The Forgotten Goddess

Chapter Four

Milo

"This is going to be just amazing!" I say as I hug my friends and look at the school yard. "First day at High School. We left elementary school, and we are now with the big guys. Soon, we'll be the most popular kids."

I look at them expecting the same level of excitement from them as I am feeling. This is our little group: David, my younger twin brother (I'm 10 minutes older); Logan, my father's Beta’s eldest son; and Michael and Jeff, my father's Gamma’s twin sons. However, all I got were weird looks and major eye-rolling.

"Honestly? How can you be so excited about this?" Jeff says, pointing at the schoolyard.

"Yeah man! We're the babies again. They'll eat us alive." Logan whines.

"I know you're happy about leaving elementary school, but this excitement is just too much for our first day of school", Mike says.

"Come on guys, this is just amazing. We're this pack's current leadership's offspring. Werewolves follow leadership, no matter where it is, as long as you show you’re the leader. We’re the Alpha’s sons, and you're the Beta and Gamma’s children. We've got this." I say, trying to motivate them, opening my arms and turning around to face the schoolyard.

I’m excited about this year. As I’m staring at the schoolyard, my eyes stop at the line of cars dropping kids off to school. I see my favorite car, an old copper Buick Rivera - which I am very familiar with. Uncle Carlos. But, he’s not alone. And that’s not Aunt Evelyn.

"Have a great day today too, Abuelo. I love you”, a girl says to Uncle Carlos.

I’ve known him since I was a pup. He’s Aunt Evelyn’s husband, also my father’s favorite general and in charge of training our fighters and patrolling. In fact, he’s been training me and David since we were 5 years old, right after our wolves manifested themselves.

She was gorgeous. Tall, but not too tall. Deep blue eyes, just like Aunt Evelyn’s, and a charming smile, just like Uncle Carlos’ - she’s got a little of both of them - except for the white hair. That’s definitely something new around here.

"Close your mouth or you're gonna catch flies", Jeff laughs, teasing me. "What are we looking at?"

"What?!" I was startled as Jeff asked his question inches from my ear and face. He was looking in the same direction that I was.

"Who are we looking at?" Logan asked.

They all follow my gaze and look at my reaction as I get dumbstruck when I see her hugging Aunt Evelyn like there’s no one else watching them. How on earth have I never seen this girl around the pack? She’s gorgeous!

"Dude!!! Are you for real?" Michael asks.

All of them are looking at me like I’ve just grown a third eye or something.

"That’s Carlos and Evelyn’s granddaughter. Annabelle’s child!" Jeff explains.

I just can’t recall her. So, I just keep staring as the white girl hugs and talks to Aunt Evelyn. I turn to my friends and say

"Wait! Annabelle’s child? I know everyone in this pack! How come I don't know HER?"

"Dude!!! What are you talking about?! You know what, maybe you should go back home! That’s Mila Walters!!!" Logan explains.

"Yeah! We used to joke about you two - Milo and Mila", Jeff says trying to make me remember that joke - which I don’t.

I’m puzzled. How come I can’t remember her? I’m wrecking my brain, but nothing comes to me.

"They live in the Army grounds, so she used to go to school there. Since all kids from the Army grounds must attend High School in the city, that probably means she’s studying here now", Michael says.

"She also volunteers in the pet shelter and the food kitchen by the border helping injured wolves and abandoned pups, just trying to give them a chance before going rogue. She used to go to kindergarten with us. You really can’t remember her?" Jeff asks, just as puzzled as I am.

"She’s the girl who ruined our 5-year-old birthday party by releasing all the animals in the petting zoo before you could even see them," David says with a slick smile on his face, remembering what happened and putting an arm around my shoulder.

In the blink of an eye, my admiration for the stunning and cute white-haired girl became hatred and fury. No wonder I couldn’t remember her! I blocked everything related to her. They all start laughing as my face starts contorting into anger.

"Yeah!!! Oh boy! That’s right, that’s her!!" Logan says, while laughing so hard.

"How could we forget that?! Milo spent the whole week crying because of that!" Michael laughs.

"AND, he started ignoring her, making sure she didn’t exist in his world", David finishes my drive through memory lane.

He was right. I vowed to forget that she existed. I hated her with all my being. I made sure not to acknowledge her existence.

I met and talked to Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Carlos - heck, I met with Uncle Carlos three times a week - and I have never asked about her.

I’ve lived 9 years without her in my life - I can go through four more years without her in my life. Heck, I can go on without her the rest of my life as far as I’m concerned. This is a big school! I’m pretty sure I won’t even see her for the next four years!

But, for some reason, something tells me that that won’t happen. Especially now that she’s looking at me. And, for some reason, my feet decide to have a life of their own and go in her direction.