Carlos Home.
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Carlos, an ordinary man living a simple life in this secluded area, returned home from the farm this evening in his trusty old Volkswagen. While the world had been kind to him and his wife, Gwen, for some time, their peaceful routine was about to be disrupted.
As he parked his car and stepped out, his eyes were drawn to a sleek luxury vehicle in front of their home. "It can't be," he muttered to himself, a sense of unease creeping over him. Gwen, noticing his distraction, greeted him with a kiss, offering him comfort after what seemed like a long day.
"Your food is ready. Welcome home," she said, her warm words momentarily soothing his growing curiosity about the unfamiliar car and its owner. As he prepared to inquire further, his gaze shifted to the figure of a man standing at the entrance of their house - Adam.
Gwen, sensing his intrigue, explained, "He came asking about you. Said he's an old friend." Carlos remained silent, his eyes locked with Adam's, each man silently studying the other, an unspoken tension lingering in the air.
The intense gaze between them made Gwen feel uneasy, sensing there might have been a misunderstanding between the two friends.
"Is everything alright?" she inquired, picking up on the tension in the air. To her relief, Adam and Carlos exchanged smiles before rushing to embrace each other joyfully.
Their reunion after years of being university friends was filled with happiness. Life had led them on separate paths, but now they were brought back together, with success being the force that had kept them apart. Carlos was amazed to see Adam again.
It was evident that Adam had forgotten about Carlos, especially since things had been going so well for him after they left school. The sight of each other reignited the fond memories they shared, prompting tight hugs and pats on the back.
"Look at you, Carlos! You haven't changed a bit!" Adam exclaimed, his face beaming with joy. Carlos returned the smile but then nervously cleared his throat, causing their smiles to fade.
"And you...? It seems like a lot has changed for you, Adam. I've heard about your reputation; it's known all over the city," Carlos remarked, eyeing Adam's car, who simply nodded in response.
"Yes, things have indeed changed for me. Life is unpredictable; we never know what it has in store for us," Adam replied, noticing Carlos's puzzled expression and realizing he wanted more explanation.
"I mean, I used to think life was all about getting married, having kids, and being happy," Adam elaborated, causing Carlos to nod in agreement, patting him on the back happily.
"Of course, that's life – it's what it's all about. I know you have kids now, though," Carlos said, leaving Adam speechless.
Adam found himself unable to respond to Carlos' statement, his silence signaling to Carlos that something was amiss. Carlos paused, swallowed nervously, then took a deep breath. He glanced briefly at his wife, who was busy arranging things inside the car that he had brought home from the farm.
"I lost my first child too. It was our only child, and I know it wasn't easy. We have to endure whatever comes our way. I'm truly sorry if you had similar experience," Carlos expressed sympathetically, to which Adam simply nodded.
"Thank you," Adam responded, prompting a smile from Carlos, who then gently nudged him forward.
"Come on, let's go inside. How did you even manage to find your way to my home? What brought you here?" Carlos inquired with a happy smile as they made their way to the house.
"How could I forget? I've come to realize that friends should never be forsaken," Adam replied warmly as they entered the house together, both men sharing a sense of contentment.
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Alpha Mula's Pack Territory.
It's already midnight, and the moon has begun its gentle glow, shining brightly as it moves towards becoming full, though it was currently just a half moon.
Despite the approaching new moon, the woods were illuminated by its light.
As promised by Mula, he and Elena found themselves in the woods, enjoying each other's company and strengthening their bond.
Sitting by the river, they dipped their legs in the water, their eyes filled with wonder.
Mula's eyes turned a deep blue, while Elena's gleamed with a golden hue as they admired their reflections in the water.
"Do you see how beautiful you are? You are the most stunning wolf to ever grace this earth," Mula whispered to Elena as they held hands.
Elena couldn't help but smile at his words. "You always know how to tease me, Mula," she replied before he interrupted her.
"This isn't teasing; it's the truth. How could Dean not fight to claim such a magnificent wolf as his own?" Mula's mention of Dean wiped the smile from Elena's face, a topic he shouldn't have brought up.
She swallowed sadly, looking away, until Mula gently brought her face back towards him.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset you..." he began, but Elena cut in.
"It's okay, but I think we should head back to the pack now," she said, wanting to stand up. Mula, however, grabbed her hand, pulling her back gently.
"Aww," she exclaimed as she stumbled, almost falling into the lake. He caught her just in time, holding her steady with both hands. They found themselves gazing into each other's eyes, which shimmered with a golden light.
In a moment, they were lost in a deep kiss. Mula held her tight while Elena grasped his head, savoring the closeness.
The distant howls of other wolves echoed through the woods, but this was their domain, and they felt no fear. Any approaching wolf would surely be from Mula's pack. In the midst of their embrace, Mula was the first to break the kiss, raising his head and surprising Elena.
Sensing a presence nearby, they both felt a twinge of unease. "Stay close to me, Elena," Mula said, pulling her nearer. They feared it might be Dean once more.
"You can come out, no need to hide! Show yourself!" Mula called out, and they soon spotted a golden eye drawing closer. Using their enhanced night vision, they realized it was just an ordinary omega male wolf.
As he approached, transforming back into human form with his hands raised in a gesture of surrender, they saw that he was just a boy, certainly not more than 17 years old. He was unfamiliar, indicating that he did not belong to their pack.
"Who are you? What are you doing in my territory?" Mula asked as he approached the boy.
"I meant no harm. Please don't harm me. I only came to deliver a message from Athena," he said as Elena and Mula gazed at each other.
"Athena? What message?" Mula inquired. The boy then put his hands in his pocket and pulled out a white paper, which he handed over to them before briskly walking away.
Mula briefly considered stopping him but decided against it as he unfolded the letter to read it once more.
•
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The sudden letter they received urged them to quickly return to the pack in order to carefully review its contents and understand its message.
Mula and his beta had already finished reading the book and were now pondering their next steps. The book revealed that Dean had imprisoned Athena in a cell in the underground dungeon of his pack because she had assisted in freeing Elena.
"So she's saying that if we don't help her escape from the dungeon, Dean will have her killed in the next two days? But why would Dean do such a thing?" Ryan inquired, looking at Mula who still held the paper in his hands.
"At this point, the why doesn't matter. What's important is, do you think we should assist her?" Mula questioned, seeking Ryan's opinion.
"I believe we should. She is our ally, and we bear some responsibility for her predicament, so we should try to help her," Ryan promptly agreed.
"But how? We're talking about a cell inside Dean's well-protected dungeon. It won't be easy to get her out," Mula pointed out, prompting Ryan to pause in thought.
"I'm sure we'll come up with a plan," Ryan responded optimistically, as if he had an idea in mind.