EPISODE 142
He just stood there, frozen, staring at me as if the sheer force of his gaze could shatter the illusion before him. The resemblance was too strong, too precise. My face, my posture, even the way I breathed, all screamed familiarity
And Caleb The boy was a mirror image of him, as if the Moon Goddess herself had carved him straight from Seram’s
own blood
If I wasn’t Marian, if Caleb wasn’t his son, then who were we?
I waited, pretending to expect an answer. My hands remained at my sides, my stance relaxed, though in reality, my heart was hammering against my ribs, my lungs tight with suppressed panic. A few agonizing seconds stretched between us, heavy and unbearable
“Mom Caleb’s voice cut through the tension, clear and innocent, completely unaware of the storm raging within me
I seized the moment I turned to Seram, forcing a casual smile as if this encounter was nothing but a brief, passing conversation “It seems my son is calling me. Excuse me
I didn’t wait for a response. I turned on my heel and strode toward Caleb and Syrus. My pace measured but swift, resisting the urge to break into a full sprint.
Syrus had stopped walking the moment Caleb called for me. He watched me approach, his sharp gaze missing nothing. He could see it, see the tremble in my fingers, the rigidity of my shoulders, the way my breath came just a little too fast.
I walked steadily, normally, but inside, I was falling apart.
His eyes darkened. He didn’t say a word, but as soon as I reached his side, his warm fingers wrapped around my ice–cold. hand He felt it, the sweat pooling in my palm, the tremor that wouldn’t stop
He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, a silent gesture of understanding, before guiding me forward, away from prying eyes, back to the safety of our camp.
Behind us, Seram was still standing there, unmoving. Watching
Deanne heard it. I knew because her sharp intake of breath was unmistakable. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The onlookers hesitated, then slowly dispersed, murmuring amongst themselves, their curiosity momentarily sated.
Deanne, however, was not so easily distracted. She grabbed Lucas by the arm and dragged him closer before turning to Seram, her voice as cold as steel.
“Marian is dead.”
Seram flinched. It was barely noticeable.
“She died five years ago, Deanne continued, her voice laced with finality. “Everyone watched as we buried her.”
The words hit their mark Seram’s shoulders tensed, his breathing uneven. The tragedy had shaken their pack to its core. They have been restless with grief and unease, fearing the wild wolves that had trespassed their lands. For years, they had been haunted by that loss, unable to find peace.!
Only recently had the darkness begun to lift, with the pack resuming trade, reclaiming some sense of normalcy.!!
But now, this? This threw everything into question.
Seram said nothing. With a final glance in my direction, he turned and followed Deanne back to their camp. The tension didn’t die down inside their tent.K
Deanne sat beside Lucas, tending to his bruises with a disapproving frown.
“That kid is feral, she muttered, pressing a damp cloth against the swollen skin, “Like an untamed beast.”
“Enough,” Seram snapped, cutting her off
Deanne turned to him, eyes narrowing. “What? It’s the truth. That child fights like a brute. He’s violent.”
“He’s strong.” he corrected sharply. “Lucas threw punches too. Look at Caleb, he also has bruises. Did he cry? Did he run to his mother for help?”
Deanne scoffed. “Lucas is just a child.”
“So is Caleb “Seram’s tone was clipped, controlled, but barely, “Yet, you’re coddling Lucas as if he’s fragile. He lost a fight, Deanne. That’s what happens when a boy lacks strength Instead of blaming Caleb, maybe you should be teaching your son how to stand back up.“”
Deanne slammed the cloth into the basin beside her. “Why are you defending that boy? He’s not even yours.”
Seram fell silent!
A slow, knowing smirk crept onto Deanne’s lips.
“Ah she breathed. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
Seram’s jaw locked “Don’t.”
Your chill think tha
“Ah, she breathed. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
Seram’s jaw locked. “Don’t.”
“You still think she’s alive.”
“Deanne–T
“And you think that boy is yours.”
Seram snapped his head toward her, but she wasn’t done.
“You’re delusional,” she said coldly. “Marian is dead. And the child she carried? It wasn’t even a boy,”
Seram’s breath hitched. “That’s a lie.”
“The healers confirmed it,” Deanne pressed on. “She was carrying a girl. That’s why you need to let this go. your son, Marian is gone. Whatever you think you saw, it’s impossible.”
Caleb isn’t
Seram’s fingers curled into fists, his knuckles white. He should have refuted her, should have fought back against logic, but the words stuck in his throat. He couldn’t answer.
Instead, he lashed out in frustration. “Keep your son in line, Deanne. Or I’ll do it myself.”
And with that, he stormed out of the tent, leaving Deanne scowling behind him.}
Night had fallen by the time Seram finally let his anger settle. He roamed through the merchant stalls, letting the mindless exchange of goods and the murmur of distant conversations dull the frustration in his mind.
But it wasn’t enough.
No matter how hard he tried to push it away, the image remained burned into his thoughts.
My face. My voice. The impossible familiarity of it all!!
And then, as if the Moon Goddess herself had willed it, he saw me.
I was walking alone, the silver light of the moon casting shadows across my face. He did not know the reason why am I out in the open, strolling as if she had no care in the world. Seram thought that I was coming for him.
Seram’s heart pounded. His feet moved before his mind could catch up. He had to talk to me. Had to know. And as he stepped into my path, blocking my way forward, he whispered words that could unravel everything
“Marian, it is you, isn’t it?”
I stopped. My breath hitched. My body tensed. Then, slowly, I turned to face him.”
And I lied. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Seram’s eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unrelenting. “You do.”
