4: Plans

As I slumped in bed, I felt as if I were about to pass out. Mom and Dad helped me up and put me to bed. Dad covered me with a blanket while mom held my hand and told me to calm down. She whispered to me to rest and forget about Jeremy. Mom said something to me, but I couldn’t hear it clearly. My head is throbbing, and I can’t focus on anything. I was dying.

“Get some rest, Pumpkin,” Dad said to me.

“I-I can’t—”

“Forget about Jeremy. You’re hurting yourself if you keep wanting Jeremy,” Mom said.

I squeezed my bed sheets. I wrinkled my body to cover the pain that spread throughout my body.

“Lilith, are you okay?” Dad came up to me.

Dad checked my body temperature, which was suddenly elevated.

“Do you have a fever?”

“His body temperature raised. I’ll get the suppressant first.”

Mom ran out to get her medicine.

“Hold on, I’m going to call the doctor.”

Dad walked to my nightstand. Dad called someone using the phone in my room. Meanwhile, I keep rolling around in this pain. Mom came back to the room with a bowl of warm water and a strange red liquid.

“Drink this, Lilith.”

“What are you doing, Nicolle? What broth did you give her?” Dad asked.

Mom mumbled, “Shut up, you care little for your daughter, who’s struggling to get used to her own strength!”

“Nicolle, I mean it!”

“Stop it!” I screamed in pain.

Mom made me drink that weird liquid.

“No, mom! The smell is disgusting!” I turned it down.

“Pumpkin, please drink some of this liquid. This broth will cure you for a while before the Doctor arrives.” Mom insisted.

“Please…”

“You’ll get hurt if you’re stubborn like that, Lilith,” Mom got angry.

“Nicolle, stop pushing her. What fluid did you give Lilith, anyway? It’s not a suppressant,” Dad pulled Mom.

“Owen, this is lamb’s blood. It’ll numb the pain of Jeremy’s rejection.

“Are you sure that would reduce the pain she’s experiencing?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. She is a wolf of perfect strength.”

Mom forced me to drink the lamb’s blood. I drank it with compulsion and nausea for a moment. 

“Hang in there. That nausea will ease your pain, pumpkin.” 

I groaned in pain as a strange feeling tickled me. 

“Nicolle? What happened to Lilith? Why did she feel so badly injured?” my dad screamed and panicked. 

“The blood was already working on her body. We will wait for her until she is sleepy.” 

“Are you nut? Your daughter is in pain like this!” Dad grumbled. 

“I’m crazy because I don’t want to lose my daughter, Owen!” Mom replies with the same snaps. 

Dad snorted in annoyance. He was holding my body and trying to help me wake up. I couldn’t see anything else as my dad tried to feed me drinking water. I don’t know what happens next. It’s all dark. My body is like floating in space. My pain has gone nowhere. 

Am I dead now? Did they kill me? Mom got rid of me?

I gasped as the alarm clock on the nightstand rang. The glass on the nightstand fell as I rolled and fell. I squeezed on the floor to get up, but my legs still hurt. 

“Lilith!” Mom screamed. 

Mom ran to me. She helped me get back into bed after putting the tray on the table. 

“You’re alright?” 

“I’m fine, Mom. I just had a bad dream,” I said. 

“Are you still dreaming of Jeremy?” Mom asked. 

I shake my head.

“Are you sure? Your tears are still visible, pumpkin.” 

“God, I... feel low.” 

My mom touched my hair. Mom smiled, but it was the worst smile I’ve ever seen. Mom’s lips twitched, then she hugged me. 

I’m sorry about her. I shouldn’t be a burden on my family all the time. 

“I’m sorry, Mom. You have to be ashamed of me,” I said. 

“No. We bear no shame. We bear a great deal of heartache towards Jeremy,” Mom retorted. “It’s not your fault.” 

“It happened because of me.” 

“Lilith, stop blaming yourself. Jeremy is the guiltiest man between you and Eunice. You don’t deserve Jeremy because you’re a good Beta.” 

I looked down in embarrassment. Mom took my hand, kissed it sincerely. 

“Listen to me Forget about the things that make your heart hurt. You must start erasing the friendly attitude towards everyone you meet. Be careful,” Mom whispered. 

“Mom, I’m sorry...” 

“It’s not your fault, pumpkin. It was destiny. But from now on, you have to challenge yourself to be evil to people who have trampled on your pride.”

“We have to repay evil with good, right?” I asked. 

“Not anymore. Evil doesn’t have to be repaid with evil. Sometimes we give the same revenge to people who have gone too far.” 

“Did Dad attack the Shadowed Moon Pack?” I asked. 

“No. We can’t.” 

I nodded in understanding. I thought Dad was gonna get back to Jeremy last night. I wrinkled my body. I curled up to my mom. 

“Lilith. Do you still love Jeremy?” Mom asked. 

“I don’t know. I hope I don’t love him anymore and live a quiet life.” 

“You should seek your second chance immediately,” Mom replied. 

“Is it that easy?” 

Mom stroked my back. “The good moon goddess will never sleep. The Moon Goddess won’t allow her child to experience misery repeatedly.” 

“I hope so.” 

“Oh, I almost forgot. Claudia made some ginseng chicken broth for you,” Mom said. 

Mom picked up the tray. I frowned because I wouldn’t have expected such a selfish Claudia to visit me at the Moonlight Sonata. 

“Here she comes?” 

“We’re in the Bloody Howled Pack.” 

“We’re in the Bloody Howled Pack.” 

I’m surprised to find myself in Claudia’s pack, Bloody Howled. Claudia married a war general from Bloody Howled. Bloody Howled is a notorious wolf pack.

“We’ve got a plan, pumpkin.” 

“What plan are you making?” I asked Mom. 

“Forget that. You need to have breakfast first.” 

I enjoyed the soup, but I didn’t eat it for breakfast. Mom gave me another spoonful of soup.

I stared at the spoon and cried. Mom put a spoon and a bowl on the nightstand and hugged me. She asked me why I was crying, and I told her I didn’t want to live anymore. Anything suffocates, and I want to die. Mom patted my head but said nothing.

“Pumpkin, listen to me… I love you. I will always love you. We’re not willing to leave you here. We are trying to find the most suitable place for you and put you in the safest place.”

I looked at her in confusion. I didn’t understand what she was saying.

“Pumpkin, listen to me. Now we’re in the Bloody Howled Pack. Your dad has sent you to the human world. We think it’s the most suitable place for you from now on.”

I gasped and said, “Why did you send me there?”

“It’s for your own good. I’m sorry for that, but this is for the best.”

“You left me? You can’t send me to the human world,” I said.

“No, I didn’t leave you. But that was your dad’s plan. You’ll be safe there. Jeremy won’t look for you there.” Mom mumbled.

“That’s the truth, Pumpkin.” Dad interrupted our conversation and walked towards me.

He looked at me with a serious look.

He said Jeremy Brooks attacked our pack.

I slumped on my pillow. I can’t imagine how much weight I put on them.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“Why are you apologising to us?” Dad asked me.

Right now, I’m silent and I look at them with tears in my eyes. I don’t know what to do. I feel so sorry for them. They still protected me, even though I was useless at our package. It makes me feel like I’m going to die.

“I should be the one to apologise, pumpkin. Before the process began, I didn't ask what your decision was. I shouldn't be like that,” Dad lowered his voice.

When I swallowed my saliva, I couldn’t say anything. I’m confused. Right now, I can't think straight. I don’t want to leave them and live alone in the human world. It was a tough decision. I can’t let them face the craziest Alpha without me.

Even though I am the weakest and most useless… they are my parents. They’re my family and my home. I don’t want to leave them.

“We have little time left. Nick and I are taking you to the human world at 2pm. Get ready,” Dad said.

It flooded my eyes with tears. “No, I don’t want to.”

“Please follow my advice. That’s the right way for you, pumpkin.” He turned his gaze to another object.

Mom stood up and walked to the travel bag on the main table in the room. In a hurry, he put some food in preparation in the travel bag. 

“Get ready for a while, pumpkin. We will take the secret route.” Dad warned me.

I snorted in disbelief. They prepared to send me to the human world alone. “What am I supposed to do there? I can’t do anything like a human being.”

“Please….”

Mom walked up to me, and she fed me until the soup ran out. After that, he helped me get dressed. And a moment later, Nick called Dad and me. 

That day, we walked out of the woods. Mom told me to take care of myself and watch out for strangers. Then she hugged me. Every time I was there, she wished I remembered they loved me, and I would reach out to them.

It hurts to be away from them. They confronted Jeremy alone, and they forced me out of the woods.

“I love you, pumpkin. Be careful.” Between her sobs, she muttered.

“I’ll prove to you I’m not a loser wolf when I get back. I promise you.”