The Story That Followed After

• 36. The Story That Followed After •

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"Are you sure mom never came here to claim you back?" Liana had asked as she cradled Zoë, who picked up the grass that turned dry and yellow.

"She hasn't, Liana." Zoë promised, then she turned to look up at her with those big, brown eyes, and asked, "Alexander won't allow it, and AJ's got my back. Has she seen you?"

Liana smiled faintly at that, and shook her head to answer the fifteen-year-old. This was her new family. The family that Zoë deserved since she was born.

When they had found Zoë, Liana had been two years, but Zoë was about a month old. She had been in the arms of a dead woman, a woman she grew to look like exactly, while a man had been laying on the floor, eyes open, but no sign of life coming through. His hand had been reaching out, as if he went to grab something...

Marianne had told Liana to stay put as she fetched for something outside. It had been hours when she had come back, with a newborn child in her hands. Liana could sniff the wolf within the baby... and when she got closer to the attentive baby, grinning menacingly with the crying newborn, Liana knew what she was doing.

While Marianne placed silver bracelets on Zoë's hands, refraining her from using her uncontrollable power (and from having a wolf, she later found out), Liana had swore to protect her at all costs. Marianne had a motive, and she was going to brainwash a child who didn't know she killed her own parents, and other innocent lives... it hadn't even been her fault... Zoë had even grown to dislike her powers, only because there was such a limit to everything... her playdates (if they had any) would specifically be a no-touching thing. They couldn't hug each other as they cried... she couldn't even hug her when she had said good-bye after helping her escape through Marianne's clutches.

But... here she was accepted. They had been skeptical, of course, but she was accepted nonetheless, and that's all Liana wanted for her. She could even hug her tightly, and not have to worry about a bad outcome.

Even though she didn't have to worry about it at all in this moment.

"Do you think Marianne found out about your wolf?" Zoë asked with wide eyes, and Liana had widened her own.

"You have a wolf?"

Liana turned to see Arnelle. She had been there the entire time, even though Michael had told her not to be. She had been minding her business, sitting against the tree in front of them, but when Zoë had blurted out the question, she couldn't help but ask herself.

"I do." Liana answered, sighing in defeat before kissing the top of Zoë's head. It was no point in lying.

"How is that possible?" Arnelle asked, straightening herself up. She seemed to be in thought, and a cloud of emotions ran through her eyes. "Don't you guys usually kill your wolves off?"

"Arnelle..." Zoë let out, her tone had a faint tinge of light warning. It was a little to harsh, in her eyes, and Arnelle apologized before sitting back.

"No, she's right, Zoë. We do." Liana began, then she looked towards Arnelle, who watched her expectingly.

"You already know that it's rare for hunters and werewolves to become mates... but it's even rarer for them to have kids." Liana began then she looked away, towards the ground. "When they do, however, they'll strip your wolf away with silver..."