After Six Years The Alpha Begs For My Return Chapter 27
“After that, he came to our house for every winter solstice moon banquet. Grandfather didn’t like him. Said he’d defied a pack order once and didn’t want me getting too close to him. But every time, he’d bring me freshly roasted chestnuts in a brown paper bag, tucked inside his heavy coat. They were still warm when he gave them to me.”
I looked at the bag of chestnuts Reese had bought. The paper was still warm.
“The last time he came was twelve years ago, on the winter solstice. It was snowing hard. He stood outside the door and wouldn’t come in. He just stuffed a bag of chestnuts into my hands and said he was leaving Gray Harbor and wouldn’t be able to see me anymore.”
Reese said nothing, just watched me quietly.
“While he was talking, I noticed a fresh cut on the web of his thumb. It was deep, not even scabbed over. A werewolf’s wounds heal fast, unless the cause interferes with recovery, or their wolf is already weak. I didn’t understand then. Later, I realized he hadn’t come that night as a guest. He’d come to say goodbye.”
The owner set down a plate of pickles, glanced from me to Reese, smiled, and walked away.
“What are you going to do about his condition?” Reese asked.
“I’m going to see him.” I pushed my empty bowl aside. “Tomorrow.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon in the treatment wing with my mother.
She seemed a little better than she had that morning. She drank half a bowl of soup and spoke with me for a while.
She didn’t mention Ophelia.
She didn’t ask about Gideon.