Chapter XXIV

Jonathan climbs onto the roof of his house to look at the night sky. He can't help but smile as he remembers Emi. He inhales the fresh air and an electric shock runs through his body. His thoughts travel with the wind to Greece. A cry pulls him out of his thoughts and brings him back to reality. He looks for where the crying is coming from. He gets down from the roof and goes into the small forest near his property. He walks several meters until he finds the person crying. It was none other than the older Greek. He doesn't know what to do, whether to go to his side or give him some privacy. He decides on the former. He growls so Elián can hear him. Another growl comes in response. He reaches out to him and sits down next to him.

—Will you say nothing?

• You lost your life partner. Why would I laugh at your misfortune?

—I don't know, because he's the king and he's crying?

• What matters is your rank, what matters is that your life partner died, the one who would support you through thick and thin.

—It still hurts —He puts his hands to his chest trying to soothe his pain.

—It makes sense, she hasn't even been dead for six months. If you weren't hurting, I'd be worried. Grieve as best you can.

"I want to die." He gathers her legs around him to hug them.

—I'm sure you do, but tell me where you left Elena and Emilia.

—At home with his brothers.

—If you die, you'll leave Emi an orphan, or worse, beyond the reach of her biological father. Is that what you want? Without forgetting Elena, that girl grew up without her mother's love. You'll take your love away from her too.

He shakes his head, sighs in defeat.

—I know your soul hurts, I know what your pain is, I've seen it, I've lived it, I know it's not easy, but you must try to overcome it, because if you die, that guy Iván can claim custody of Emi. It's true that I'm in love with her, but it's also true that since she's a minor for a year I won't be able to do anything and in a year a lot can happen, this year she turns 17, she still has a year left in Mexico to be an adult. It's your decision Elián, Emi is the only thing you have left of Secundina. I will be able to take good care of her, but I will be her partner, not her father, and your brothers will never be Elena's parents, even if they love her as their daughter.

—. . . I didn't like that last bit, your partner... is a girl and Elena too, I love all my children equally.

—That's it! Come on, get up.

—I'm supposed to be the one giving that advice, helping the younger ones, but it was the other way around.

—I'm an old soul. Maybe Emi is a little girl, but she won't be a little girl forever, will she?

—How I hate you —he sees Jonathan stand up.

"I'm sure you will," she offers to help him stand. "Focus that hatred on what we're about to face. You know they outnumber us, outweigh us in strength, size, but not in numbers. That should give us some advantage."

—John, if I die, you have my permission to marry her, if she accepts you, of course.

—Thanks, dad, father-in-law.

—Dumbass! Jonathan, I think we should go now.

Elian's passion

"Sure, the faster we get this over with, the faster I'll go see my girlfriend." His snout grows a little, enough to howl for everyone.

—Are we leaving, father-in-law?

"Who's a father-in-law?" asks a naked Cyrus. Jonathan points to Elian. "Oh yeah! You're a father-in-law for the fourth time. Congratulations, you've got two more to go."

—Stop messing around and let's go —angrily he strips off his clothes, puts on the protection on his neck and then changes immediately.

It wasn't his pack, it wasn't until Jonathan, who was in charge, gave the order for everyone to get moving, even three half-wolves who would be in charge of marking the path and the burrows; no doubt several had scores to settle with those beasts.

The herd splits and runs into three groups: center, right, left. Those in the center head straight for Carson City, Nevada. Those on the left head straight for Idaho, and those on the right head straight for Oregon.

Carson City/ Carson City.

Night has not yet fallen when they arrive at the city, where Katherine, a copper-furred wolf, was already waiting for them. Upon seeing the group arrive, she changes into a human. Jonathan returns the favor, as does Elián.

—It's almost dawn. Do you want to go now or should we wait until nightfall?

• How many are there?

—Last count tonight is fifty. Thirty are completely insane, which puts us at a disadvantage. A werewolf out of his mind is even stronger than normal, and they're already strong.

"What about the other twenty?" Jonathan asks seriously.

• They're scared children, and I think we can save them. Personally, I don't want any survivors, but those twenty aren't even nineteen years old.
• Of being werewolves?

—Of age.

—Wow! They really are puppies! — Elián says worriedly. . .

Do you think those in his pack can help them?

—We've thought about it a lot, I think he'll have a chance.

—Katherine, I suggest you put them to sleep with tranquilizer darts. If you and your alpha allow me, I want to do everything possible to rehabilitate them. I'm almost sure they were changed less than two years ago and they still suffer. They still don't understand. Let me take them home with me. If I don't have anything positive, I'll kill them myself.