The Scent of Illusion (Published under IMMAC)

Chapter 33: A Conversation, an Explanation, and a Vision

Trigger warning: May contain sensitive topics such as death, sex, profanity, suicide, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, mental health, sexuality, etc. There might be depictions or references to sexual harassment. Please be guided accordingly and read at your own risk.

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The night had grown deeper and the sky had started to pour. The night sky cried as if it mourned the death of a maiden who sacrificed her life for a purpose she believed in, empathized with the lady who felt lost in the world between a truth and a lie, and mirrored the sadness and tension that hung between a father and a daughter as they headed home.

The walk home was pretty quiet. Emilia felt like she crossed the line and that she might have, in a way, disrespected her father. On the other hand, Malloy still felt that hint of betrayal but, at the same time, he felt as if he had been so out of touch with his children. He had been so focused on the pack and being an Alpha that he forgot to be a good father.

Upon reaching the comfort of the mansion, Malloy thought of reaching out to Emilia but he saw that the night's events had taken a toll on her so he decided to let it go for the night.

Both headed to their respective rooms, dealing with their emotions and thoughts the way they felt was necessary and helpful for them. While for Malloy it was to simply sleep it off, Emilia washed it all off with a cold shower and a bit of reading to distract her mind even just a little.

Something that resembled calmness, laced with thick tension, settled over Drakwald that night. It was brewing the gray clouds that swirled over the dark canvas that was no longer glittered with stars and void of the faint glow of the moon. Its whispers danced with the wind as it whistled past windows that were already tightly shut.

Nonetheless, it was quite a good night that offered some solitude and a little bit of comfort.

There was a looming feeling that something was missing, incomplete, and unsaid. It did not hang over the air but it coursed through their veins, creeping underneath their skin as they lay asleep in their gentle slumber.

It was a few hours before sunrise when the rain finally stopped, leaving the cool air to wrap Drakwald in its cold embrace. There was a lull that settled over Drakwald until the sun peeked from a thick layer of clouds and lit up the blue canvas that had finally made an appearance.

The sun glowed through the thin layers of clouds that decorated the blue sky, spreading a faint golden glow across its vastness. It peeked between the curtains and slowly filled every corner of the mansion.

It was not that long until the housekeepers started to work, cleaning the house and preparing breakfast. The smell of food and coffee wafted into the air, savory and warmth fanned into the air and permeated into the rooms. It was enough to wake them up.

Malloy was the first one to get up and get ready as he had always been an early riser. He was already dressed for work when he headed downstairs. He was normally quiet, especially in the mornings but there was an eerie silence that surrounded him as he ate what was prepared for him. He was mostly staring in mid-air, thinking about what Emilia said about her mother...his wife.

"Good morning," some of the housekeepers greeted him when he passed them by.

It had been quite a while since he thought about Susie, not the kind that was just passing and temporary but to really think about her and everything she had told him before she passed, even if most of it was about their opposing pack. None of those conversations were thrilling for him but her voice reminded him that she supported him from the very beginning, even before he became the Alpha of Grey Shadow. Not a day went by that Susie did not stand by his side, even when she no longer agreed with his vision.