A Broken Kitten Figurine, A Broken Unborn Pup Chapter 17

A Broken Kitten Figurine, A Broken Unborn Pup Chapter 17

The private medical logs from the Pack House indicated that Blake’s inner wolf had suffered a catastrophic psychological shock, retreating into a state of absolute dormancy.

His Alpha abilities were severely depleted, leaving him entirely unable to shift forms for the foreseeable future. There was no telling if the condition was temporary or permanent.

To maintain territorial stability, Blake locked the medical reports under maximum security, transferring all border defense operations to the captain of the security forces, a wolf of pure Alpha lineage.

After a few days of deliberation, I submitted my formal resignation to the Administration Office.

My admissions test for the design academy on the western coast was scheduled for the following week.

Before leaving the territory, I drove to the Pack House to say a final goodbye to Zoe.

Following Wendy’s exile, the little girl had remained in the main estate. She was the exclusive heir of the Stagford Pack, an absolute reality that made Wendy’s frantic machinations look entirely farcical.

When I told her I was leaving, she didn’t cry. She simply sat on the long bench, her hands neatly folded in her lap.

After an immense silence, her tiny fingers reached out, plucking at the hem of my jacket. Her voice was uncharacteristically bright, but the forced cheerfulness was heartbreakingly obvious. “My pottery class is graduating tomorrow. It’s the final parent-pup activity.”

“Daddy is too sick to move,” she whispered, her head dropping slightly. “Can you… can you pretend to be my mommy just for tomorrow? Just once?”

I stared at her, a sharp ache forming in my throat. “Won’t your classmates realize I’m an imposter?”

She kicked her little feet back and forth against the wooden bench. “No.
Mommy and Daddy never showed up to a single event before. None of the kids know what they look like.”

My chest tightened painfully. “Alright.”

A tiny, fragile smile touched her lips, though her eyes remained entirely somber.

The first half of the graduation event was held in the ceramics studio.

Zoe and I sat side by side, carefully molding a tiny clay kitten. This time, she spent an immense amount of time perfecting the ears.

“The last one had ears exactly like this,” she murmured softly. “I just didn’t get to show you before it broke.”

I rubbed the back of her head. “This one won’t break, sweetie. I promise.”

By afternoon, the kindergarten moved the event out onto the main lawn for field day games.

The sack race.

The parent-pup relay.

Catch the wolf-tail.

I pushed my body to its absolute limits for every single event, securing a top-three finish in every bracket.

A little girl from her class sprinted over, her eyes wide with awe. “Wow, Zoe! Your mommy is incredible!”

Zoe’s eyes crinkled into beautiful, bright crescents. “Yeah. She’s the best.”

By the time the final whistle blew, the sky had shifted into a deep twilight. A biting wind swept through the bare branches of the oak trees.

Zoe locked her small fingers around mine as we walked toward the gates.
“You’re exactly like Cinderella, Tessa. The sun is setting, the magic is ending, and you aren’t my mommy anymore.”

She stopped, turning her face up to mine as she extended her small arms. “Can you hold me one last time?”

I pulled her into a tight embrace, burying my face in her small shoulder as I fought to keep the tears back, terrified of triggering a breakdown in her.

“When I’m gone, you have to remember every single thing I told you, Zoe,” I whispered into her hair. “No peanuts, no mangoes. No milk on an empty stomach.”

“And never, ever let anyone tell you you’re a bad pup. You are a beautiful, wonderful girl, Zoe. So many people are going to love you.”

She nodded obediently against my shoulder. “My birthday is next month.”

“I’m going to give my birthday wish to you this year.”

I offered a light watery laugh. “But didn’t Zoe want to wish for someone who loves her best of all?”

“It’s fine,” she whispered, her tiny arms tightening around my neck. “I can wish for that when I turn seven. I can wait one more year.”

Her warm breath fanned against my ear as she poured her tiny soul into the words. “I wish… that you will have a beautiful new baby in the future.”

“I wish for a baby who is perfectly sweet, who will never make you angry or cause you to worry. I wish that he loves your cakes more than anyone else.”

“And he won’t be allergic to cat fur, so the two of you can adopt a real kitten together. But most of all… I wish that he loves you best of all in the whole world.”

“Do you like that wish, Tessa?”

The tears finally broke, pouring down my cheeks as I nodded frantically. “I love it, Zoe. It’s the most beautiful wish in the world. Thank you.”

She hesitated for a brief second before asking softly, “If he’s that perfect… will you still remember me?”

I squeezed her small frame until there wasn’t a shred of space between us. “Of course I will. I love you deeply, Zoe.”

She didn’t retreat into her usual defensive shell. Instead, she pressed a soft, warm kiss against my cheek. “I love you too, Tessa.”