Chapter 74: Forbidden Magic
Aster buried his face into her warm spot, and let himself cry into his wolf’s bosom once more in his potent frustration. Stahl truly understood that pain and anger... she had asked herself the same question many times.
As her mate caved beneath his sorrow, Stahl spoke in a whisper, finally telling Aster what she had avoided really talking about with anyone for over two years.
"When my brother Silbern was killed, I asked the gods the same thing. The moment I felt that jolt through my bloodskill, I asked why they would take the next great leader of our pack and leave me...
"That loss split my family in two Aster... We’ve never been the same. I haven’t even seen my mother or my younger brother since then... My older sister visited briefly a while back, but I could tell, being back at our home estate was too hard for her. We all carry so much guilt for what that demon took from us that day... My father more than anyone."
Stahl stopped for a moment to trail off, allowing the painful emotions she had kept buried to surface once more beneath the moon.
Aster kept his head low but listened to his mate carefully. Stahl solemnly picked back up a moment later.
"It took me a long time, but I finally realized something, my love. We don’t know our reasons for being here. We may think we have an idea, and we may have goals and aspirations, but we never know why we get to stay, and others have to leave, even when we would trade places with them if we could...
"As a cub, I always imagined Silbern would grow up and be the head of our house. I thought that was his destiny, not to be slain by a demon’s arrow... But you know, if all of that bad stuff wouldn’t have happened, I wouldn’t have ever joined The Selection to stay close to my father. I wouldn’t be here to hold you like this..."
The she-wolf shifted uncomfortably, hoping she was making the point she wanted to.