Chapter 7: Goodbye (written from January 25th to January 27th, 2025)

If looks could kill, Garth would find himself six feet under by means of his parents. "I know! I know! I'm tardy again."

"You got it! The first time was excusable, but you can't keep going on like this!" Garth knew he messed up when his mother started to sound like his father.

"What was so important that you had to keep us waiting," Tony asked.

"I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. It's just that Chelsea and I were having so much fun together. We played games, and we chased each other and—"

"Look, Garth," Tony interrupted, "we're both glad that you're able to spend time with your girlfriend, but if you're going to have a girlfriend, you have to remember that there's more in your life right now than just going out and spending time with her. It's great that you're doing that, but you have to remember that you will have more responsibilities as you get older. Before long, you'll be taking turns with your mother to hunt our meals."

"That's right," Martha agreed. "The fact that we're giving you any time to spend with her is a privilege, Garth, so don't take it for granted. Anyway, tonight is the last night before most of our hunters embark on a long trip through the Southern Region. There's a going-away celebration that we and a few other wolves are putting together, and you're going to help us out by doing whatever we ask of you."

"You think you can do that?" Tony asked.

"You bet I can," Garth replied as if he had a choice. "I'll start by getting you guys lunch!"

— A&Ω —

The remainder of the day was, as far as Garth was concerned, rather dull. During his lesson, he managed to catch a few voles. Nothing exciting. Then in the afternoon, his parents became dictators as they attempted to turn a small field into one expressing the pack's gratitude. Garth helped out as much as he could, but he often stared into space, daydreaming about Chelsea. These daydreams were quickly disposed of as he did not want to elicit more disdain from his parents. Eventually, a slab of rock adorned with flowers, pine needles, and bones was moved into position. This completed the arrangement, and Garth was released from his duties, aching and out of breath.

Man! I gotta get more used to work and responsibilities if I ever plan on graduating from Alpha School! Maybe it'll be easier as Chelsea and I get closer and more accustomed to each other…

It was just about time for the celebration. He was a bit sad. This would be the last time he would see Chelsea for a week. "What will I do when she's gone?" he asked himself quietly. "I just don't know… I just don't know…"

It seemed like an eternity before the hunters arrived. The pups put under their tutelage, including Chelsea, lined up near the decorated boulder. Garth wasn't sure of what to do at this point. He nuzzled his father's hindleg.

"Not now, Garth."

"Mom?"

"In a second, honey," she responded without glancing at her son. "Is it important?"

"I just wanted to know if there was anywhere specific that I am supposed to be. I don't know where to stand."

"I don't care. Go find someone to sit with or something."

"Okay," he mumbled.

Could he sit next to Chelsea perhaps? She was sitting next to Alex. Her impending absence then struck him again. Chelsea will be gone. Seriously, why did I have to be related to the chieftain? I should be going with them. But no! I'm stuck here. It will just be me, myself, and I.

Tony motioned for one of the juniors to step onto the slab to say a thing or two. One after another, pups gave a short speech. The last one to step onto the slab was Chelsea. She cleared her throat.

"Um, hi, everyone. I guess I'm the last one, so I had better think of something good to say!" Laughter rippled across the sea of Alphas. "First things first, I want to thank Tony and Martha for this opportunity. It really does mean a lot to us future hunters, and we will definitely remember this for a very long time, if not forever. I really am excited about going to Alpha School and becoming a fully trained Alpha, and I believe this hunting trip will help make us the best Alphas of the Grand Valley! I want to thank my auntie, Irene. She helped me get ready for this day. Her mate, my uncle, Elliot, also taught me some techniques and maneuvers, all of which I needed to pass the Admissions Test. I wouldn't have gotten this far without them... But there's another Alpha, and he's someone I can't live without. He's an awesome wolf, and he's so kind to me, my family, and everyone he knows. That wolf is Garth, my boyfriend. Come on up here, handsome!"

Tony's son blushed. He walked up to Chelsea and sat adjacent to her. With a large, nervous smile, he waved at the audience.

"Awwww!" the crowd went.

"If any of you out there don't know Garth," Chelsea continued, "then you are missing out on knowing one of the best wolves in this entire pack. Scratch that—the world! Thanks, Garth, for being my best friend, for supporting me, and thanks most of all for keeping me in your thoughts as I go on this trip. I know it's not the easiest thing to do."

Garth clutched his chest when Chelsea reminded him that he wouldn't be going with her. He could hardly bear to think of his girl going off without him while he stayed behind. What was he going to do in his spare time? Chase his tail? Questions piled up on him. He dared to maintain composure until Chelsea finished her impromptu speech. He was losing it, however. His body considered giving up right then and there. "I… I love… I love you, Chelsea," he sputtered awkwardly.

"I love you too, Garth… Thanks, everyone!" As the crowd cheered, Garth gave her a hug. Lukewarm tears slid down his cheeks. Chelsea, mildly embarrassed, pushed him off of her. "Garth," she whispered, "you have to go now. Meet me at the secluded place we found yesterday, near the Maligne Creek."

"Okay…" Garth whispered back.

She kindly told him to keep it together as his sniffling reached audible levels. Painfully, he stopped his sobbing and smiled back at the audience. He then labored back to where he stood originally, where congratulations, compliments, and well wishes toward the departing group soon enclosed him.

— A&Ω —

The stream was clear and running smoothly. An image of the waxing moon, a thin white fragment, shivered on its surface. The water seemed to play with itself. Here it would start to swirl, and over there it would zigzag through rocks and stones. Occasionally, it would take a maple leaf for a ride.

"That makes seventy-two," said Garth. He had been counting the leaves for almost an hour.

A rustling sound prompted him to swing his head around. Chelsea emerged. "Hey," she greeted.

"Thank you for mentioning me in your speech," he replied.

"Oh, yeah, that. It was nothing."

"When you pulled me over there, it made me feel kinda… loved."

"You are loved, Garth. I was just trying to make sure that others know how special you are."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me."

"You know, it was really cute how you put on that smile. You were trying your best not to break down. I shouldn't have been embarrassed like I was. You could tell I was, couldn't you?"

"I just remember my face in your fur. All I could think about was the white patch on your chest." Garth had a neutral opinion of her embarrassment.

"Oh, okay then. I'm… I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Chelsea sighed. "I'm a terrible partner for being embarrassed because of my boyfriend, who I love to death! That's what."

"It's okay," Tony's son assured. "I shouldn't have just broken down like that in the middle of your speech anyway."

"No! No, Garth. You have a right to show your emotions! I'm the terrible one here! You should just break up with me and go find some other girlfriend." Chelsea was now the one crying. Truly, she was feeling terrible, like some worthless little pup that no one would ever bother to care about.

This is my fault, Garth thought. It was his responsibility to contain himself. He put his left arm around Chelsea.

"Garth… Oh, Garth… Does this mean we're okay?"

"We're more than okay. Please stop crying. You're breaking my heart…"

"I don't know what I'll do without you… Are you sure you can't work something out with your dad?"

"Trust me. He won't listen to me. I've disobeyed him too many times. I'm way behind on my lessons. Any potential favors will be dead on arrival."

"Then I guess this is it. Just me and you… sitting by this little stream… trying to grab our last few minutes together before we separate… Some rules that we follow are just plain stupid! They don't make a lick of sense!"

"Tell me about it," Garth agreed. "I will miss you. I will think about you every day. If there's ever something that's really hard or challenging, I'll think about you because you give me the strength to keep going."

Chelsea thought Garth was overly cute. There were times when she thought she would die from his cuteness. "I'll remember that," she replied. "Every word of it."

"I have no reason to doubt you."

Their noses were almost touching. Two pesky centimeters stood in the way of their first serious act of love—but it wasn't meant to be.

"There you are, Chelsea!" said an adult female wolf who suddenly appeared. Garth couldn't believe it. It was Chelsea's mom, Chelyssa. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Oh, hi, Mom. Um, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? You never told us where you were going."

"Oh, yeah… I'm sorry, Mom, but—"

"No, it's time to come home. The hunting party leaves early in the morning, so you need to be well-rested. Come on." Chelyssa started to walk away, clearly expecting Chelsea to follow her.

"Is this a goodbye?" Garth asked her.

"As much as I hate to say it, I'm afraid so… Garth, I don't want to leave!"

"You must… You're an Alpha… You have your responsibilities… and I have mine… Please have fun! The next time I see you, you better have more techniques and maneuvers! I want you to show them off the next time you chase me!"

"I'll… I'll do my… my best…"

"Do better. Goodbye, Chelsea. I'll miss you…"

"Goodbye, handsome… I'll miss you too…"

The two red pups hugged as sadness escaped their eyes. They hugged so tightly that they could feel each other's quickening heartbeats. Neither of them wanted this moment to end, but the voice of Chelyssa pulled Chelsea away. Now there was one fox left by the stream.

He watched his world disappear. He sobbed again. A week was just too long. If Garth survived this, he would not know how he would be when he got out of it. If there's anything more precious than Chelsea, it's time spent on this Earth… We wolves have so few years to work with… I need her if I am to make every single one count…