OUTCAST: THE ALPHA KING’S BELOVED BY BLUE TEARS
CHAPTER 96 FAMILY PHOTO
Jennifer’s POV:
“Why hasn’t Anthony replied to any of my messages recently? I feel very uneasy. The sooner we find out the truth here, the sooner we can go back and see if he’s okay.
I tried calling him again this morning, but he didn’t pick up,” I told Eva worriedly.
There was no news from Anthony at all, and I had no way of contacting him. I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Although I didn’t show it on the surface in front of others, I was really worried about Anthony. I was afraid that the reason he hadn’t replied to my texts or answered my calls was because something bad happened to him.
“Jennifer, you’re probably thinking too much. Anthony was fine when we left. Maybe he’s just too busy to look at his phone these days. Cheer up. As soon as we finish our task here, we can go back. Once you marry Anthony, you’ll have plenty of time to be together with him,” Eva comforted me. At times like these, she was my source of strength.
“Eva, I hope you’re right. Maybe I’m just worrying too much because I’ve never been separated from Anthony for so long before.”
“Maybe. Jennifer, everything will be fine.”
“Yes, it will. Well, let’s get ready to go and meet Elder Simon,” I told Eva before hurrying around the room and changing into new clothes.
Helen had arranged for us to meet her father, Simon, today. Helen was a kind girl, and she had helped us a lot, so I had a feeling that her father was a kind werewolf too. He was unlikely to side with someone like Arthur Wood.
But still, it was only after meeting Simon face to face that we could decide whether he was a friend or a foe.
To show our respect, we arrived at the cafe a little ahead of the appointed time. About half an hour later, Helen walked into the private room, arm in arm with an old werewolf. Despite his age, he was still brisk and energetic. This must be Simon.
His gaze shifted around the room before settling on me. As soon as he saw me, his eyes welled up with tears. Based on his genuine reaction, I could tell that he was a good man. When he took his seat at the table, I suddenly remembered seeing his face in my childhood. He was one of the elders that my father had trusted most at that time.
At this moment, he wiped his tears and asked, “May I ask if you’re Jennifer Smith, Alpha Lewis’ daughter?”
Since he recognized me and didn’t seem to wish me any harm, there was no need for me to hide my identity from him. I nodded and admitted frankly, “I remember you, Elder Simon. If my memory serves me well, you were a kind werewolf. You supported my father and were loyal to him. I don’t believe that you would betray him.”
Simon stood up abruptly. It seemed that he hadn’t expected the daughter of Alpha Lewis to be alive, let alone sitting in front of him. Moreover, he seemed flattered to hear that I could trust him.
I hurriedly rose to my feet and held him. “Please have a seat. Let’s have a chat casually,” I told him, helping him sit down again.
“Jennifer, I never thought I’d see you in my life again. Even if I die now, I won’t have any regrets. I can’t believe Lewis has a living descendant. I’m so glad,” he said through choked sobs.
Looking at him teary-eyed like this, I couldn’t help but feel sad as well. After days of being back in my hometown, this was the first time I had seen someone I recognized.
Simon wiped his tears and said, “Ever since Arthur became the Alpha, the Rainbow Pack has been completely ruined. Jennifer, now that you’re here, I hope that you can save the Rainbow Pack and lead us from now on. All the werewolves here are leading a miserable life.”
He was right that Arthur’s rule had to be overturned, but the prerogative of being the new leader belonged to my brother, not me. Simon was not an outsider, and I had already decided that he was someone I could trust. In that case, I thought it was necessary to let him know that my brother was still alive too.
Pointing at Dylan, I introduced them to each other. “Elder Simon, that’s my brother, Jerome. He’s the real heir of the Alpha of our pack. Arthur is just a shameless thief. Please rest a*s*sured. Together, we will punish Arthur for his sins and restore peace to the Rainbow Pack.”
Simon could barely control his excitement when he heard this. He stood up again and looked at Dylan in awe. “Are you really Jerome? What a miracle. I can’t believe both of Alpha Lewis’ children are alive!”
Dylan took off his cap and sunglasses, and nodded. “Yes…but I have lost my memories. I have forgotten much of the past, but I do remember my heritage. I will definitely protect my hometown together with my sister.”
The delighted surprise on Simon’s face changed to disappointment, before he finally regained his composure again. Of course, after learning so much new information in the span of a few minutes, he must be going through a lot of mixed emotions right now. He was surprised and happy that my brother and I were alive, but he was also sad about my brother’s memory loss.
He sighed. Then, all of a sudden, his eyes lit up, as if he just remembered something. He reached into his pocket and said, “Speaking of this, I have a family photo of yours. I hope this will help.”
He took out an old photo and held it out to Dylan. “Your father and I were good friends, and I was very fond of you both. I was devastated when I heard that you were dead. I couldn’t accept it at all, and I kept your photo with me all these years. Thank God that you both are still alive and well.”
Dylan’s POV:
I reached out for the photo in Simon’s hand. In the photo, my parents, Jennifer, and I were standing close to each other. My parents were standing on either side of Jennifer, holding her hands, while I held her head from behind. The four of us looked like a happy family.
Ever since recalling the fragments of memory in the forest last time, I had been having a headache. Now, while looking at the photo that Simon gave me, more scenes of my childhood appeared in my mind. But unfortunately, these memories very vague and hazy, passing through my mind in seconds.
The more I tried to hold on to the fleeting memories, the more my head began to hurt. The pain must have been evident on my face, because everyone looked at me with concern. “Dylan, are you okay?”
Simon flashed a tight smile and said, “He might be closer to regaining his memories. It’s a good thing. Don’t worry too much. Jerome, Jennifer, I actually saw you both while walking by a street recently. I thought you looked familiar, so I asked Helen to follow you. But I never expected that you would actually be Alpha Lewis’s children. I’m beyond happy.”
“Thank you for not forgetting us,” I told Simon.
“Fortunately, I have built up my own influence over the years. On the surface, I am obedient to Arthur, but in fact, I hate him to the core. I hope I can make use of my power in the Rainbow Pack to help you overthrow Arthur’s rule. Please let me join you.”
“Of course. We would be honored to have your support, Elder Simon. But before that, we have to find Elder Tony first to confirm the fate of my sister, Jennifer. She has been accused of being a jinx by Arthur. We need to disprove it somehow,” I explained.
Simon nodded. “That won’t be a problem. I’ll take you to the mountain in the east. Tony is a friend of mine. He used to stay in the mountain, but for some reason, he lost contact with me. But I believe that God helps those who help themselves. If we all work together, I am certain that we will find Tony.”
“Thank you for your help,” Jennifer said.
“We are all friends. It’s not a big deal.”
“Then we can set off now.”
Our group of four had grown by two more people who were eager to help us. Together, we began to look for Tony.