With Eyes to See | ✔

|09|

Adam was torn, he really didn't want to leave Leora alone but it didn't seem like he had much of a choice. There was much work for him to do and he could tell Leora didn't want him to feel as though he had to babysit her.

Still not wanting to leave her on her own, Adam introduced her to a woman- one of the many talented chefs of the pack. The woman was called Crystal, she was kind and funny and Leora had felt an instant connection to her. Perhaps it was something to do with the fact she was now the 'Luna' of the pack...

Crystal decided to take her Luna around the pack. Having a mate who was visually impaired meant that Crystal was exceptionally good at interacting with Leora. That was probably why Adam had asked Crystal in the first place.

It was slightly irksome for Leora, she was not a burden to anyone and she hated feeling that way. There was another part of her though that appreciated Crystal and more importantly- Adam. As much as she didn't want to be a burden, she was still different and she could never deny that.

Adam was so careful and gentle with her in the short time they had been together, it was endearing. Nobody had really stuck around after her sight left her, being blind wasn't something that most 8-year-olds knew how to deal with. All the children at school stayed away, or teased her and the teachers treated her like a fragile object.

It was hard. Leora's parents out of fear for their daughter had insisted on home-schooling, and being so young the girl never had a choice. It was her choice however, to become stronger; one night whilst watching a Japanese movie with her dad she decided that she wanted to start learning to fight. The next day, she was signed for aikido and her love for martial arts was born, the rest was history.

Besides her parents, and now Adam, the only other person who was friendly with her was Freddie. She had thought it was because they grew up together like siblings but now she supposed it was because he had been in love with her.

The point being that kindness was hard to come by in her life, and she wanted so desperately to hold on to every piece she received. It was naïve for her to think that way, and she knew that but didn't she deserve a place in the world, filled with love and kindness just like everyone else?

It wasn't that the people she did have wasn't enough, it was that she didn't have them anymore. Her parents had long since moved back to Greece, and she was no longer living in Willsden Brooke so she didn't have Freddie either. She had been thrust into a strange new world with nothing to hold on to except the kindness of others.

Crystal took Leora around, letting her explore and feel free within the pack. It was the first time she was able to experience the pack in motion, it was exhilarating.

Everything about the people here were full of traditions, culture, and history, a complete world hidden away from all human knowledge. Leora listened with eager ears as Crystal told her everything.

It was so fascinating, dare she think magical. The way the pack worked as a unit, a community- a family, was wonderful. It reminded her of her old community of Willsden Brooke, so much so that she instantly felt at home.

They ended up at one of the open spaces of the pack where the pups were running around under the watchful gaze of some of the pack members.

Though young, Crystal was such a motherly woman, the children came to talk and even asked her to play. They had of course asked Leora too, being sweet and considerate children but she couldn't. It had prompted the children to ask about her eyes, and other things Leora would rather not remember.

Crystal had become protective, but Leora had told her it was alright and even ushered them all off to continue their playing.

"I'll only be gone for a few minutes." Crystal assured her.