RENETTA
I WAS EXCITED. I had loved going on the first picnic with Ainsley and I had been waiting to go on another one. I loved being able to spend one on one time with Ainsley.
Picnics had a special place in my heart. My entire family used to go on them when I was a kid and I remember being the happiest in those moments.
Some time ago
I had a pretty large family. One of the main reasons was that I had two moms and three dads. It wasn't the typical family but it was perfect.
Typically, wolf shifters like me had packs. However, unfortunately on Ostradus, we weren't allowed to have them. It was considered illegal and punishable by death.
Large groups who rallied together were always struck down even if they had no intention of trying to rebel against the royal family.
The last group of shifters that tried to form a pack were all slaughtered. You could hear their screams and smell their burning flesh for miles. Or so I was told. I wasn't alive when it happened.
And even if people wanted to attempt to form packs again they can't. The royal family made sure of it. You see, whenever an alpha is born they send royal guards to kill it. I don't exactly know how they know. I'd assume it had something to do with the palace sorcerer, though or some type of magic.
While it had always been sad to me it never affected me. That was until my little brother was born and was an alpha. Thankfully for us, they had only sent one guard. A man named Ronald with a big round belly and a beautiful smile. When he laid eyes on my family, and my little brother James, he couldn't find it within himself to kill him. So he spared him.
He was one of the best men that I knew. Besides my dads, that is.
He had often come to visit us and check-in. He quickly became a part of my family and I absolutely loved it. He soon became like a grandfather to me and my siblings and when he began to bring his wife when he visited, she became like a grandmother to us.
We called her Gran. She was apparently a cook in the palace and that's how she met Ronald. By the time they had met and fell in love, they were past the age that they could have children. So meeting us? They called our family a gift from the heavens.
All was well in our lives. Ronald and Gran would often join us on our picnics, Gran helping my moms cook in the kitchen.
It had been a warm, breezy day when it happened. It was one of the few times that Gran and Ronald hadn't joined us on our picnics. Gran said that she had to help cook a feast for the royal family. She said it was something about a celebration with hundreds that she would have to cook hours for. Ronald was also supposed to stand guard. Which he hadn't done for a while.
When we reached our cabin, all laughing and joking around, we saw Ronald standing there. Pounding on the door. He looked panicked and was breathing heavily. He was wearing his armor which was odd. A horse was tied to a tree behind him.
"Ronnie!" My dad, Jacob, said with a wide smile. One that he didn't return.
"You guys have to go. The guards are coming. Somehow they found out about you guys." He rushes out "I overheard them talking while standing at my post about how they were being sent out to kill a bunch of wolf shifters because they had an alpha son that had slipped through and survived. I got here as fast as I could but I still worry it wasn't fast enough. So please, you guys have to go. I don't think you have any time to pack anything."
"Well, where will we go? This is our home?" One of my moms Rain said. My other mom Grace just had a shocked look on her face.
"I know some people. They're called the Arcana people. They'll take you in." He says "I told Willa to wait outside the city walls for you guys. She'll take you there. Now please, hurry. I'll try and hold them off."
"Let us stay and help you. Grace and Rain and the kids will leave," One of my other dads Tyler said but Ronald shakes his head.
"no, no your kids need you. Now please go. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if anything happened to you guys. I love you all like you're my own blood."
My entire family and I dropped all of our things and began to run through the woods away from our house and towards the direction of the city. One thing that we hadn't accounted for was that they wouldn't all come from one direction. Soon enough, guards were springing from behind trees and attacking us. All of my family shifted except for my younger brother and I. Since we hadn't turned twelve yet we couldn't shift.
A bloodied fight broke out. One of my older brothers running up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder, "Ren, you and James need to run and get out of here. We'll try and distract them and whatever you do, do not look back. Eyes forward, little sis, and don't stop running." then he shifted and attacked a guard that was close by. I took James's hand and ran.
We ran and ran and ran until we reached a village.
James was practically passed out. I ended up putting him on my back.
My sides hurt as if my dad spent twenty minutes tickling me and my feet ached like I had walked on hot coals.
"Oh my, are you guys okay?" An older woman says. She was holding a basket of apples. I nearly broke down in tears at her words "Here, come here kids. Let's head back to my house. I'll cook you some warm apple pie, yeah?" I let her lead us back to her house and she let us wash up and cooked us some food.
"Thank you," James says. Though he was really thankful for everything she'd done, his eyes looked empty and dead.
"No need to thank me." She said with a smile "Do you guys need a place to rest?"
"Yes," I say "if you'd be so kind."
"Well, then, let me make you guys up some beds." She then left to get some things together for us. A few minutes later she comes back "You guys can follow me." We follow her up the stairs and she leads us into a room "This was my son's old room. He lives in a house on the other side of the village now with his wife. He has two little ones. There isn't much left in it since he's left so you'll have to excuse the bearness."
She leaves us be and that's when the tears fall from our eyes. We hold each other tightly as we try and sleep. We do eventually fall asleep but are awoken by pounding on the door. We hear the woman, I realize then I never asked her name, walk down the hallway and down the stairs.
"Wait here," I tell James and he nods his head. I walk up to the door and open it slightly.
"Hello. May I help you, gentlemen?" The woman says.
"We were just wondering if you had seen any kids that seemed out of place and like they had been running away. Ones that you've never seen here before."
"No. I'm afraid I haven't."
"Alright. Thank you for your time."
"Of course. You fellows have safe travels." then she closes the door and locks it before making her way back upstairs. She spots me and smiles at me "I'm so sorry for whatever happened to you kids. Just know you can stay as long as you please."
"Thank you but we have to get to the city."
"Oh, well, my son should be heading there tomorrow to drop off some goods. I can get him to give you a ride if you'd like?"
"That would be great, thank you."
The next day we're on our way to the city to meet up with Gran so she can take us to these Arcana people. I had never heard of them before and didn't know how much I could trust them. But if Ron and Gran trusted them then they couldn't be all that bad.
When we met up with Gran she gave us both a huge hug. telling us that she loved us. From the look on her face, I could only assume that no one else had arrived and all my other family members were dead.
She introduced us to the arcana people and I quickly fell in love with them all. My brother and I's life was forever changed and there was a deep emptiness inside the both of us but we still managed to find some joy.
The only thing is, was that I didn't realize how much hatred my little brother carried for himself. How he blamed himself for our family's death. Not until it was too late. Not until I found him hanging from a tree. One that I often visit when I miss him.
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That was how I met Vye and the Arcana people. While I wish with everything in me things could be different, and that my family could still be here, I was thankful for them and everything they did for me. For a long time, I had harbored so much hate for the royal family.
I mean, they were responsible for my family's death. And at the same time, I realized that I had to let it all go. That my family wouldn't want me to bask in the rage that I felt.
I don't think I would've survived my family's death without Gran or Vye. I definitely wouldn't have survived James' death, either. Especially because I actually saw his dead body.
I had met Tien totally by accident. I had run into the city to get some stuff that Vye needed. None of them could make trips because you'd be able to tell who they were if you saw them, and the fact that it was dangerous for them to be out. They would stand out where I could remain invisible.
I was purchasing some ingredients Vye needed to make this tea she loved when I ran into Tien. She had at first threatened to kill me, but then we slowly became friends.
At that time I hadn't known who she was or I probably wouldn't have gotten close to her. But by the time I realized who she was, it was already too late. She had weaseled her way into my heart.
and for some reason, I tried to draw up hatred for her and I couldn't. I didn't know her reasons for doing what she did and honestly, there would never be reasons good enough. But I could find it within my heart to forgive her.
It was a character flaw of mine, I was too forgiving. I had too big of a heart.
Tien doesn't know about what happened and I'm sure that if I told her she'd feel bad. Something that I often wonder, though, is that it wasn't her choice. I do know that her family was visiting again at that time.
I shake my head and lift my hand to knock on Viviana's door. Ainsley had stayed in her room last night after a heated debate between all of us. Ainsley opens the door with a wide smile on her face.
"Are you ready to go?" I ask and she nods her head. I extend my hand out to her and she grasps it and we make our way to the kitchen.
When we enter, Gran is there. Her eyes light up when she sees me.
"Hey Gran," I say. Letting go of Ainsley's hands and walking up to her. I kiss her on the cheek and she pats mine in return.
"Hello, Ren. How are you?"
"I'm good. And you?"
"I've been better. My favorite girl hasn't been visiting me as often which breaks my heart but other than that I'm fine."
"I'm sorry. I've been busy."
"I know. I'm just teasing you."
"But seriously, Gran. I'll start visiting you more."
"You don't have to. It's quite alright."
"Shut up woman. You know I'd do anything for you. Things are clearing up now which is good so I should have more time. Tien's family is now gone."
"Thank the heavens. Now all we need is for someone to take them out," she mutters under her breath "Anyway, here you go lovely."
She hands me a basket packed with food and I thank her before me and Ainsley are on our way out.
I lay down a blanket and Ainsley and I sit and begin eating.
"So, how are you really?" Ainsley asks "Because you seemed a little sad when you got me from Vivianas today. It's not something I did, right?"
"No," I smile at her "I was just thinking about some less-than-good stuff that's happened in my past. I'm okay though. Especially because I'm with you."
"If you ever need to talk about anything I'm here. You know that right?"
"Yes," I say and lean forward to kiss her. She deepens it and before I know it we're making out. I pull back eventually and let out a deep breath "We should probably stop before it turns into something else."
"I wouldn't really mind that." She says with a smile.
"Trust me, neither would I. However, we're completely out in the open, and unless you're into that then..."
"No no. I see your point." she says "though I don't think I'd mind if one of the others watched."
"Good to know." I smiled at her.
"Are we gonna stop and visit Vye today?" She asks me and I shake my head.
"Sadly no. I'm a little hesitant right now. I mean, I know that Tien's family is gone I'm just super paranoid and will be for the next week or so. But we'll definitely go soon. I promise."
"Alright! No rush. I was just curious."
Soon enough, we end up just saying down. Cloudgazing while cuddling.
It's the happiest I've been in a long time and despite everything that's happened in my life, I may not have met Ainsley if it didn't.
And I wouldn't trade this moment in time for anything.
"This is going to sound out of the blue and you don't have to tell me. But what happened to your family?" Ainsley says before rushing out "God that sounded awful and blunt. Forget I asked."
I laugh at her a little bit and say, "It's okay. You can ask me anything and everything you want and I will answer you." I look down into her eyes, stroking her hair "You just have to promise me you won't judge me."
"Of course. I'd never judge you." I tell her what happened to my family that sunny, breezy day. One that had at first been filled with laughs and joy. She doesn't say anything. Just continues to listen to me.
"It may seem weird that I'm friends with Tien after everything she did to my family and that I forgive her with my entire heart. The thing is, my family was big on not holding grudges or anger against people. Being forever angry about something that I can't change isn't beneficial for me or for anyone else. Yeah, I'm still hurt by it, I miss them every day like crazy, and I wish things could be different but I just accept it, you know? I must sound like a horrible daughter and sister but I just don't see the point. I've seen the person Tien really is, the girl underneath the cruel ruler and she's not evil. For a while, I had considered trying to avenge my family but it wouldn't change what happened nor would it get rid of the hurt. The only thing it would do is change who I am and that's not something I want. I don't want to hurt or kill people. I don't want to see people in pain or be the cause of their suffering. It's not who I am and it's not who I ever wanna be." I sigh "Besides, when I first met Tien I hadn't known who she was and by the time I did she had already become an important person in my life."
"I don't think it's weird. It shows how loving, kind, and forgiving you are. It's quite beautiful, actually. I don't think I'd be able to do it."
"I've gotten that before."
"Did Tien ever say sorry?" Ainsley asks and I shake my head.
"She doesn't know, darling," I say "and quite frankly I don't ever want her to know. As far as I know, there haven't been any more alpha births since my little brother. Plus, I'm supposed to be dead. I doubt she'd have me killed now but there's a little part of me that still fears that one day I'm going to wake up and she'll be standing over me. Telling me she knows who I really am before she drives a dagger into my heart."
Ainsley nods her head before saying "I love you, Ren."
"I love you too."
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Soooo this turned out a little different than expected. I did change a little part of chapter twenty-two just because I couldn't really find a way to work it into Renetta's backstory. Especially because I was thinking of the logistics of the royal family allowing packs and the answer was a hard no. In my mind, I view the leadership of Ostradus to be more like a dictatorship. That's really bad but yeah.
I hope this chapter wasn't boring or bad. I'm not super in love with it but it took quite a bit of time. I had written it and then deleted it by accident so I had to rewrite it. I for sure liked the first one better which sucks but it is what it is.
I was debating about not publishing this but I'm just gonna go for it. It's almost 3:00 am and I have work in the morning which won't be fun.
But we shall prevail ( i love saying that).
Thanks so much for reading! Much love:))