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It had been a normal day around her family’s territory with the usual training with her siblings then spending her time doing whatever she wanted. Her parents didn’t mind what their children did as long as they did their training, never wandered into death stalker training and never stayed outside alone after dark. Margot often spent her time along the river near her home collecting flowers and making bracelets and crowns out of them, something her brothers showed no interest in unfortunately. Being the only girl amongst her siblings, who often meant Margot didn’t see eye to eye with them a lot of the time despite that not stopping her from loving them. Tonight, she spent alone by herself, but she was fine with that and as soon as the sun was setting, she made her way to the most direct route to her house arriving as soon as the stars began shining.
Margot’s siblings were waiting around the yard looking at her with curious expressions on their faces.
“What?”
“We just thought you were mom and dad they haven't gotten back yet.” Rupert responded
This was certainly strange since their parents were always strict about making sure that their children always were home when the sun came down. The surface was a dangerous place with Mutes and even the occasional human wandering about and they always made sure to drill into their children's heads those dangerous, especially the latter. Thinking about this caused Margot to worry that something bad might have happened to their parents while they were patrolling the area of their territory today.
These worries soon seized when a rustling was heard from the trees surrounding their home. Margot turned around fast enough to see both adult wolves appear from the foliage but what surprised her the most was what they brought with them. In between them was a human, a very small one to be exact. They seemed to be a girl with dark skin and big curly hair on her head with a purple jumpsuit on her person. The human looked around anxiously, never keeping her sight on the same thing for long, eventually locking eyes with Margot. Before anything could be said Margot’s mother put her hand on the girl's shoulder guiding her toward the front door of her home. Turning around before entering Margots mother looked directly at her children.
“Meet me and your father in the living room we have some important things to discuss.” the wolf mother said matter-of-factly.
It was in that room that Margot learned why the human had been brought to her home. Her name was Jolene and her parents had found her wandering the woods of their territory after losing her parents, how though was never specified. They asked how she would be with them for now and if she would be training with them. Her brothers stupidly tried to argue not wanting a human in their home, but this was quickly silenced by their parents and their word was law and their word final.
Jolene mostly kept to herself the first few weeks of her being there, mostly keeping her distance from the others and only speaking when spoken to. Who knows why Jolene chose to approach Margot first? Maybe it was because among the pups she was the only girl, maybe it was just some random choice who really knows. It was during one of the breaks their parents allowed between their training sessions, and she was just sitting by the river making flower bracelets by herself when she heard the voice from behind.
“Hi” the voice sounded so quiet and reserved it was almost missed.
Looking behind her Margot saw Jolene who was dressed in the same outfit as the other members of the pack with one hand over her wrist gently rubbing it nervously.
“Hello?” Margot said curiously wanting to know what the girl wanted
“I-It's just everyone else is busy and I was just wondering if I could play with you.?”
The question took Margot by surprise, being the only girl, her brothers preferred each other over spending time with their brothers over their sister. She was fine with being by herself for the most part but she still got lonely from time to time and today was no different.
“Sure, I'd like that.” Margot said with a smile on her muzzle
The time went by surprisingly fast, and Margot enjoyed spending time with Jolene and her the same. It became a usual thing for both playing near the river and making flower bracelets for each other. It didn’t seem to be a problem for Margot and till her mother called her to talk.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, honey I just have some concerns your brothers have told me that you have been getting close with Jolene. That needs to stop now.”
Shocked, Margot took a few minutes to figure out how to respond to her mother's command.
“But... I thought that’s what you wanted with her being here and...”
Margot didn’t get to finish her sentence since her mother quickly slapped her across the face silencing her. It wasn’t exactly an unfamiliar feeling Margot’s parents never really hesitated to correct their children’s behavior although it had become a rarity since the children learned a long time ago never to get on their parent's bad sides.
“Listen to me and listen to me clearly! There are things me and your father need you to know so you and your brothers don’t get... Confused!” Margots mother said this in a stern and serious tone sounding threatening while being just short of yelling.
It was then that Margot learned the true reason for Jolene being there, she was not there to be a part of their family but their prey. Therefore, she along with her brothers must not become attached to her when the time comes, and Margot should remember one thing.
“She is a human, and we are wolves if the roles were reversed you know what she would do. If you are not a part of this then you therefore not part of this pack.”
Those words echoed in Margots head even a month later as she walked home from the woods with Jolene. It was almost time her parents said for their first hunt and the thought kept going over in her head. She kept thinking about what to do if she should tell Jolene, but fear held her back if she did, she would go against her family, her mom, dad and brothers who she loved dearly and be kicked out of the pack. Margot had been with her pack her whole life she wouldn’t know what to do if she didn’t have them in her life. The horrible choice went round and round in her head but the more this happened a pain started forming in her stomach causing her to stop in her tracks clutching her stomach.
“Something wrong?” Jolene asked with concern in her voice.
“Nothing just feels a little weird. I just need to stop for a bit I'll meet you back at the house.”
Not questioning further Jolene simply nodded and continued walking home. Margot clutched her stomach trying to get the pain under control but soon she felt herself hacking and soon vomited on the ground. What concerned her most wasn’t the pain anymore looking down at what was in the vomit, it wasn’t what she had for lunch, but dark shades of red were mixed inside it. Her stomach hurt less now but the struggle in Margot’s head continued as she walked home. A decision had to be made and she didn’t know what to do.
The image then faded as Wolf was brought back to reality spitting out copious of a certain water mute. Since finding Margot and Rupert Wolf sought to find a way to help them and when Tad Mulholland returned the Oaks started using him to examine the cured mute's minds. The results were surprising as not only were their memories still intact, but they still showed signs of brainwaves like their mute counterparts even possessing memories prior to their “curing”. Wolf didn’t know why she wanted to look within Margot’s memories. Maybe she wanted to understand why Margot chose not to help her. To be honest, seeing it from the other side didn’t help as all she saw there was what it really was, which was a girl no older than five being forced to make a choice no one should ever have to make. Margot wanted to be a good friend, a good sister even, but no one gave that choice, not Emelia and certainly not her parents. Knowing that she could only look sadly at the cured wolf in front of her with a sad expression and wrap her in a tight embrace and give her the one thing she can give right now.
“I forgive you.”