Mellifuous ✔

Chapter 9: A Nest of New Beginnings

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All the small pup wanted was to find his mama. He needed her. Everything in his world was wrapped up in her presence—her scent, her voice, the way her warmth made him feel safe from the storm that sometimes raged inside him. He could still remember how it felt, laying in the nook of her arms, curled against her as she hummed softly. He could remember the way she made the simplest things feel so extraordinary, turning their little world into something magical.

His mama was the rockstar of his world, his anchor, his safe place. She was the one who always seemed to know exactly what he needed, when he needed it, even before he could put it into words. It wasn't just that she could calm him when he was upset—it was that she understood him better than anyone. She could read his emotions like lightning flashing through the dark sky, a constant reminder that she was the eye of his storms. And in a life as ordinary as theirs, she was the extraordinary one, not because of anything she was given, but because she made everything around her remarkable.

Like the baker who turns flour and water into bread, like the way the earth takes seed and water and grows a flower, his mama had the power to take the mundane and turn it into fascination and love. She was his heaven, his superhero, his everything. And that's why he would go to such extreme lengths to find her again. She was the light in his world. How could he see without her? How could he find his way without her there to guide him?

The moment the small pup woke up, confusion, frustration, and sadness flooded him. His little heart pounded as he realized the truth: he still hadn't found his mama. He had traveled so far, through the biting cold, with the hope that the next place, the next tree, would bring him closer to the one thing he needed most. He had been so sure that if he just waited a little longer, she would come. But now he was back at square one—alone, with no idea of where to start again, no sense of how to move forward.

His mind spun in circles, lost in thoughts of her. But it was so hard to think when all he wanted was to see her face again, to hear her gentle voice call his name, to feel her arms wrap around him, safe and warm. His small body trembled, but he was too lost in his longing to notice the way his soft whimpers filled the room.

Then, there was a gentle touch, warm and soothing, running along his golden fur. He flinched at first, his body tensing, but the voice that followed was kind and familiar.

"Hey there, pup. You're okay," Conall's voice was like a balm to his bruised heart. His touch was gentle, brushing over the pup's coat with a soft, calming rhythm.

The pup blinked up at the alpha, still not fully registering what was happening. He had never felt this lost before, not without his mama, and his mind struggled to process the comfort being offered by these strangers. He was still curled up in Grace's arms, resting against her chest, where the steady rhythm of her heartbeat reminded him of the way his mother's heartbeat had soothed him to sleep. He didn't understand yet, but he tried to convince himself that if he just stayed close to this woman, maybe it would feel like his mama. It wasn't the same, but it was enough for now.

"I think we should take him to the nursery now," Grace's voice floated softly over him, and the words barely registered. He had no interest in moving, no interest in anything except the warm arms that held him and the hope that maybe, just maybe, his mama would walk through the door at any moment.

She was there to comfort him now, but the deep ache in his chest wouldn't fade, no matter how much she tried. He wanted to feel at peace, wanted to let go of the yearning, but the need for his mama was like a pull he couldn't escape.

Grace's voice continued as she gently rocked him in her arms, her words laced with both understanding and the faintest hint of sadness. "This is going to be your new room from now on, little one."