Chapter Text
It was early morning in Jasper Park, one just like any other, the sun was shining over the valley, the birds were chirping in the trees and the light of the early risen sun reflected off the water pouring over the waterfall like millions of pieces of a broken mirror. Everyone was happy, everyone that is except a certain Grey wolf. "I should've known this day was coming I should've known it would never have worked out between us, I did know but it doesn't mean I was prepared for it." He muttered to himself as he began to climb the slope that led to the pack leaders den, thinking of ways to tell two of his best friends (including the one he loved) he was leaving Jasper, possibly for good.
When he reached the top he found as he expected, Lilly was brushing her sister, Kate's fur. He sat down and coughed to get their attention. "Humphrey w-w-what are you doing here?" Kate asked surprised. A nervous look crossed Humphrey's face. "I-I-I just wanted to say I'm happy for you and Garth..." Humphrey replied, Kate smiled, although awkwardly, she knew that Humphrey was lying to her, but if he wasn't going to disclose it, she wasn't about to press him on the matter, so instead she stepped forwards and embraced him in a quick hug. "Thank you, it means a lot coming from my best friend." The two wolves separated for a while. Humphrey lowered his eyes to his paws whilst Kate averted her gaze to the ground on her right. "And I also came to say goodbye and tell you that I-I-I'm leaving Jasper" Humphrey stammered, for some reason having difficulty getting the words out of his mouth. Kate's eyes widened, she couldn't believe what Humphrey had said and her mind couldn't comprehend him leaving or think of a reason why. "Leaving? Why?" Kate asked, Humphrey sighed. "There's nothing for me here anymore." Humphrey replied. Kate was shocked that Humphrey would say something like that, this wasn't him, this wasn't the easy-going, fun-loving Omega that she had always known. "Of course there is." Kate Protested. "like what? I have no family anymore, I barely have any friends and I have no home." Humphrey argued with a hint of sadness in his voice, he hated saying these words to the first two friends he had ever made in this pack, but he had gone too far to back down now, besides, he told himself that this was for the best, he had to let go to keep moving forward. "You do have friends you have me and Lilly." Kate begged with tears in her eyes. Humphrey made no reply and instead turned away and started walking back towards the slope. Kate couldn't take this anymore, this wasn't her friend, she could tell something was deeply troubling him and couldn't stand to let him suffer in silence. "Would you at least tell me what is wrong." she begged. Humphrey stopped at the top of the slope and turned to face the sisters, for a moment Kate thought he was going to tell her what was troubling him, then he spoke. "I had been meaning to tell you what I was a going to say on the train, but now it doesn't seem to matter anymore. Instead I'll just settle for these parting words. As sad as it is to let things go, nothing can compare to the pain of watching them get torn from you. Our time together feels so brief, I don't like goodbyes, for goodbye feels like forever, but in my heart and mind, you'll always remain" Humphrey lamented before turning around and walking back down the slope leaving Kate crying on the floor.
As Humphrey made his way down the hill at the bottom of the Alpha's den, the gravity of what he had done ate away at him. "This is for the best, it's the way things are, no it's the way things have to be." He told himself over and over in his head, it still didn't stop him feeling regret. He was suddenly stopped when heard a voice call out from behind. "You're not serious are you?" He turned round to see Winston, the pack leader coming down the hill behind him. "Great just what I need now the over protective farther hounding me because I made his daughter cry." Humphrey said to himself.
Winston soon caught up to Humphrey "Be thankful that I managed to stop my mate from coming down to talk to you" he muttered. "I guess I owe him one." Humphrey thought to himself, remembering how protective Eve was when it came to her daughters.
"And why wouldn't I be serious about leaving when there is nothing here for me?" Humphrey asked. "There's nothing for you out there either" Was Winston's reply, with that Humphrey sank down in defeat, as much as he hated to admit it, he knew Winston was right. "I often ask myself what if I had refused? What if I hadn't kept the real me a secret? What if I hadn't hidden my past or my abilities from everyone else? Would things have been different?" Humphrey lamented. "If you hadn't you would probably have grown up an Alpha in the the Eastern pack and be next in line for pack leader with Kate at your side" Winston replied. "Don't remind me." Humphrey retorted, he knew all too well what could have been and he wished that was how things had been. "But you cannot change the past now. Besides, we forced you to hide yourself and become something you weren't for a reason, your sacrifice helped save the pack from a dark shadow of your past." Winston replied, Humphrey flexed his claws in the dirt as he felt anger building up inside of him, he hated all of this, he hated always having to be the martyr, the brave sacrifice, giving up his life for others, only for them to shun him. He was sick of how whenever things finally seemed to be working out for him, fate would come and snatch it all away from him and shove his face in the dirt. First it was...her, then it was his family, his friends and his pack and now it was Kate. He had never wanted any of this, but he had learned from a very young age that life was out to get him and all he could do was get back up every time he was knocked down and hope that someday his luck would change.
After a few moments of quiet Humphrey broke it. "He's still out there you know that right? Still searching, still hunting us down." He stated. "I know, but that is for another time" Winston replied. "Don't be so sure. This ruse will not fool him forever, he will find me eventually, and when he does, no one will be safe. It's for the best that I run, that I lead him away from the pack before any of that happens." Humphrey scoffed. Winston walked over and sat down next to Humphrey. "You're not a pup anymore, I cannot force you to stay if you do not wish to, but please don't leave, at least not yet. Wait till after the ceremony" Winston said. "You think I should?" Humphrey asked, "please, it would mean the world to Kate" Winston begged.
Humphrey sighed in defeat. "Alright I'll stay, but only until after the ceremony and the first hunt of the new pair" Humphrey replied
"Thank you." Winston said, seconds later they heard a voice booming over the park. "WIIIIIIIIIIINSTON! HAVE YOU FINISHED RIPPING OFF HIS TAIL AND SHOVING IT DOWN HIS THROAT YET!". "Aaaaand that's my cue, got to get going, cya around. " said a frightened Humphrey and with that he sped off into the undergrowth.
"WIIIIIIINSTON! GET OVER HERE!" Eve shouted, "wow the power behind that voice" thought an amused and slightly afraid Winston.