Too Late for Regrets

Akira’s POV

“Miss Akira, the tests confirmed it. You have lung cancer and it’s already in stage four. We cannot operate. Sorry.”

I collected a copy of the result and quickly read it. It is true. I am going to die. A drop of tear rolled down my cheeks, one of many tears I have shed in the past and would still shed in the future.

I tucked the death sentence in my purse and left the pack doctor’s clinic. I have begged the pack doctor, Theo Griffith, not to tell the alpha, my estranged brother. It would only add to the tension between us already.

It all started nine years ago, on my tenth birthday. My father, Axel Nightshade, was the alpha of our small pack and my mom was his beloved luna. They were so besotted with each other that we, the children envied them and had to fight for their attention. I remember my loving parents and smiled. Those were our years of happiness. I was raised as a little princess. My parents spoiled me and my brother, Gavin, spoiled me more. I was his little sister, very special to him. I still shudder when I see how much my brother presently hates me.

As was our habit, I had made a special demand for my tenth birthday from my parents. I wanted to visit the lycan king’s pack for a pups’ competition. I had met Kaida, one of the pups in Shadowmoon pack when I followed my mom to the capital a month before. She had challenged me to a duel during the Annual Pups Competition at the lycan king’s palace. That day happened to be my birthday and I wanted to prove to Kaida that our pack was not the weak pack they rumoured us to be. I wanted to represent our pack, win Kaida and make our Prime pack proud.

My dad had been a bit under the weather few days before my birthday, recovering from a recent pack attack. Mom had nursed him back to health and was even joking about it. So, I thought all was well and we could go for the competition. Gavin, my brother, supported me and we both persuaded our parents to give me the special birthday gift.

The day dawned bright and beautiful on the day of my tenth birthday. Aroma of sweet food woke me up from the bed. Mom, Dad and my dear brother Gavin, came to my room to serve me breakfast in bed, with a large cake, specially made for my birthday.

“Happy birthday darling pup,” my father said, “May you grow up strong and be the pride of our pack.” He gave me a beautiful scarf, latest brand that I had been longing for.

“Happy birthday my beloved princess, future luna of a great pack.” My mom said and gave me a big hug. She also gave me a gift, a gold bracelet, that I coveted when we visited the capital. I was so happy.

“Happy birthday to my favourite sister.” Gavin said and pinched me on my side. I squealed and got down from the bed to chase him. He ran to my father’s throne room, where he stopped beside his gift, a Chibi Maruko-chan toy, that I envied my cousin Lylah Silvermist for having, when I visited their pack with my brother two weeks ago! I jumped on my brother and we both fell on the ground. I was so happy I could die.

Tears stream down my face at those lovely memories. If only I had died then, maybe my parents would have been alive; maybe my brother would still be his happy self. Maybe I would be remembered for good. But fate would not be that favourable to me. No. It was my dad himself that hastened us up as we rushed to the competition. I made sure I splashed some of my birthday cake cream on Gavin’s face before we left. It was my custom to do that to him, no matter whose birthday it was. He pursued me to the car to retaliate and my daddy, our alpha drove off after we got in.

That was when the disaster struck. We were ambushed by a rival pack and my parents were not strong enough to conquer them. My dad did not take his gun with him because we were just attending a ceremony. He shifted and fought with the wolves while my mom took us pups and ran to hide. We heard dad’s screams at the same time that two rogues hit our mom on the head. Blood was streaming down her face, she was gasping for breath and she still held me and my brother tightly to herself, protecting us from the rogues. I was crying, my brother was crying. Gavin wanted to fight but mom shook her head. She was still holding us when I heard a gunshot and everything became black.

I woke up a day later, in my room. My brother was beside me but he was just staring into space. I heard low voices from the throne room and wanted to go meet my parents. I got up from the bed but fell back, still dizzy. Gavin looked at me but did not help me up. That was strange. My brother would rather get hurt than see me hurt. I turned to him to ask why he didn’t catch me, but what I saw in Gavin’s eyes nearly got me blind. His eyes were red, probably from crying, or something else. Those eyes were filled with hatred, regret and scorn.

“Gavin… what is it?” I reluctantly asked him.

“You killed them Akira. You killed mom and dad. Now we are orphans.” He snarled at me.

I fell back on the bed, too shocked to react. Then the memories came back to me: my birthday, the pups’ competition, the attack, mom running away with us, dad’s screams, the gunshot.

“Where is Mom and Dad?” I struggled to ask, in a mouse-like voice that I could not recognize.

“They are dead. And it’s your fault!” Gavin said and stormed out of my room. I wish I was dead there and then, now I have my wish.