Chapter 3
Kate's Perspective. After Humphrey left. Outside main den with Lilly.
"I just don't understand, Lilly." I said with a sigh; tears beginning to well up in my eyes again.
"It's not your fault. Maybe there was something going on in his life that he didn't want us to know.. or maybe we just couldn't see it. Either way, don't let this get to you, Kate." Lilly said sheepishly. Lilly and Humphrey were really good friends, they got along really well.
My emotions have been bottled up for so long about him that I feel like I'm literally going to explode. It's so bothersome that I couldn't even respond to Lilly. My eyes threatened to release the floodgates. Just then, my father walked up the slope.
"Oh, Kate. You are so beautiful." He said, trying to change the subject off of Humphrey. I guess he heard our conversation.
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Dad." I said with a shaky voice.
Lilly and Dad looked at each other grimacing. My father walked up beside me and placed a paw on my shoulder.
"Kate.. I know that you're in love with him." He said quietly.
I was shocked, to say the least; that my dad of all people would say that, let alone accept it. I was about to respond but he continued before I had the chance.
"I want you to know that I have sent 6 of our top Alphas, excluding you, to go find him. Kate, I've watched you grow up in a world where we are binded to our roles in the pack. For most, that meant losing the opportunity to love. For all, that meant finding yourself. For you, it meant sacrifice. I watched your life glow brighter than the sun whenever he was around. You and him were inseparable when you were younger. When your mother and I asked you to become an Alpha, we knew that you were too young to understand the consequences. We understand that he is your best friend. We're your parents, Kate.. we have only ever wanted what was best for you." He said added quietly.
At this point I was just lost in my mind, staring into nothingness; a single tear rolling down my face.
"I don't want to go through with this marriage, Dad." I said with a rasp to my voice. "Please don't make me do this." I added, unable to keep my emotions under control.
My father simply sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
"I know you don't want to go through with this, I knew it when I first spoke to Winston about it." He said. My father has always been an understanding man, but he often has trouble relating to my feelings. "But.. if you don't.. They will go to war with us. You know this, Kate.." He added.
I closed my eyes, staring at the dirt between my paws, watching my few tears splatter between them.
"I know Dad, I understand." I said starting to break down. "It's my responsibility.. to throw away my future.. for the benefit of the pack.. determined by my parents." I added with a fiery heart.
Winston was taken aback.
"Kate, that's not what this is about-" He started, before I interrupted him.
"Is it not, dad?!" I said, beginning to become hostile, staring at him. "This is all it's ever been about. All you and mom do is determine what you want for me, all because I've been too dull to recognize that you're using me." I added with hate.
Winston, who would usually become a stern rule enforcer at this point, simply sat there, watching the dirt.
"I know Kate.. I-" He began. I was taken aback by his response, I mean he confirmed my statement? "I know you want your independence, we both know that; your mother and I." He added, pausing. "You are just so talented, Kate. You've always had a strong attitude toward any challenge I've ever thrown at you. And.. I let that get to my head. I know you're more than that." He finished, grimacing.
"You know this, yet you still didn't change." I said with disappointment, immediately after running down the slope toward the woods. No direction in mind.
"No, Kate! I'm sorry!" Winston yelled, running to the end of the slope with Lilly right behind him.
I didn't even see mom, yet I couldn't help but feel the same way toward her. I sprinted into the forest, tears streaming across my face. My tears began to blur my vision and I ended up running straight into a thin tree causing it to burst, making me tumble uncontrollably into a much larger tree, making me lose consciousness.
My body lay for hours, only visited by birds flying by. The shadows shifted quickly, growing taller every minute. Soon enough, the shadows disappeared, replaced by darkness.
My thoughts, replaced only by Humphrey's emotionless face. Today, when he left; he had an unreadable aura of exasperation clouded over his normal self. And what he said.. "Especially not to the people that love you."
In that moment, my world came back to my senses as I slowly stood up. I winced when I put pressure on my right arm. I looked down to see a large cut on the backside of my arm, running down about 4 inches; not noticeably bleeding anymore. It wasn't fileted open enough to be concerning, so I'll just deal with it when convenient.
Now, it's almost pitch black dark. I've lost my sense of direction, and am definitely lost. I have a headache, almost bad enough to bring water to my eyes. I decided to just start walking. Staying right where I am won't solve anything.
As I walk, I couldn't help but think about what my father said. He.. said he knew I loved Humphrey, but.. I didn't even know that myself. I mean, I don't deny it. I just never really knew how to talk about it, being an Alpha and all. The 'Alphas and Omegas can't be together" Law definitely was a factor, but was it fear that stopped me?
It doesn't matter now. Clearly he doesn't feel the same. Or.. maybe he does; I don't know. I wish he would have just talked to me. Maybe I made that hard, or maybe something else was getting in the way.
I ended up stumbling across a small river. Couldn't have been more than 3 feet across, slowly flowing away. I decided to follow it, since everywhere else is just the void of the forest, and I don't think I'll be able to handle this headache much longer.
The moon shined down upon me, not a cloud in the sky. The stars glistened and shimmered in a way almost as a pathway. I didn't know where I was going, all I knew was it wasn't here.
