Compassion

Potential

"Don't think about it. Don't think about it." She muttered arriving at her door. The events of what would be five years past tomorrow began to plague her mind and she resented every second of it. The rumbling in her chest was a testament of her wolf's irritation. Opening her door she closed it with her foot before taking off her coat and heels.

Following her retreat from the McBane territory, she stumbled across a town miles and miles away from it. As she sat in a cafe she was greeted by an elderly waitress who noticed her distress. Betty, as it turned out her name was, recognized the grief in her eyes and could tell that she was a wolf.

"You're a wolf." She accused wiping her hands on her apron.

"I do not know what you are talking about M'am." Athena quickly denied before finishing her coffee. She jumped when her arm was touched.

"Your eyes girl. There is a silver ring around your iris and not mention the scar." She wrote on the notepad. "I close in ten, you are to meet me and we will discuss some things. Do not disobey me lass." When Athena went to refuse she was startled at the woman's eye color. "I know a wolf when I see one. Your eyes hold so much grief for such a young woman. We shall meet." Betty patted her shoulder before turning to go serve new awaiting customers. Later after the shop's closing, Athena sat at the table with her head in her hands. Betty listened and shared the woman's anguish. She thought it rather peculiar. "Six years you say?"

"Yes. Senior year in high school I tutored him during an anatomy course, and we connected. I hated him at first really, but he was persistent, and... Genuine. He cared and was interested when all I wanted to do was read about the functions of the body." She laughed sadly and shook her head at the memories." After graduation, we moved in together and wed as many humans have since we could not mate until he became alpha."

"And why is that?"

"He would become alpha at the age of 30 after his father stepped down. Mating before then would put him in danger if anyone ever came after me. Or so I thought. He said I was never Luna material, that he would never have mated me. And yet, I felt the connection. You cannot just fake something like that." She allowed herself to sob for the first time, well aware that that would be the only time she would let herself grieve him. "The papers they threw, were pictures of me with someone else. I do not understand."

"There there dear. He should have asked you instead of antagonized you. The fact that you never actually mated is good for you. You hurt, yet is not the grief of a rejected mated wolf, you maybe were in the process of Intertwine but it never actually happened. Your wolf will grow from this and, become stronger so that the connection you actually make one day would be all the more stronger."

Athena sighed and wiped her eyes. "The Process was not completely done?"

"A wolf searches the soul of their potential mate but before the bond is complete, there must be a selfless act. Love my dear, is a verb not a noun. It what you do, not what you say. Be clear to remember that." She said touching Athena's forehead. "Where are you to go now child?"

"I do not know. I would live amongst the human to avoid werewolves but..." She referred to Betty. "But I've not done a great job of avoiding them so far." She smiled sadly.

Betty laughed. "No no no, my dear you will not be finding any wolves around this town. I am one of three, the others being my husband and daughter. I moved here long ago when I escaped my abusive tribe and arranged mating. I could not function and I just ran. Stumbling upon this town I was almost killed by a group of predators and he saved me. It was not long before we were done with the Process." She laughed lovingly before becoming serious again. "You wish to escape our kind and yet I have a distinct feeling you will not be comfortable living amongst so many humans so suddenly. Lucky for me, Barry was quite familiar with their customs so I learned quickly." She leaned forward in a conspirator whisper. "You do not want to out yourself despite your resentment of our kind."

"Why?"

"This is a rural area and there are many hunter families who hunt deer and such in the wood. But it goes beyond that. Generations of radicals have a few individuals who believe in the existence of werewolves and whose sole desire is to hunt and kill them. For their family's pride and legacy of sorts."

"Isn't it dangerous for you and your family here then?" She asked.

"No, we are very careful dear and I know the ways of these people. You however do not. You do not have anyone following you, who would be a danger?"

"No. They never wanted to see me again." She said ignoring the grumbling in her chest of discomfort.

"Good. I may have the perfect place for you to settle then. I own a small estate just a mile outside of this town. It is close enough to have work and far enough to be isolated. Beside it however is a forrest for you to run through at night when you want to release your wolf. No one ever ventures that way so it is safe enough."

"How very kind." Athena said as tears gathered in her eyes again. "But I do not need charity I can find..."

"Nonsense, you have lived through an ordeal and although I've been long removed, i still believe we should stick together. I must get going, but I trust that you will meet me tomorrow to go see the estate. Regretfully I have no openings at the cafe as of now."

"No problem. I uhh was the tribe physician. Hopefully I can find work in a medical field."

"Well the world always could use more doctors. We will wait until you learn a few things before you try though. This is a new chapter of your life."

"Thank you Betty."
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Sinking into her chair she thought back on the many lessons and terms she learned after acclimating to the small town. It was little less than a year before she was able to become a member of the Townshed Hospital staff. It took her even longer to do anything more an serve others coffee. Smiling she glanced at her certificate as head physician she had recently received. Though the memories were a knocking, life had certainly began to look up.