The End is the Beginning

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Talon and Fenri glanced over their shoulders at the quiet wolf in the back then at each other. Natelly asked them to take Verde to his ex's home to retrieve the things he needed to while he was away on a mission. They figured getting Verde out of the house would help him not focus on Uni's disappearance at least for a day.

Verde had been feeling off since Uni disappeared. He was having strange dreams and his wolf was more subdued but would come out to soothe and comfort Verde so he wouldn't fall too deep into depression. Despite not eating, he was putting on weight and was easily fatigued. He sat quietly watching the scenery pass by outside the truck window.

He missed his Uni. She was his lifeline. When things got bad between him and Zeke, his daughter's giggles, hugs, and kisses made it all better. She was the best part of Zeke even if the man detested her hybrid existence. He couldn't deny she was his. She looked just like him.

As forestry gave way to tall buildings of the city, Verde twisted his hands in his lap. The last time he saw Zeke he'd cracked a lamp over the man's head and left him unconscious in their apartment in the neutral zone. He'd run through the human territory, the far end of Dark Moon Central, and passed out in the woods at Dark Moon West. He had no intentions of wandering into pack territory. He just wanted to run as far as possible from his ex.

>You were meant to find Natelly and Cisero,<  his wolf said quietly.

Verde nodded.  >Yeah.<

>They will get our pup back.<

Verde wiped a tear off his cheek. They passed through the busy parts of the city to a small suburb just outside. They were greeted by several coastal colored, ranch style homes with tropical trees and plants on lush lawns. Verde laughed softly. Zeke loved the beach. How ironic his home was less than twenty minutes from one.

They pulled up in front of a beige home with blue shutters around the windows. There was a blue door to match with a silver anchor door knocker. Verde nodded in approval. Zeke did have good taste.

He paused as he put his hand on the doorknob. He could smell Zeke's unique scent of patchouli and lavender even from the porch. It didn't excite him like it did almost a year ago. He opened the door and stepped inside.  He was instantly taken aback.

"Wow, Verde," Talon wrinkled his nose as he stepped further into the home. "You and Uni's smells are all over this place."

Verde rubbed his arms. Zeke was a human. He shouldn't have had any memory of Verde or Uni after their bond was cut. "I thought his memory was erased. He shouldn't remember anything of us."

Fenri picked up a pillow off the sofa and sniffed it lightly. "Olfactory memories, those attached to smell, are the strongest. He probably didn't even know why he surrounded himself with these scents. Just that they made him feel happy and comforted."

Verde half nodded as he looked around the room. It was an open concept. The living room, dining room, and kitchen all opened into each other. There was a corridor to the left. Verde felt a strong pull in that direction. To the right was a bathroom with a linen closet next to it. Across the hall was a bedroom. It was painted in pinks and lavenders with a princess theme. Verde put his hand to his mouth as several tears rolled down his cheeks. On a nightstand next to a twin bed was a photo of Uni.

He reached out with trembling hands and picked up the photo. Zeke was holding a two year old Uni on his shoulders while he was holding hands with a smiling Verde. It was one of the few times Zeke wasn't drunk and they'd been happy.

He turned as Talon and Fenri entered the room. "How did he get this? His memories were erased."

Talon gasped as Fenri studied the photo.

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