Forever Yours

SEVEN

Roxy had never been so nervous to visit her best friend as she forced herself to open the little gate at the end of the stone footpath. She'd been to the little cabin made of stone and timber plenty of times before. But those visits usually entailed doing something fun, like picking Kayla up for a shopping trip or a TV series binge in the rare moments Roxy had free. Today, however, a heavy nervousness loomed in the air around her. Even Mother Nature had put on a show of an overcast sky, leaving for the sun to fight to be seen.

Roxy walked past the manicured garden beds of rainbows of flowers. Fresh mulch had been spread around them, as Kayla did with the start of every season. Despite them coming into the cooler months, the flowers continued to grow brightly as if it were the beginning of spring. The sight of them usually brought Roxy a large amount of joy and envy, but today she might as well have been looking at dying weeds. Her steps slowed as she moved up the two steps leading to the door, stopping completely as her toes brushed the edges of the mat which said WELCOME. She wriggled her fingers by her sides, trying to work up the nerve to knock. How would she even word this?

Hey, Kayla. So you know how you're desperate–

No that wasn't right.

Kayla! So you know how you want a baby. Well, I have a solution!

Roxy gave a snort. She might as well say, Kayla! A witch is going to give you a baby! You know the creatures which are a sworn enemy to the werewolf realm and we are currently keeping illegally in the cells? Nothing to worry about at all!

Roxy had barely raised her knuckles to knock when the door was reefed open. Kayla smiled brightly at her whilst Roxy remained to replicate a deer trapped by a pack of hungry wolves. She was wearing her large straw hat, a T-shirt, jeans and boots. A basket sat in the crook of her arm. Roxy felt her heart ache with sympathy. She was going to forage for more herbs.

'You okay?' Kayla's brow knitted together worriedly.

Roxy shook herself and plastered a smile. 'Yeah, no, of course!' She wrung her hands together. 'I just came by to help you forage.'

Kayla closed the door behind her and made her way down the footpath, leaving Roxy to scamper after her. 'You've never helped me before, which I totally don't blame you for by the way. Everyone knows how much you've taken on since...'

Roxy walked alongside her in the direction of the forest. They would continue walking to the fields beyond where Kayla had discovered a patch of the bountiful plants growing by the base of the rocks she visited each morning. Isaac had told them it was their ancestors' remedy patch where the original pack house had stood. Maria grew her own in raised garden beds at the back of her cottage which she dried and stored for medical uses, but her small garden didn't yield near as much as the amount Kayla was consuming.

'How are things between you and Tobias with all the... stress?' asked Roxy earnestly as they came out of the dark forest and into the sun-kissed fields.

Kayla shrugged, picking at a loose strand on her basket. 'We're fine. In fact, Tobias has been so amazing to me – even when I don't deserve it.' She heaved out a heavy sigh. 'I don't mean to take my frustrations out on him, I don't want him to feel as though I think it's all his fault when we know it's not. I just... hate myself.' She raked a hand through her raven hair. 'It's uncommon for werewolves to struggle with infertility – let alone one with original Alpha bloodlines. I feel like a freak show. The Omegas give me these weird pitiful looks and when they speak to me it's like they're afraid of sending me over the edge. I even heard one of the mothers telling her children to stay away from me so I didn't get upset. Of course every time I see a baby or child I think of my dilemma but just because I can't fall pregnant it doesn't mean I'm going to steal a child.'