25

Sofia grinned the rest of the time we were in the kitchen. I kept raving about her family. The beautiful experiences she had with her parents and with her friends. She also talked about what else she wanted to do now that she had the chance. I followed her explanations of the situations that I could never experience like this with excitement. My parents were long gone, and for years my sister was just trying to keep us afloat. Like Sofia, I went to school normally, but I didn't have any friends there. I was always just the mute girl who was attacked by a werewolf. Some even believed it was some kind of curse on me that caused the werewolves to target me like that. They were afraid of ending up in the cross hairs of the wolves themselves and kept the biggest possible to me. There were even some who refused to shake hands or even touch me in any way. As if I had a contagious disease...

Originally, through Sofia's stories, I thought I would feel bad because I couldn't or can't experience that, but I felt surprisingly good. It was like I could relive it in an indirect way.

Tyler, as well as Jared, who has since joined us, occasionally intervened in Sofia's monologue. The two seemed genuinely interested in what life was like for people in the big cities. As I also learned, both of them had already visited several of the big cities in which the humans lived, but the humans usually kept as far away from the werewolves as possible and therefore the human perspective on the whole thing was completely foreign to them. In the end, Sofia even dared to address the grievances in the cities, which probably affected almost everyone. The constant beating down by the werewolves, never really being appreciated and having to endure the constant suspicion of being a traitor, no matter how faithful you were to the system. The questioning looks of the two werewolves were directed at me from time to time, but I could understand the criticisms that Sofia addressed well, after all we were affected by the same system. Although it had to be said that compared to me, even Sofia, as a normal person and without disabilities, had many more advantages in life than I did.

Especially in the last few years, I had repeatedly thought about whether it would not have been easier for my sister if I were no longer there, if I had not survived the attack. But then I always thought of the beautiful moments we had together. Maybe that was a little selfish, after all I put a difficult life into perspective with a few nice moments. Unfortunately, I was also aware of these bad situations. I probably had no idea how difficult it had all been for her.

Tyler suddenly stroked my cheeks. "Hey little one, is everything alright?" He asked me with concern. To be honest, I hadn't noticed it, but a few tears were running down my cheeks. Sofia had interrupted her story, and like Jared, she too seemed quite confused my tears.

"Come on, let's go to our accommodation. I think this is all getting to be too much for you, isn't it?" I just nodded, overwhelmed, while dozens of situations from my past played in my head one after the other, like a movie.

I probably underestimated what Sofia's stories did to me and how badly it affected me.

Tyler had carried me back to our quarters. Actually a bit exaggerated, but my thoughts were somewhere else and I didn't really care.

The tears were still running down my cheeks, the film of my memories in my head just didn't end.

"Oh Lily..." The movie in my head finally came to an end. Confused, I realized that we were already in the cabin. Tyler must have put me on the bed. He himself was sitting on the edge of the bed. His left hand He held mine tightly and his right hand alternately stroked my cheeks to wipe away the tears.

He studied my face with concern.

"It was too much for you, wasn't it? The stories of Sofia? Did it have a lot to do with your past do? I mean you guys grew up in different cities after all."

I nodded first, but then shook my head. Many aspects were really almost the same, but that was probably more because we were both human. But if you looked at it from a purely human perspective, Sofia and I had grown up very differently.

"So it's a bit more complicated?" I nodded. Tyler was silent and seemed to be thinking really hard live, and it's closer to home, we might unofficially drop in. While it's not allowed in itself, as werewolf companions are supposed to get used to the pack and leave their old lives behind, see I do it again and again, and also with you, how much it torments people. Certainly I understand the thought of the werewolves behind it, they want a life together with the person, but in my opinion, minor contact should be there. Us is our family is also important."

Tyler had now stopped caressing my cheeks and had his right hand on my other hand as well. It was nice to hear that he wanted to make it possible for me to see my family again, in this case just my sister. But at this point I probably still knew more than he did. As the Luna had explained it to me: Tyler and I were just at the top of the pack's favor. The other aspiring alpha must have overdosed on his mate, and Sofia's mate was dead. So the way it looked to me, Tyler was going to be the Alpha here, and Tyler himself had said we'd be here, where too Whatever this was, we were far away from my hometown.

I actually wanted to give Tyler an honest smile for his kind word, but it already felt tortured and according to his look it was recognizable as such for him too.

"I don't quite understand.... I know the odds aren't quite on our side, but it's still a small chance, isn't it?" I felt tears welling up in my eyes again as I denied the Head shook "What no?" You could see it in Tyler's face when the decisive thought came to him: "You found out why we are here?" I nodded. "Do you think the werewolves here in the pack know the reason too?" I nodded again, just not fully understanding the reason for this question. "Are you absolutely sure that they all know?" I nodded again, but I was even more puzzled by his questions. But I was sure that all werewolves knew the reason for our presence. How else would the Luna know , with whom the favor of the pack lay,