be here was gone... And it was my fault... I'm a monster...