Chapter 4

Jax's POV

I arrived at the cottage and knocked on the door, not knowing what to expect. This house was supposedly empty until my delta informed me a woman moved in and did nothing but farm according to his observation and reports from the guards.

Our pack was known to be fierce to rogues and hunters, but when a human who knows nothing about our kind moves in, we leave them alone unless they pose a threat hence why I let her be.

Nothing could have prepared me for the identity of this farmer who seemingly did nothing but farm, "Hello there, Old man. It has been 35 years huh?" She snickered as she opened the door. It was Hui Zhong!

I was shocked. The same girl that I knew 30 years ago who singlehandedly saved my pack and ended a bloody war, the girl who was my closest confidant before she disappeared, was alive and in front of me. I gasped and remained jaw-dropped.

"H-Hui Zhong? But how? I thought you completely vanished?" I was speechless and unable to say anything more than that.

"Yeah its me Jax, are you going to stand there or come in? You have a mate that wants to see you y'know?" As soon as she said that my mate who was already awake ran into my embrace and never let go.

I'm not a man to fully believe in the Goddess and her blessings of fate, never have I thought I would be so happy to see my mate. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling his intoxicating scent and letting a low growl out. Even if I was not 101, I'd still be whipped for my lovely mate at any age.

If it wasn't for Hui Zhong clearing her throat, goddess knows how long we'd be in that position, "Hi I know you haven't seen each other for two weeks but you're still standing in the freezing doorway with 4 guards who look like they're gonna rip my head off because your mate was staying with me for a while. So I'd like it if you would sit on the couch before cuddling and enjoy a cup of my special tea flavours and snacks with it." Benjamin blushed and I chuckled as she rolled her eyes, heading back to the kitchen to grab the food.

We sat all on the couch, Benjamin warming up on my lap while my 4 guards sat on the other ones and Hui Zhong came in with a cart full of food, placing 4 giant trays lined with glorious treats that would've made the most stuffed people hungry too.

I picked up a cup of tea and savoured it while she got comfy at the end and sipped hers, I had a lifetime of questions to ask and wasn't sure how to start. As if reading my mind, she chuckled and rolled her eyes as she picked up a croissant to munch on, "Ask whatever you want Jax. After all, its been 35 years since that day"

I gulped and nodded, "R-Right, I thought you were angry at us in some way that we didn't know, especially me Hui Zhong. After the war, you just disappeared but I knew you were very much alive so why? Why did you just leave all of a sudden?" I looked at her with wide eyes, admiring how she never aged terribly even after 35 years.

I continued to cuddle my beautiful mate and inhale his scent from his lovely hair without breaking eye contact with Hui Zhong, we missed a lifetime of each other's memories and words. She seemed to have the same thought as she put her cup down and sighed while running her fingers through her Long hair and looking up at the cream-coloured ceiling, possibly thinking of how to tell me everything. "Where do I begin?" She asked out loud, clearly unsure of

what to say.

"Well, could you start with the day you suddenly left college?" She looked at me with her eyebrow raised and nodded before taking a big breath and began her story.

"Well, I had received news that my father was dying and he wanted to see me one last time. Even though I already cut off from him and did not view him as my father but as an enemy, he still saw me as his daughter no matter what and my mother would've wanted me to be filial to my parents no matter what because she always made sure I remember the Confucian familial value of filial piety. So when I arrived at the hospice and went into his room, I sat on a chair opposite him before he started to talk."

"You of all people should know that I never pitied him after I chose to disown him but when I met him at the hospice that day, I realised I did have some pity for him. The choice that I made to cut him off really broke him Jax. The man was once the most powerful and notorious hunter who nearly wiped the werewolf population in both North and South America looked so pale, thin and lifeless in contrast to his buff and fair figure he had when he attacked you and the alliance on that fateful day." I nodded and motioned for her to continue as she paused to look at me to see if we were following along and hence, she continued.

"It was hard to believe that this man was the same one that was feared and awed by the hunting world had become so yellow and pathetic in just a few years because his daughter, whom he did all of this for, chose to disown him and that broke him because she was the only person who kept him alive and she was the only person whom he cared for other than his late wife my mother."

I was shocked at what she said, I'd never expect her to visit that man after how she swore never to associate with him again. I felt sorry for her and the life she endured but there was nothing much that I could do but nod in agreement,

"And then? What happened after that?" I couldn't help but ask while still holding Benjamin tight in my hold protectively, "Well, he said plenty of things but the only one I could remember without much effort is, 'Hui Zhong ah, I'm sorry I killed so many and hurt you, but please know Father always loved you.' But by then, I had decided I heard enough and I left in anger, storming out of the room and slamming the door shut before I hopped onto my bike and left."

I couldn't find an expression or feeling to that statement, perhaps it was due to me having a proper family but yet she didn't. I got up and went over to her, giving her a hug before going back to my mate and cuddling him again with my playing with his hair, "I-I'm so sorry Hui Zhong, I should've tried contacting you and being there for you when you needed us most."

She shook her head and waved it off saying, "Its fine, I didn't intend to tell you guys either because I know you, Lili and Margaret will go ballistic too heh." I chuckled and nodded as I noticed Benjamin had already fallen asleep. I turned back to her and said,

"We should get going, he needs to be checked by the doctor for precautionary measures. Thank you again Hui Zhong" I said with a smile as she returned it and went into her room, coming out with a brown box and handing it to one of my warriors.

I raised my eyebrow as I carried my Benjamin in my arms, "What's this box?" I don't remember missing anything from my house when she disappeared.

"Its something I give as a gift to your pups, we believe in newborns having an accessory of sorts for protection. Now go and have a good life you two." I smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, why not you come to our pack to visit some time? I'm sure you will be welcomed for your contributions and we have been meeting regularly in hopes to find you some day you know?" She chuckled and shrugged as she helped open the door for me to carry Benjamin through.

"Of course I'd love to have a reunion but there is something I need to do before I can fully relax and being happy with you guys. Anyways, its a long drive so take care and I'll hopefully see you two soon with pups alright?"

I nodded and headed to my car, the door already opened for Benjamin as I quickly went to the drivers seat and waved to her as I began the long 4-hour car ride back to the pack house.