Stronger- #Wattys2019

Part 20

The crisp winter air of a Siberian December had kept most everyone indoors. Nadine had grown used to the climate, the Bosch Pack was from the mountains of Germany, so it only took a little getting used to. However, her wolf had always helped to keep her warm.

Looking out the frosted window as she sipped on hot tea flavored with fruit, she let her mind wander. Memories and thoughts drifted along, much like the soft snow flakes she watched dancing in the breeze.

Nothing but the ghosts of the past and her music to keep her company.

At least, that was how she intended it.

"Nora." A hesitant voice stirred her from her melancholy.

Nervous grey eyes flickered from the pale snow, glancing only briefly at a familiar face. A face she knew from memory, though the years hadn't done her grandmother as much justice as was typical for a wolf shifter. "Nora died long ago." She finally spoke as her gaze returned to the snow.

"But the tests, they confirm..."

"You misunderstand me Elder Zima. The child I was died. She no longer exists." Nadine turned her music off.

The Elder sighed as she sat in a chair near the window, obviously not retreating from the awkward tension in the room. "Please, I need to know if this is real?"

Grinding her teeth, Nadine knew exactly which memory would help to convince the woman. "I remember, you know. I remember how you welcomed Lukas into your pack. The way you praised me to the male, drew his attention to the child you should have been protecting. It was during that summer meeting of my seventh birthday, he first set his sights on me. He later told me he liked to see me frozen and covered with bruises because he liked the color blue on me, like the dress I wore to my party. A French country blue with hints of lavender in the tones." A lone tear threatened to fall from her eyes, still glued to the white flurries past the windows rather than face the older woman. "All of those other girls and women he hurt, the ones you all thought were taken by a rogue, they were meant to be me. He tried to not want a child, so he used others. But it wasn't enough. Never enough. So when the alphas were summoned to solve the problem of the disappearances... he used his position and opportunity. It was risky, yet he succeeded." Her lip trembled.

"I'm so sor..."

"Don't. Just don't. Nora died when my innocence was shattered. I'm not the little girl you remember. I only need to know one thing." The younger woman glared at the reflection of her grandmother in the window glass. "That summer, of my seventh birthday, did you ask Lukas to take me?"

"What?" The horrific accusations shocked the old woman. "No! Never, I would never have... is this why you didn't try to contact me? You thought I plotted with that, that monster?"

"I don't know what the truth was or not. But you never even tried to find me." The girl mumbled.

"Child, I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead. There was a body, we had a funeral..." Her voice trailed off. "We were heartbroken. The whole pack grieved for the loss of their alpha, luna, and their child."

"So, you grieved." She paused, unsure if it was the version of the story she trusted, however, it made sense. Still, it didn't stop the feeling of betrayal. She had too many years to dwell on all of the possible reasons for things. And one thing rang through. Facts. And the facts pissed her off. Her inner wolf snarled as she turned to face the only blood family Nadine had left. "You grieved, then you moved on. And you turned your anger toward the innocent. You turned your back on orphans and omegas, like me. You turned your back on everyone like me. Don't you get it. You didn't just accept a lie, you festered hatred toward children with no parents. Like I lost mine. You speak with contempt for omegas and actively rejected me from having a place in the university."