THE UNTAMED

THE PAST AND THE PRESENT

“Eat up, everyone.” Jolina’s voice cut through my thoughts.

The smell of food hit me all at once, and only then, I realized how hungry I was. My stomach felt twisted! We were all starving.

“Hello, darling… don’t be shy,” Jolina continued. “Starting today, think of me as your second mom.”

She stepped toward Tagi and pulled her into a hug, the same kind she’d given me, the first time we met a warm and sincere person. It was the kind of hug that made you feel seen.

“Thank you so much, ma’am…” Tagi said in low voices.

Once they pulled over, she was smiling. I noticed her eyes, though. They weren’t in Jolina.

They were in Marvin.

“Besh, are you okay?” I asked quietly, leaning closer to her.

I wanted to ask more. Not about the house, or the new people she met now, or how overwhelming everything must be. I wanted to ask what was really going on inside her head. What was her feeling?. Why did her gaze keep drifting toward Marvin, when she thought no one was looking.

Tagi turned to me, lips parting like she was ready to say something..

“Both of you need to eat more before the change.”

Marvin’s voice interrupted us.

“If it happens,” he added, “you’ll be hungrier than usual.”

Tagi froze for a second, then nodded, her expression is unreadable. I watched her pick up her fork, the moment between us had already slipped away.

"So, are there any other changes we should know about?" Tagi asked.

"Males usually become more muscular and taller in a short period of time. While females will get curvier. Their bodies are preparing to carry children." Jolina said.

I'm a little bit shy because she says it in front of us, and I'm pretty sure, Tagi hears it clearly.

"Children...?" I muttered.

"No, no, that doesn't have to happen right away. But in the werewolf community, children are considered a blessing and are very cherished and wanted. So, most couples do try to get pregnant soon after mating. But don't worry about that Marvin can handle it."Jolina assures me.

I am going to worry about that even if she tells me not to. I don't want a baby any time soon. But I have noticed my body changing. My hips are getting a little wider, and I have gone up a cup size in the last couple weeks. I thought maybe my clothes were shrinking, but when I looked in the mirror this morning, I could see it. Am I going to just get fatter and fatter, while Jolina looks really fit. Now I'm going to worry about this too.

"Should I worry about my weight?" I ask her.

"Oh no, absolutely not. Werewolves have amazing metabolisms. We can pretty much eat anything we want and not gain weight. You will burn fat quickly once you change. I should have said that you will get curvier in all the right places."

She assures me with a wink. The three boys are all pretending they aren't listening. Except Tagi.

After dinner, Jolina and the twins spend their time with Tagi. They bring her to the backyard and talk about our new life and how to prepare for it.

I work on my homework while Marvin sits next to me, correcting papers when I'm done. It feels good to just sit here with him. So much better than suffering alone at home. But what Jolina said a while ago remains floating in my mind.

"Do you want children, Marvin?" I ask hesitantly.

He thinks before answering. "Yes, I have always wanted children. But I want to wait until you are ready. I don't want to rush you at all."

Well, I'm glad he wants me to finish my study first.

"How long do we live?"

"Most of us live to about one hundred and twenty-five or thirty." Marvin said.

“I want to know the real story,” I said quietly, my fingers twisting together in my lap. “What really happened back then… Why did those men come after Jolina?”

The moment that the words left my mouth, Marvin stiffened. His jaw tightened, as if his eyes suddenly flash with wounded memory. He looked away, as if he didn’t want to face it.

“I knew this question would come one day,” he said at last, his voice low, weighted. “I just didn’t know when.” He exhaled slowly. “It’s a long story. I’ll try to give you the short version… though some wounds never truly shorten.”

I nodded, gently holding his hands, “Alright.”

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling as if gathering fragments of a past that still haunted him.

“Back then, female wolves were incredibly rare,” he began. “Because of that, they were sacred to us, protected, honored. Every male wolf grows up believing that finding his true mate is the greatest purpose of his life. Power, rank, even leadership… none of that matters without your mate. That bond becomes your whole world. Nothing can replace it.”

His hands curled into fists.

“There was a male named Allan,” Marvin continued. “He came to our pack claiming he was searching for his mate. He believed... no, he was convinced, that my mother was his soulmate.”

My breath caught.

“She was only fifteen,” Marvin said, his voice sharpening with restrained anger. “He was much older. But he didn’t care. He followed her, watched her, told her over and over that fate had already chosen them. My mother rejected him every single time. She told him no... clearly, firmly.”

Marvin swallowed.

“Allan said that once she turned eighteen, she would ‘wake up’ and realize the truth. He treated her refusal like a lie she was telling herself.”

I felt sick.

“Then our packs merged,” Marvin went on. “That’s when my mother met my father. He was the alpha of his pack. The moment they looked at each other… it was instant. No doubt. No confusion. They knew.”

A faint, bittersweet smile touched his lips.

“Their bond was undeniable. Their mating was celebrated by everyone. Except Allan.”

The smile vanished.

“He accused my father of stealing his mate. Said the bond was fake. Said my mother had been manipulated. Over time, his obsession grew darker. My parents are married. They built a life. Then they had me.” His voice softened briefly. “But Allan never let go.”

Marvin’s gaze dropped to the floor.

“He eventually left the pack, claiming he would search for another mate. Years passed. We thought that was the end of it.” His fingers tightened again. “But when he returned… he was worse. Bitter. Hollow. Completely unhinged. He still claimed my mother was his.”

My chest tightened as Marvin continued.

“At that time, my mother was pregnant with the twins. Allan said the children should have been his. That they were stolen from him too.” Marvin’s voice shook now, just barely. “That’s when my father knew we were no longer safe. He built a secure room in the basement, reinforced place just in case.”

Silence filled the space between us.

“Then one day,” Marvin said, his voice breaking, “Allan finally snapped.”

He looked at me then, eyes dark with grief.

“That was the day my father… and Robert… were killed.”

My heart shattered.

“Oh, Marvin…” I whispered, reaching for him. “I’m so sorry. That’s... that’s horrible.” My voice trembled. “What happened to Allan?”

“He was injured,” Marvin replied. “But he escaped.” His jaw clenched. “We hunted him for years. Every pack. Every territory. Nothing. Eventually, we assumed he was dead.”

He shook his head.

“We installed surveillance across the city. The nearby towns. Every known werewolf route. No sightings. No traces. None of the packs in the city have seen him since. He’s wanted for murder among our kind.” He paused. “Sometimes I wonder if he fled the country… or if fate finally judged him.”

A chill ran through me. “That’s terrifying. Does something like that happen often?”

“No,” Marvin said firmly. “It’s extremely rare. There have been cases where males falsely claim a mate, but it never goes this far. When a female says no, that’s the end of it.” His eyes hardened. “Or it should be.”

“If it’s not,” I murmured, “then maybe he had his own twisted purpose… something that drove him mad.”

Marvin nodded slowly. “I believe he was unstable long before he ever joined our pack. Something about him was wrong from the beginning.” He turned to me fully now, his expression softening. “Please don’t worry. We learned from that tragedy. We will never let something like that happen again.”

He reached for my hand, holding it gently but firmly.

“We protect our women with our lives. Every one of us would die before allowing harm to come to a female.” His thumb brushed over my knuckles. “And I promise you… I will never let anything happen to you. You are precious to me. More than you know.”

Before I could respond, the door opened.

“Midnight snack is ready!” Jolina announced cheerfully, as if the air hadn’t just been heavy with grief and history.

I blinked, surprised. “Didn’t we just eat?” I laughed softly. But honestly, I am hungry again!

We gathered around the table, shared the foods, and teased playfully.

The heaviness lifted. Warmth replaced it. As I am watching them. I felt like something being settled.

I love this family.

Later, Jolina leaned toward me. “I asked your mom and dad if they’d like to come over for dinner tomorrow since she has the night off. They said yes.”

“Oh, that’s great!” I said excitedly. “The sooner, the better. I want Dad to understand everything.”

Marvin suggested we watch a movie. I agreed instantly. I didn’t want the night to simply end. Popcorn and junk food were scattered everywhere as we settled in. I watched Marvin laugh, relax, and forget the weight of leadership for a while. Here, he wasn’t an alpha. Not a teacher, and not a protector. He was just a guy trying not to touch his girlfriend during a movie.

When we got home. I talked with my parents for a bit before heading to bed. I was being grateful.. for their understanding. Things could have gone so differently without them.

Before sleep claimed me, I sent Marvin a message.

“Miss you already.”

“So do I, love,” he replied.

I smiled into my pillow.

“It’s really strange when you’re in love,” Tagi said when she caught me smiling to myself.

“It’s Marvin,” I said.

“He drives me crazy. My first love. My mate.” I told her, as my heart fluttered. “I can feel it.. he’s my world now. I’m excited. Someday… he’ll marry me.”

Tagi fell silent, then turned to gaze out the window and said, "Let’s see if a fallen star from heaven can give you a sign."

I chuckled. "You really believe in fallen stars, huh?"

"Absolutely, No one can truly predict the future." she replied.