The Liability (2023 - COMPLETE)

VI - The Meeting

 Life continues as it always does for Juno, and within days it is almost as if her stint in the hospital hadn't happened. The days are slowly getting colder and the world around her is just as lonely as it has always been. Life is a sad constant around here, where there are only three things for her to do. Go to school, finish her homework, and sleep.

Even the few times she has left the simple comfort of her cabin, she can't seem to find anything that truly interests her. The woods around the wolves' compound are gearing up for fall and the creatures who live within are preparing for their winter sleep.

She spends her days with Luna Elizabeth whenever Alpha isn't around. In all the years she has known him, Alpha Alexander Verdansky has wanted nothing to do with Juno's existence. He simply ignores her and everything she represents. Which is better than what she can say for others.

The woods are chilly as the day slowly turns to night. Although she is grateful that Luna is willing to serve wonderful food, she doesn't like to be outside after nightfall. She is all too aware of the dangers that are out there for her, knowing that there are wolves out there that are simply looking for something to tear apart. They don't care if they hurt her, for she is deemed less than human and unworthy of care. Juno is nearly convinced that some of the attacks against her were as violent as they are because of her status.

Regardless, Juno couldn't bring herself to return to her cabin immediately. She has spent so much of her time avoiding the outside world that she has nearly forgotten how wonderful fall could be. The sunset is in its last stages and the dark of night is setting in. The world around her though looks so wonderful that she can't help but enjoy nature.

She doesn't wander too far away from her cabin, still cautious of what she could find out here. The rustle of the animals can be heard and she can't help but wonder what her life would be like without this. How boring everything would be if there isn't a vast stretch of wilderness for her to explore. Yes, she wants out of here, but she doesn't want to lose the wonderful woods around her. 

There aren't stretches of forest like this on the other end of the country and although she wants to get as far away as possible, she still wants the few things that feel like home. It is the people in her life who are terrible but she can't help but wonder if she could actually stay here and know what feeling truly at home feels like.

Juno has found a small gap in the trees that allows for the moonlight to shine through. The soft glow that is cast along the forest floor is inviting. Juno opts to take a seat in the small clearing, the ground surprisingly dry. Pulling her jacket closer to her, she tries to enjoy the simplicity of the world around her.

Time passes slowly and all she can think about is how simple it is out here. No one is here to bother her and she can enjoy the soft sounds of the animals as they hunker down for the night. No other wolf going to bother her while she is in this little clearing. She has walked in the opposite direction of where the wolves like to spend their time.

Juno lives far enough away from a large city that the stars are clearly visible. Each little dot in the dark sky reminds her that there is hope out there. That one day she will be able to look up at the sky and know that she is safe and contented. That one day she is going to be truly home.

After about an hour of simply sitting on the ground, she can hear what sounds like approaching footsteps. As the sound gets closer, it is clear that they are coming from the other side of the clearing. It doesn't sound like a wolf, the steps are too heavy, too deliberate with their movements. Wolves are a lot more fluid with their movements than their human counterparts.

Through the underbrush, a man appears; someone she has only seen a few times but knows immediately who he is. It is much more common to find him in his wolf form, especially when so far out from the main group of homes. He stands tall and lean, a far cry from what the combatant members of the pack look like. He wears well-fitting jeans, a deep green button-up, and brown leather boots. He holds himself high, not allowing anything to dissuade him. He is not even twenty-five, and yet there is a definite power that he possesses.

He means something to this pack, whereas she means nothing to these people. He is her mate, the one who has been a constant discomfort to her for the last few months. Percy, as Luna calls him.

He looks at her, his mouth opening to say something but the words never come. She watches his every movement, curious as to what might happen. She doubts that he will bring her pain. Not because he was her supposed savior last time but because it would go against their bond. He may never acknowledge that it is there but surely he wouldn't blatantly disrespect it.

After many moments of awkward eye contact, he takes a seat on the ground across from her, keeping a solid four feet between them. He doesn't do much to engage in conversation with her, simply pretending to be engrossed in nature. Surely, it is no coincidence that brought him here, or else he would have just continued on his way.

The two of them sat in the most uncomfortable silence and Juno could barely refrain from fleeing the spot. She hasn't had to look upon this man's face in almost a month and she can't help but feel drawn to him. She is designed to feel drawn to him, even though she puts no faith in the idea of having a soulmate.

The man who sits before her is almost five years her senior, yet the way he holds himself makes him seem even older than he is. She watched him as he simply sat there, occasionally swatting his curly copper-colored hair out of his eyes. He is clean-shaven, unlike the last time that she had seen him. Back then she didn't know his name, only that he is one of Alpha's confidants.

If only things could be different between the two of us. If only I were a different man.

The letter has yet to leave her mind and she couldn't help but wonder why he had even bothered. No one else had taken the time to put so much effort into her well-being or had been so cryptic about it. It has been a week but she couldn't help but think that he could have actually meant something. But looking at him across the clearing now, she couldn't even think about how they could ever be. All that is in store for this pairing is an awkward silence and pretending that the other doesn't exist.

Juno wonders why she is lucky enough to know who her mate is. It takes many wolves years to find their soulmate although it can be done as early as seventeen. Luna had been twenty when she met Alpha, and her siblings were both at least nineteen. Juno had come across her mate within a week of her seventeenth birthday. She has only spoken maybe a dozen words to him in the past few months and he hardly acknowledges that she exists.

The pair have known of their bond for ten months at this point but neither of them wants to do anything with the information. Juno is scared of the idea of being trapped here, that if he was to accept her that it would only lead to more pain. Percy's feelings are unclear to her, and she doesn't think that anything will come from this bond.

Juno looks up at the stars, unable to properly avoid eye contact. There is something about this male that makes her uneasy; his presence has always put her on edge.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Percy asks and Juno can't help but draw her eyes away from the sky to look at him. He's pale and the moonlight only highlights that, but there is something about him that looks simply magnificent. His heather green button nearly blends into the darkness behind him, but the way that the sleeves are rolled up shows off the muscle in his arms. "The stars,"

As usual, Juno has no idea what to say and can't help but wonder what made him come here, to stay, to talk. What could she even say to him that would get how she was feeling across? Is there any way for her to know what there is for her; does she one day have a chance of being happy?

"Yeah," She lamely mummers, pulling her jacket closer to herself, finding the mid-October night to be quite cold. It isn't even nine and yet she is suddenly overcome with the strong need to sleep. Although there is so much to do still, she welcomes this feeling more than her lack of sleep. She knows that her sleeping habits aren't healthy but she can't help it. She stifles a yawn and wonders if it is time for her to get back to her cabin.

Instead of deciding that it would be best for her to go back to her cabin, she just continues to sit on the forest floor, looking up at the stars. She doesn't want to be the first one to leave, for fear of upsetting him. So she must stay here until he decides to leave or whenever her exhaustion becomes too much for her to handle. It may not be the best plan, but she can't help but wonder when the last time she had a good one was. 

~

1703 words. Published 11.15.2022. Edited 12.10.2023