NovelEnglish28. July 25
AURELIA
| thought | knew sorrow and understood the feeling of loss. | thought life had knockeddown a couple of times
and that had madebetter at predicting what would hitnext. | thought I'd find peace here in Dakota's
house but all that was given towas sorrow which was too bitter a pill to swallow. "S-stop pl-playing g-games,
kid." | stuttered, grasping for something. Anything to keepstead... but there was nothing.
Pheobe grabbed a hold of my outstretched hand, stepping out of the house with a facial expression that had my
heart sinking further. "Trust me, | wish | was playing games with you. | wish Dakota was still alive to see the
young woman | had become."
She sniffled, blinking rapidly to hold back the glinting liquid in her eyes. | knew Dakota to be a kind woman who
loved leaving a mark on everyone she related with but | didn't know any Pheobe before my escape.
"I'll get you a glass of water. Please don't pass out before-" Phoebe said to me, scanning my face which must
have been red and plastered with every emotion coursing through me,
| shook my head, tears slipping out of my eyes, "Tellhow... when. Please t-tellwhat ha-happened." There
was a silent plea in my voice. | was dying to know more yet scared to hear more.
Accepting that Dakota was no more would killdrastically. Goddess! Why take away the only person who knew
There was pity in Pheobe's eyes when she nodded. The looks she was givingbrokemore than Raiden and
Larisa's torture combined. She sighed, wiped her teary eyes, and sat on the edge of the front porch, patting the
space beside her while holding my gaze. | staggered to her, sat beside her, and did my best to not break into
tears. Inara was quiet withinbut | knew she would feel the emptiness spreading through me... she'd feel the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtdreadful loss in the center of my heart.
"| can tell from the look on your face that she didn't tell you much aboutbut she never stopped bragging
about you even after you escaped the pack." Pheobe began but that wasn't exactly what | wanted to hear. Yes,
Dakota was old and weak when | left the pack but elderly wolves live for many years before they eventually pass
on. "lI was a trainee to her. She taughteverything | know as a healer but | never got to know enough to save
her five years ago. | couldn't heal her frozen heart. | c-couldn't sa-save-" Pheobe broke into tears, creating room
forto cry openly with her without feeling an ounce of shame. Dakota must have meant something to her just
like she meant the world to me.
| murmured amidst our wailing moment, "W-what day did she d-d-"
| just couldn't say the word 'Die'. It was difficult to voice it especially when we were speaking about Dakota.
Pheobe understood my question even though | was unable to communicate properly. She whimpered, "July 25. |
left her in the living room the night before but when | returned the next morning, she was out cold and
everything | did didn't bring her back."
Aside from the fact that no healer could bring back the dead, | couldn't think of anything else but the date...July
25. That was the day | gave birth to my twins... the day | was given a new life and a whole new reason to live.
"You've got to be kidding me." | cried to the moon goddess for the sick games she was playing with my life.
How could she sit wherever she
existed and ruin a good day for me? July 25, which was in three months was supposed to be a good day because
my babies would be
celebrating their sixth bis
but
that has changed now because that day would also be Dakota
sixth
death anniversary.
"I'm not," Phoebe answered in defense, reacting to my outburst, assuming that my words were directed at her.
Oh, how | wished | could sit beside the moon goddess like | was sitting with Pheobe. How | wished I could see the
moon goddess and make her explain the cruel fate she created specifically for me. What I'd give to change my
destiny.
Pheobe suddenly rose to her feet
and walked back into the space that
used to be Dakota's, leavingto
cry my eyes out for the woman I'de never get to see again. If | had known it would be my last twith her I'd
have hugged her tighter and longer the day we parted ways.
But it was too late now.
She was gone.
| couldn't stop the tears as my heart bled sorrowfully. Even when Pheobe returned with an old medium-sized box
that | recognized to be Dakota's immediately, | still couldn't stop the tears.
"You're Aurelia. She'd want you to have this." Pheobe handed the box toand while | stared at it, she
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmcontinued speaking, "I sort of claimed her hto feel closer to her and you're welcto lay a claim on it
because you've more right to it."
"This his your's to keep, Phoebe. Thank you for taking care of it." | uttered, assuring her that | wouldn't take
the house from her.
We both sat down in silence but with hearts that were as heavy as Mount Everest for what seemed like forever
but also wasn't enough to properly mourn our losses. After an hour of complete silence, | left Dakato's home,
staggering back to the place Raiden provided. | sighed in relief when | entered my room and found it empty. My
kids and Hazel were still out and that gavethe chance to grieve.
"You should open the box to get sclosure, Relia," Inara muttered toand even though | knew she was
right, | took my tbecause | didn't want to stop grieving now.
| just found out about her death even
though it's been years since she passed away. | was allowed to grieve like it just happened. After
many minutes of uncontrollable net
tears, Ofinally went for the box sat on the floor beside the bed, inhaling deeply to prepare myself for what | was
about to find in the box.
However, my nostrils picked up the scent of my kids and Hazel as they approached the room. | quickly pushed
the box under the bed and ran into the bathroom to hide my puffy face from Hazel and the kids.
In the bathroom, | wept even more. The tears wouldn't stop flowing no matter how hard | tried and at this point,
Raiden and Larisa were the least of my worries.
Oh, Dakota...
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