The Markless

Chapter 8: The Pendant and the Past

“Wha-what are you talking about? What about them? And what are these ancient old ones you’re speaking of Ben?

"Are they some sort of legendary heroines that emerged from the earth and saved everyone against their enemies?” I blurted out of confusion. This can’t be right? All along I thought I was orphaned, abandoned, not loved, a disgrace in this world. But, this right here proved me wrong.

“Yes, your parents, they’re special to us werewolves, and they have gifted you something that other packs have wanted all these years. And yes, you’re special too in this world, too special I might say, if only I could keep you away forever I would, and you know it”, Ben said, smiling at me.

“So, your parents also left you this,” Ben added while reaching for something in his pockets, then giving them to me. He held out his hand, then asked for my hand. I reached out my left hand to meet him, then he opened his palms, placing a necklace with a pendant hanging from it. Then, without knowing it, a tear escaped from my eyes. Clasping the pendant between my fingers, looking at it closely, a tear escaped from my eyes. The pendant is a white werewolf with sapphire eyes and three triangles surrounding it. It’s so beautiful. I have something of my parents, and it feels like my parents are there with me, making me feel that they never left me. This necklace symbolizes that both mom and dad really love me, then suddenly I realize that if they left this for me? Would they be dead already? No, no, no, they couldn’t be. I shut my eyes, holding the necklace close to my heart before wearing it around my neck. I exhaled out, then looked at Ben, searching for the truth, the painful truth that what I’m thinking right now is just my crazy brain acting out. He looked back at me with teary eyes, reaching out to hug me, then I cried out, clenching my fists and thumping them against my heart,

"Wh-why-whyy? Why do they have to sacrifice their lives for me?” I said while crying my eyes out, my heart aching with the thought I couldn’t remember their faces anymore. Ben looked at me, trying to calm me down before he started to talk again.

“I know this is harder for you than any of us here, but I know that their decision is for the best. It’s what they wanted for you, Aves. "They want you to survive and prove to them, sons of b*tch*s, that you won, and you always will, with me, you will always win, I’ll pinky swear to that,” Ben warmly said to me while kissing my forehead, I just can’t fully understand, they can just protect me while protecting themselves too, none of them would have died then. I raised my head then looked at Ben.

“I know you will Ben, but, is that the only reason they’d sacrifice their lives for me? Is there any reason behind this? Other than, I’m ‘special’ just like they said?”, I exhaled.

“To be fair, I don’t really know the real reason, I just know that you’re the one they want, and your parents left this pendant for your protection”, Ben stated while pointing the necklace at my neck.

“I ju-just can’t”, I stuttered to find the words to say as the tears in my eyes couldn’t stop flowing. Ben reached out both his hands on my shoulders.

“I know, I know sweetheart, I am confused too, but we will find the answers to our questions at the right time. Let’s just calm ourselves down tonight. You should get some rest, and tomorrow, Samantha, Jake and I will get you some sunshine on your skin”, Ben said, smiling at me. I nodded weakly as I was getting drowsy and tired at crying for like hours.

“O-okay”, I uttered under my coarse breathing. Oh, god, can my day get any wetter than this as I am wiping my tears on my cheeks? Samantha came forward to me, then grabbed my shoulder, leading me upstairs to my room.

“Thank you”, I said warmly.

While sitting at the edge of the bed, I held onto my necklace firmly as if it could disappear at any moment. This necklace means everything to me right now. If I lose this, I feel like I’m going to lose a part of myself too. This lovely thing around my neck is a part of me now, a part of my identity.

"I would protect it, as I would have protected my parents when they sacrificed their lives for me," I said to myself as a tear escaped from my eyes.

“It’s not your fault, jellybean”, Samantha said to me, comforting me that this burden would pass. I know deep down, I have something to do with my parents' death. They wouldn’t have kept a secret this long if I wasn’t involved in it. I just nodded at her, then I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. This is too much to take in for one day. I need to rest my brain, heart, and, for God's sake, my eyes. As I was starting to feel the tiredness closing in on me, I felt Samantha’s hand on my forehead and saying something under her breath. At that moment, I really couldn’t hear or understand it, then my brain finally shut down.