Fin's Claim

Hope Is Poison

Finian's POV

Motionless

Inhaling panic, exhaling dread.

The cold of the water no longer hurts my skin; it's numb without feeling. Still, I sit against the wall watching the spiraling water go down the drain like most of my wasted life, what an incredible waste.

My canvas now painted in regretful shades of mournful grey.

It takes considerable time to pull myself together enough to be the male everyone downstairs expects. My armor shined up bright, not a crack in it as I take the first steps down those stairs.

Passing by Victoria's office, stepping inside the map lays spread out on her desk. She might not be able to read, but she knows maps, landmarks. She understands the visualization of territory.

She has a vision of grandeur that I am going to give her. If she's going to die, I'm going to give her everything she has always dreamed one by one they will all come true.

The Eastern, Western, Southern territories look off balanced. A missing piece to our legacy lies to the North. Circling the area where the house should be built, it will be just like the little cottage that she loved to lay on the floor and watch the stars through the roof and dream of her future.

I'm going to give her those dreams; I just need some time to do it.

You don't have much time Fin, tick tock, blink your eyes, and the light of her will be out. The reptilian voice has a way of burrowing into my skin, wrapping around my bare bones. A tremor of disgust from his sickening touch makes me want to gag.

Entering the kitchen with the big table pulled out, lots of wolves have gathered. Making sure to acknowledge everyone either with a smile or a squeeze to the shoulder. I take my time, not rushing. It's a blur of faces that I will try my best to remember.

"Judy this smells wonderful." Her cheeks are turning scarlet with my praise. She's so easy to please, just the simplest of words she's all puffed up on herself. Becca is the last to greet me. Giving her instructions on what needs to be done in the coming weeks. Her head is nodding with an understanding of my orders. The last order is the map that I need, to be brought out after dinner.

Sitting down at the head of the table all the wolves follow suit, Victoria on my right looking on with guarded blue eyes. Those eyes will forever be etched in my memory of her.

The meal is spectacular, and I have just a small inkling to take Judy with us. Could Becca be without her? Would Becca give up her Beta position she worked so hard for to stay with her mate?

"Judy, is there any more of these left?" Holding up the empty bread basket.

"No Alpha Fin." Her shaky voice is rising above the noise of the wolves talking at the table.

Catching movement out of the side of my eye has my breath held in my chest. Victoria is breaking her piece in half; putting bread on my plate.

They aren't equal, one piece much smaller than the other. She gives me just a sliver of a piece, but it's a shared piece of food for her it probably seems like an equal share. She has never shared anything with an adult male wolf. Her last shared meal was with her little brother who was still a pup, a starving Victoria reluctantly giving her squirrel away a piece of food that she put somewhere safe only for him to toddle in on fat little legs with an open mouth. Always she would put food into it, even though he didn't need it, his bones never protruded out like the way her ribs stick out, her malnourished stomach pot bellied on stick legs.