Caitlyn's POV
Zed froze for a moment, obviously not expecting my question.
"Actually, your mother left the pack when I was a kid, and there are still things I heard about her from my grandfather."
"What?" I asked, frowning, unable to resist.
"It's a long story." Zed hesitated, and his eyes averted slightly.
"Then take your time; we have plenty of it." I sat down right in front of Zed, asserting that he wasn't leaving until he finished talking today.
"Fine." Zed sighed when he saw my stance. "Actually, at the time, Grandpa was also bonded to a human, your grandmother, but she died so long ago that even I never saw what she looked like. And their children were your mother and my mother."
Zed looked out the window, the bright starry sky reflecting overhead.
"My mother was born a powerful werewolf, and your mother was born with no powers awakened, just an ordinary human."
Zed's voice softened a bit as he spoke of humans, and his eyes became a bit complicated. I understood what Zed meant, as a human in this werewolf world of the weak and the strong. I understood all too well the feeling Zed was talking about.
It was just that, unlike my mother back then, I grew up wrapped in love. Whether it was my father or Leona who cared for me, it made it so that I was barely discriminated against by others.
But I still felt some unspeakable emotions in the cold eyes of those werewolves. One can only imagine how much hardship and humiliation my mother should have suffered in her heart when she lived as a human in such a pack.
"Well, go on."
I pursed my lips, collecting the emotions I had just lost, and signaled Zed to continue.
"That's why your mother hasn't held a high position in the pack. If it weren't for Grandpa, I'm afraid she would have been expelled by the other higher-ups long ago."
Zed's face twisted with bitterness, as if he feared my anger, then quickly added, "At that time, the pack hadn't discovered that humans could also awaken abilities, stronger even than normal werewolves, so..."
"But your mother was the first human to awaken, completely changing everyone's opinion. After a few practices, she gradually became the absolute main force of the pack, the last Gamma."
Zed said with a hint of reverence, seemingly feeling the splendor my mother once embodied.
"Then why did my mother leave?" I frowned, puzzled by Zed's statement. If my mother was so influential, why would she leave and end up with my father, facing persecution from others?
"I'm not sure about that," Zed replied after a moment of silence, shaking his head.
"Okay, what happened to the pack?" I looked up at Zed, referring to the split within the pack.
"To be honest, things changed right after your mother left. It wasn't until then that the pack realized werewolves born from bonding with humans might have more power. However, those earlier members had been driven out due to their strength. To revive the pack, they started bonding with humans indiscriminately, going against our pack's original intent."
"Didn't you guys do it just for the sake of strength?" I teased, hearing Zed's explanation.
"Not everyone thinks that way. But honestly, the Kayn you saw this morning prioritizes strength above all else. He'll accept any means to strengthen himself or his people. His ambition is too great and will bring the pack to its doom."
"What about Ornn? He seems fairly normal."
I thought about that Ornn with the exaggerated figure and couldn't help but ask, "He is actually very conflicted. On one hand, he wants the pack to be strong, and at the same time, he knows the suffering of war for his people. But now, it seems that he wants the pack to become stronger more. That's why he chose to hang out with Kayn. In fact, it's all because of my own weakness."
Zed looked a bit disheveled at the end of his words and couldn't help but let out a sigh. "But luckily, I'm still fortunate enough to have stumbled upon you, Caitlyn. You'll definitely explode with amazing power here, and our whole pack might be a little different with your arrival."
Zed said with a sudden change of tone, looking at me with excitement. His eyes were so full of hope that I was momentarily overwhelmed.
"Don't underestimate yourself. I don't even know how to transform now. If I were as powerful as you mentioned, I wouldn't have to follow Talon all the way here." I waved my hand toward Zed, showing a hint of helplessness.
"No, Caitlyn, I believe in you. You mustn't belittle yourself. Your potential is limitless, and by the time you leave the pack, the whole werewolf world will be celebrating your story." Zed had a wild look in his eyes, and I couldn't figure out where he got his expectations of me.
"Well, you've already saved my life twice. So whether I'm from this pack or not, I'll do you that favor." I nodded toward Zed. "But don't ever look at me like that again. I'm not your savior. I'm going to rest."
I stretched, only then noticing that the sky was bubbling over with a haze of light. The long night of conversation had suddenly made me feel sleepy.
"Okay, okay. I'll leave you to it then," Zed hemmed and hawed before walking out. When he was gone, I walked to the window alone and looked at the fading moon in the night sky, unable to suppress thoughts of Talon flooding inside me.
"Talon, when I get back, I'll definitely give you a surprise!"