CHAPTER 2

Riek’s POV

From that day, my life changed. Till today I don't know the whereabouts of my sister, if she was kidnapped or murdered. It's just a mystery to me. I'm a survivor of this fateful incident but I'm glad that today, that pregnancy I held is now evident in a young boy, my little, vibrant, five year old son, Fridolf. There's this hidden reason behind his name which many do not know except those who knew of my ordeal, from my pack. I have this hope that though I'm living in darkness now, one day the sun will shine.

After my parents' death, I couldn't return to live at the apartment. I left without getting anything that same day to my uncle's house which is closest, I never hoped to seek refuge one day with his family but circumstances forced me. I thought that if I picked anything from my parents' house while leaving, that thing would continue to haunt me. Each time I set my eyes on it, I'll remember the horrific incident that happened which I want to let go of as soon as possible. Rather than thinking about this, my heart is burning for revenge. I'd never let the culprit go if I can discover who he is. It's now all on my shoulders, the police after they left didn't do anything till now, probably because there's no evidence, no one lived around and there was no CCTV camera installed in the house. For five years now, each time, I close my eyes to sleep and in my dreams, I'd often see mom and dad telling me to avenge their death, there was a time I screamed at them to stop disturbing me but they said they wouldn't until I did the needful.

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked them. "How do I get to know the person that did this horrible thing?"

"Don't worry you will in the near future," mom replied.

"Then when you find that person, do not let anything hinder you from taking revenge." Dad concluded. I think right after this encounter, they didn't come so often. That marked the end of staying in my uncle's house, so I packed out to the apartment the pack offered me. I could now get to live alone and raise my kid, he's so much of a loving child and the one who brings me Fridolf in the midst of my darkness.

My phone rings.

"Hello!" The voice on the other end comes on. It's the voice of Fridolf's class teacher. I guess what she wants to say already.

"Hello," I reply in a casual tone.

"School is over, you can now come and pick your son."

"Okay." I end the call with a sigh. I'm not even done with the cleaning I'm doing. Since I left my uncle's home, I took menial jobs in homes to feed, clothe and pay for my son's school fees. I look at the clock on the floor, it's 1 PM, the exact time my son's school closes. I have only a little to mob and I'll be done, it's better to finish up at once so after picking him up at school, I'll return home at once with him rather than coming back to continue the work. I don't need to worry, the school authorities actually provide for the care and safety of children whose parents do not come early to pick them up.

I finished at around fifteen minutes past one and hurriedly went to report to my employers. I got my eighty dollars payment, I thanked them and rushed to my son's school. Most kids are gone now, he runs towards me as he sees me from a distance. I take him into my arms.

"You're a good boy, glad you waited for mommy."

"Yes mom, I had to but I prayed you would come faster." I wanted to comment on this, but he's already up with another story, my son is just a great talkative sometimes and I love him that way though. "Mom mom," he says excitedly in a sing-song manner.

"Yes!"

"My friends and teacher really admire you."

"Really?"

"Yes," he replies with a childish nod.

"Ohhh!" I blush.

"They say you're so young and cute."

"Woww, thanks. If they said this to me, I'll tell them thanks."

"Yeah, but mom I have a question." As he says this, my heart begins to pump faster. Oh my goodness, I just wish something would distract him from asking the question he wishes to.

"Hmmm," I sigh heavily. "What's it you wish to ask?"

"Who's daddy?" These two words fall like a heavy piece of load, shattering my head to pieces. I can't answer this when I don't even know the man that got me pregnant with him, I mean I don't even know whether he's old or young, from my pack or not. I feel like my mind is being taken back to that day of the horrible incident, I wonder what prompts this question in my son today. Today, he seems more firm in his approach and determined to know than ever.

"I..I...Can we talk about this later?" I finally forced it out of my mouth.

"No mom," he protests. "I need to know. My mates often ask me who my daddy is and I don't know what to tell them." Tears begin to stream down from my eyes. The ordeal is more than what a five year old can bear, I can't be pressured into telling him, it might cause a life-long depression and I don't want my kid to grow up being sad. If I don't give him an answer, he would be curious and anxious as well, this might still lead to depression. I decide to form any story that might make sense. Thoughts start to fly in, dad is a soldier, he's working overseas, he works in the day and only has a chance to come home at night when you are asleep, don't worry one day you'll see him.