赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“You won today because you were accepted by this pack as someone they will follow. Someone they will fight and die for if necessary.”

Ashleigh stared at Fiona with complete shock. She was accepted? No, it was only a game, and only a few wolves.

“They chose you over me, Ashleigh,” Fiona continued. “This whole time, not once in any other round did a single wolf choose you. But this time, when you chose to protect them in place of winning the game, they chose you.”

“I wasn’t trying to–”

“Isn’t that the point?” Fiona smiled. “You saved Abe because he was a pup in trouble. But you could have left him after you took care of the wolves after him. Or you could have even left him with one of the others you came across.

“You chose to bring him to the safe zone yourself to ensure he made it. You carried him and took long detours to keep him safe. They saw that choice. They respected it.”

“I appreciate that, but it was only a few wolves. So it’s a bit of a stretch to say that this pack has accepted me,” Ashleigh replied.

Fiona grabbed the stool that sat at the small counter. She brought it over and sat down beside Ashleigh.

“This game is about more than the stated goal,” Fiona smiled. “The only way I could win was to keep you out of the safe zone. But you had many ways to win. You just never found them until this round. When you stopped thinking of brute force as the only thing you have to offer this pack.”

Fiona smiled at Ashleigh. She saw that the young Luna had difficulty accepting her words.

“Each wolf participating in the game is a representative of Summer. Whether it be from a division, a small group, or an entire sector. The howls, did you hear them?”_.

Ashleigh thought back to just before she lost consciousness before the wolves came. She remembered the howl now, the chorus that echoes back.

She nodded.

“That wolf that let out the first howl? She was announcing you as a worthy Luna. Those that returned her howl agreed. Did you also happen to notice that wolves arrived to help you, but those that had already chosen me were nowhere to be seen?”

Ashleigh furrowed her brow. It was true. She had seen several wolves in human form with red badges throughout the match. Those would have been the ones that had chosen Fiona. But none of them had been on the hill at the end.

“Since they had already chosen me, the only thing they could do when their allegiance shifted, was take up the peace that your wolves had abandoned.”

Ashleigh blinked. She let out a breath of air, still not understanding what had happened. She hadn’t done anything special.

“Ashleigh, it’s not as complicated as you are making it,” Fiona smiled, reaching her hand out to touch Ashleigh’s. “For weeks, they have watched you fight your way through the game, yes, you lost, but you kept trying.

“To some, it was a sign of your spirit, your persistence. To others, it was a concern that all you recognized as a viable solution was violence.”

Fiona paused.

“This wasn’t Abe’s first appearance in the games, just the first time you found him. But your reaction to him and choosing to save the two women who gave you an out….”

Fiona let out a soft sigh and a bright smile. She raised her hand to Ashleigh’s cheek.

“It just confirmed for everyone else what I already knew.”

“What’s that?” Ashleigh asked, unsure why she felt a tear falling.

“The Goddess made the right choice, and so did Caleb.”

Ashleigh felt an intense flood of emotion. She clenched her jaw and pursed her lips. Her stomach tightened as she tried to hold it in.

Fiona leaned close and kissed the top of Ashleigh’s head, just like Caleb so often did when he offered her comfort.

“It’s ok to feel relieved,” Fiona whispered.

Ashleigh let out a chuckle, and with that chuckle, she drew a shaky breath. She hadn’t quite realized how tired she was. How hard she had tried; how much she had wanted to win. As hard as she tried, as hard as she fought. She only won when she stopped trying to.

She let the tears fall. She let the weariness settle over her.

Fiona stayed by her side quietly as Ashleigh allowed herself to fall into the emotions she had been holding back.

The pack had accepted her. She wasn’t sure how to react to that. She was excited, terrified, and overwhelmed. Ashleigh had hoped that winning this game would help, but she never expected it to work so well.

All she needed now was to complete her promise.

“The next full moon isn’t far,” Fiona said. “But Corrine is pretty amazing at pulling together beautiful weddings.”

“What?” Ashleigh asked, looking up at Fiona.

“I mean, what she did for Bell and Galen was beautiful. I’m sure she will make it even more special for you,” Fiona smiled.

“What?” Ashleigh asked again.

“Your wedding?”

“But,” Ashleigh began. “Caleb and I aren’t planning to marry for a few more months.”

“Well, yes, but that was before. Now that the pack accepts you, there is no reason to wait, right?” Fiona said. “Caleb told me that you wanted to prove yourself first. I can tell you without question you have done that.”

“Uhm, well, yes… that’s true,” Ashleigh stammered. “But… there are… that is I…”

“What is it, Ashleigh?” Fiona asked, looking at Ashleigh carefully.

Ashleigh hesitated to answer. She needed to be careful.

“We don’t know when Caleb will even be back from this secret mission,” Ashleigh said. “He may not make it back home before the full moon, and we can’t plan the wedding without him even knowing.”

“Oh, please,” Fiona laughed. “If Galen calls him right now and tells him that the pack accepts you and you’re free to marry, it doesn’t matter why he’s out there. He would be back in a heartbeat to make you his wife.”

Ashleigh laughed awkwardly, lowering her head. She knew Fiona was right.

“There’s something else,” Fiona said, observing Ashleigh’s reaction. “Do you not want to marry my son?”

Ashleigh’s eyes shot open, and she turned up to Fiona.

“Of course, I do!” she cried out.

“Then what is the problem,” Fiona asked. The merriment had left her voice.

“It’s just that… I made a promise… and I haven’t completed it yet,” Ashleigh replied.

“What kind of promise would keep you from marrying the man you love?” Fiona asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ashleigh swallowed.

Fiona already knew that Ashleigh was investigating Cain’s death, that she wanted to find an answer to what really happened.

But how could Ashleigh explain that she needed to find those answers before she could marry Caleb?

That marrying him now would feel like she took advantage of him before he knew the truth. After all, could she expect him to feel the same way for her after he knew?

“I promised Caleb I would solve Cain’s murder. For him and for this pack,” Ashleigh replied.

“Getting married won’t hinder your investigation,” Fiona said. “If anything, becoming Luna officially will make it easier for you to gather information.”

Fiona stood up. She continued to stare at Ashleigh with such a focus that Ashleigh honestly worried she could somehow hear her thoughts.

“This is about your father,” Fiona stated.

Ashleigh’s eyes widened.

“Wha… what do you mean?” Ashleigh asked, trying to push down her nerves.

Fiona raised an eyebrow and took a deep breath through her nose.

“You are afraid of how Caleb will react when he learns that your father is the one who killed Cain.”