SELENE'S POV
Five years.
That's how long it's been since the rain, since his scent faded from the trees, since I gave up searching for something that never went missing.
Now, the forest is all Jasper knows.
He darted between the roots of the old ash trees, chasing scraps of sunlight that snuck through the leaves. His laughter rang through the mist... wild, bright, alive. Every time I hear it, I remember just how much the world has changed.
He is all grown up lately.
Tall for his age, all wiry limbs and quick feet. His hair's a mess of gold and brown, and his eyes, that strange stormy gray. Michael's eyes, exactly.
"Mama!" he called, waving a stick like a sword. "Look, I'm protecting you!"
I couldn't help but smile, even with the ache that never really leaves. "From what, little warrior?"
He puffs out his chest. "From the rogues. From everything bad."
That landed harder than he knew.
"That's very brave," I told him, putting down my basket of herbs and brushing leaves from his hair.
"But you don't have to protect me, Jasper. That's my job." I said tenderly.
"You're strong, Mama, but you don't have claws like me," he replied, grinning, the simple showing on his cheeks.
He flexed his hand, and for a second, his fingernails darkened, then the color faded, gone as quickly as it came.
The wolf in him is getting stronger.
Too fast.
"Jasper," I say quietly, crouching so I'm level with him. "You remember what I told you about that?"
He nods, shifting from foot to foot. "Don't let anyone see. Don't change unless I have to."
"Good boy."
He looks away, fidgeting.
"Mama… can I ask you something?" he said, softly staring into my eyes innocently.
I feel the question coming before he even says it. It's always the same one, and I never have a good answer.
"Of course," I say.
His voice is tiny. "Why don't we have a home like the others? Why do we live here?"
The forest is our prison and our shield. It hides us, but it stole the life he should've had... a life with laughter that wasn't muffled by trees, with other kids, with safety.
I forced a smile. "The forest keeps us safe. It's quiet here. The world outside isn't always nice."
He didn't look convinced. His brow's all scrunched up. "But everyone has a father. Even the deer have one. So where's mine?"
That question slices deep. I take a long breath. "Your father…"
He waits, head tilted.
"Your father was a good man," I say, picking every word. "Strong. Brave. He helped me once when I needed it most."
"Then why isn't he here?"
Because he ran when the bond scared him. Because he picked duty over us. Because loving him nearly broke me.
I swallowed.
"Sometimes good people get lost. Sometimes they do things we can't understand."
Jasper frowned. "Do you think he'll find us?"
His question hung in the air. I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him I made sure of it, that I buried our scent so deep even fate couldn't sniff us out. But somewhere inside, a stubborn, hurting part of me whispers yes.
"I don't know," I say quietly. "Maybe one day."
He gives me a tiny, hopeful smile, and it just crushed me.
Later, when the sun came down, we packed up what little we owned... dried berries, herbs, a blanket worn thin... and headed back toward our cave. The air felt heavy, thick with warning.
"Stay close," I whisper.
He grabbed my hand without a word.
Halfway through the ravine, the wind shifts.
The wolf in me snaps awake, a growl curling low in my chest.
"Jasper," I whisper. "Hide."
His eyes went wide. He recognized that tone. He ran behind the rocks, crouching low.
I straightened up, every muscle tight. The whole forest felt too quiet. No birds, no wind. Just the slow, creaking sound of branches and...
A snarl.
Three shadows crashed through the brush.
Rogues.
Wild-eyed, red pupils, fur clotted with dried blood. They reeked of madness.
One lifted his nose, hackles bristling. "Alpha scent." His voice sounded rough, almost human, but twisted. "I smell it."
My heart hammered. That scent... I could never scrub it off, no matter how hard I tried. Michael's mark still clung to me, faint and stubborn, seared into my skin like a curse.
The biggest rogue grinned, yellow fangs on display. "The Alpha's bitch. Thought you were dead."
"Run," I whispered, even though Jasper was too far away behind the rocks to hear me.
The rogues came at me.
I shifted in the middle of a breath... pain ripped through me, muscle and bone tearing as fur burst from my skin. My wolf came out, silver-white and lean from too many hungry years, but blazing with fury.
The first rogue slammed into me. I spun, caught his throat in my jaws, snapped hard before he ever got his claws in. Another tore at my side. The third tried to slip past me, heading straight for the rocks.
For Jasper.
No.
I lunged, teeth sinking into his shoulder, dragging him down. Hot, metallic blood filled my mouth. I shook him until he went limp.
The last rogue hesitated, snarled, and vanished into the mist. My chest heaved, blood dripping from my muzzle.
For a second, all I heard was rain and my own racing heart. Then...
"Mama!"
Jasper's voice broke through everything. I turned, half-shifted, panting hard. His eyes were huge, wet with tears and... fear.
He saw me.
Really saw me.
I forced myself back, skin burning, bones grinding into place. My hands shook when I reached for him. "It's over. You're safe, baby."
He pressed himself against me, arms tight. "You're bleeding."
"I'm okay." My voice shook. "We have to go."
Rogues never hunted alone. If three found us, more were coming.
I wrapped him in the blanket, lifted him up even though pain shot through my side. He wrapped his hands around my neck, his heartbeat thudding against my chest.
"Will they come again?" he whispered.
"Not if we're fast."
I ran... barefoot, bleeding, crashing through thorns and fog, the world spinning around us. The bond in my blood pulsed wild and sharp. Deep inside, my wolf whispered something I didn't want to hear.
He feels it. He knows you're in trouble.
I shook my head, teeth clenched. "No. He doesn't get to save us this time."
But the thread was still there, electric and alive, tugging at me. The part of me that once belonged to him refused to die.
Jasper stirred in my arms, almost asleep from pure exhaustion. "Mama," he mumbled. "When I'm big, I'll find him. So you don't have to."
That did something to me. Worse than any wound.
I kissed his temple, breathing in the scent of him—pine, safety, the only thing that mattered. "Maybe," I whispered. "But right now, we keep running."
The forest swallowed us up, and behind us, the rain came down.