To the Wolves

Chapter 42

"There's something else..." Lillian started, "I'm moving out." She paused and corrected herself, she said, "or better yet, we are moving out."

Olivia stood with her lips parted.

"Are you moving back to the pack?" She asked.

"I am," Victor answered. "She is not."

Lillian continued, "I never want to go back to the pack, even if Mico is gone. Truth is, I don't want to leave, but there is no future for me here."

Victor coughed.

"Aubrey has agreed to let Lillian move to her pack for the rest of her school years," he said. "Thankfully, the school near the hospital wasn't destroyed, and that's where all her pack children go to study."

Ethan scratched the side of his jaw while asking, "how did you get Aubrey to agree?"

Victor rolled his eyes.

"I don't know... we might have bonded over the fact that our mates ditched us for one another."

Olivia and Ethan exchanged looks.

She laughed awkwardly, as she said, "it worked out for the best. I'm sure you and she wouldn't be happy with us."

"That's true," Lillian said. "You two are so good together. I love your relationship. Never break up. Get married."

Victor scoffed. Looking at Ethan, he said, "I can't imagine his ugly face on a baby."

Ethan glared at him and was about to say something when his phone rang. He checked the ID and immediately excused himself to go out and answer the call.

"I'm gonna pack my stuff," Lillian said, getting up from her seat. "See you later."

Once Lillian had walked upstairs to her room Olivia and Victor moved to the patio.

"You're really going back?" she asked.

Victor looked straight ahead at the thick trees.

"They need me," looking at Olivia, he said, "and in a way, I need them too."

Olivia nodded, respecting his decision. They stood in silence as the rain softly drizzled on the grass.

Olivia suddenly chuckled. "Remember the first time we met?" Imitating his voice from memory, she mockingly repeated his words, "anybody who harms you, Olivia, will suffer from grave consequences."

Victor looked at her blankly and then laughed heartily. "I had fun messing with you."

She shook her head. "You scared me at that time. Bet you'll look like an idiot if you said those things to me now."

"Trust me, I won't dare say it to any other girl ever again." He said with conviction. "I have had my fair share of failed relationships and I'm done with it."

"Aww, don't be discouraged. Just because some stupid girl rejected you as her mate and another stupid girl left you because of her personal reasons does not mean you won't meet another stupid girl who wouldn't want to stay with you."

Victor stood still, mindlessly staring at her while blankly processing her words before saying, "what are you saying?"

"I don't know. I started talking, and I wasn't able to stop before it was too late." She said, sticking her tongue out. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't lose hope. You're an amazing person, and any girl would be lucky to be with you."

Victor's face lit up a little as he let a smile bloom upon his face. "Thank you." He said sincerely. Thinking retrospectively, he began, "even though I didn't end up with a mate, I did get a lifelong friend." He looked at her. "I'm gonna miss you," he said as he watched her get teary-eyed and moved closer to engulf her in a hug. "I wish you good luck for the future."

Moving away and still looking at her, he said, "And don't tell him I said this, but I think Ethan is a great guy. He's good for you." Olivia laughed as she wiped the tear. "I would've never let you go had it been anybody else."

***


On a sunny day, clear blue windless sky, Olivia graduated from high school alongside her friends. It was a pleasant and joyous day for the students as well as their parents. The only three students whose parents could not attend were none other than Olivia, Kaden, and Natalie. But they were happy nonetheless, because they had each other.

"Take a picture of us," Natalie said, handing the camera to Kaden.

She and Olivia posed in front of the beautiful shrubs with red flowers as they smiled brightly like the sun, while Kaden clicked multiple shots of the two.

"Thanks! I'm gonna take a picture with the rest of my friends. I'll be back soooon," Natalie said before running off.

Olivia watched a mother who took hundreds of pictures of her daughter. The daughter annoying told her mother to stop but the mother would say 'last one' before every picture.

Olivia laughed.

"I am going to miss this town a lot," she said. "And you guys."

"C'mon, Olivia," Kaden said whiningly. "No tears today."

She laughed again, trying not to cry.

"My mother couldn't come for the graduation but she gave me an early graduation present," he said. "You want to see it?"

Olivia nodded her head. "Yes."

Kaden lifted his arm and showed her his new shiny watch.

Olivia had no clue how to react.

"Looks great," she said. "I don't get the obsession with watches."

"It's our only accessory. Leave it alone," Kaden said defensively.

"Hey!"

Olivia turned around to see Ethan, Lillian, and Victor. Each one congratulated Olivia and Kaden, and the photo session continued. Lillian however, after taking a few photos, separated from the group and walked around.

She looked at different faces trying to find the one she was looking for, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Looking for me?" Joe asked her, smiling.

"Yes," Lillian said shyly. "I was. Let's go some place quiet where we could talk."

The two ended up at the back of the school. It wasn't a good area for clicking so photos so it was empty.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Joe asked leaning against the wall with his hands in his pants pockets.

"I am leaving town," she said. "And this is probably the last time I'm gonna be here."

He looked shocked. "What?" he said, unbelievingly.

"I tried but I just don't fit here. I was miserable in the beginning and now my therapist left too, without telling me, and it's messed up but... you made it less miserable. I guess... what I am trying to say is... thank you, for sticking by me," she said.

"This is so bittersweet. You finally acknowledge me but I'm never gonna see you again," Joe said.

"We'll still be friends," Lillian said, carefully looking at him.

"You said friends! You said we'll be friends. Don't take it back," Joe exclaimed excitedly, before it faded away, and he gasped while saying, "unless you're just saying that because you're leaving and it wouldn't actually matter even if you call me your friend or not."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little distance; so much that you would let it hinder our friendship," Lillian teased.

"Absolutely not," Joe said.


***


At night Olivia and Ethan sat at their usual spot on the roof. The sky had cleared and was now filled with twinkling stars.

"What did you want to talk to me about earlier?" Olivia asked.

Ethan looked at her while she waited for the answer. He hesitated before saying, "I got a call from Elliot. He had been trying to find my father again. He had the location a few days ago, although he wasn't sure about it." He paused before saying, "he is now. Seems like my biological father is hiking in some hills."

"Oh," was all Olivia could say before she figured it out. "You're gonna leave", she said in a whisper, not intending to say it out loud.

"I have to," Ethan said. "I mean, I don't want to, but I want to get to know him. I'm so conflicted about it. On one hand, I want to start a new life with you, but on the other, I want to know whether my father knows about my existence."

"I don't want to influence your decision, but I also don't want you living with regrets. You're always gonna wonder about your father if you don't get the answers yourself."

Ethan remained silent, thinking about what she said and the impending decision. He pursed his lips before looking at her. "I'll be gone for a few days, and then I'll come back to you."

"You'll come back here or...?"

"I'll move to wherever you are; it doesn't matter as long as I am with you." He moved closer to her and took her hand in his, intertwining the fingers. "Besides, I can't live here anymore, not after everyone moves away." He snickered at the thought. "And to think that I never wanted any of you to live here in the first place."

Olivia smirked and jokingly said, "you should thank me for that."

Ethan had a serious look upon his face as he stared at her for a second too long. "Thank you," he said softly. "I wish I didn't have to leave." He touched his forehead with hers.

"Me too, but I would hate for you to feel guilty because of me." She moved away and threw her hand in the air while loudly exclaiming, "so what if we don't see each other for a few weeks? Yeah, I'll miss you like crazy, but you'll come back." She continued in a softer tone, "we have different paths in life for now, and we need to walk on that path to grow. And somewhere down that journey, I believe, we'll always find our way to one another. Yeah. I've lived without you for 18 years, and I can do it for another few weeks."

He laughed, admiring her strength and determination, never letting his eyes stray from her. His lips parted before he said, "I love you." He looked into her eyes as they filled with tears. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Olivia lightly pushed him away before wiping her tears. "You're making me happy and sad at the same time."

Ethan pulled her back until she was stuck to his side. "I have a parting gift for you." He said, taking out the wrapped present from his jacket.

Olivia had a surprised look upon her face before it turned into sad. "I didn't get you anything", she said.

"It's okay. Open it."

She un-wrapped the gift to find a small A6-size canvas painting. She couldn't control her tears anymore as they flowed freely.

It was a painting of her, happily smiling, surrounded by flowers in the field; a memory from when they had first discovered the maze and the cave. She flipped the painting and read the words written at the back-- 'the moment I fell in love with you'.