Back with me

"You both are free to beat yourselves up. Regardless of who wins, you will both learn very valuable lessons. Just don't touch the gate or attempt to kill or maim the other, and we're good. Anything else goes." Daryl said, making sure they were aware that the gate remained a priority as always.

And with that said, he took a step backwards, bringing him closer to the gate, then shifted slightly to the side to ensure he was standing in front of the middle of the gate.

Romeo turned back to Brutus, the red lines on his right eye slowly disappearing.

"Brutus! Please! Just let me pass through."

"Why should I? You heard Daryl. If you want to enter the Den, go through me. Or are you scared?"

Romeo's frustration boiled over, and he snarled, his emotions raw and untamed. In a swift motion, he punched Brutus in the face. Brutus' head swung backwards from the strike, staggering him slightly. But before Brutus could regain his balance and glare back at Romeo, Romeo's foot connected with his face, sending him crashing to the ground.

Brutus lay motionless, out cold in two moves.

"In my opinion, you are still the fat kid from five years back." Romeo said, looking down at Brutus with a mixture of triumph and sadness.

Daryl burst into laughter, his deep voice echoing through the night. He clapped his hands and nodded his head in approval.

"That was good. That was really good." He said, signaling with a wave of his hands. The gate groaned, clicked a few times, and then slowly began to open.

Romeo prepared to take a step forward, but Daryl held him back and moved to the side, bringing him along.

He bowed his head slightly in respect. Romeo's mind was elsewhere, focused on the task at hand. He looked up and saw three of the elders walking out of the gate, followed by their usual entourage of disciples, guards, and human servants.

They stood in front of Romeo and then parted ways to either side, creating a path in their middle.

Alpha Jake, dressed in a heavy black and white fur jacket that left his white-haired chest exposed, walked through that path. He bent slightly to look down at Romeo, his piercing eyes filled with ancient wisdom and authority.

"Romeo, isn't it?"

Romeo did not respond. He was holding Jake's gaze, which was by far enough mental and physical work. The aura of a powerful Alpha who had lived as long as Jake had was impossible to ignore.

"You just severely harmed one of my defenders. Why?"

Romeo opened his mouth, but no words came out. The weight of his actions and the gravity of the situation left him speechless.

"You have five minutes." The Alpha said and turned to walk back into the Den. Daryl followed behind him, carrying Brutus on his shoulder. Then two of the elders went as well, taking their time.

Romeo's eyes followed the Alpha and he was confused for merely a few moments. As he returned his gaze to the last elder, he saw that Mona now stood in front of him. Behind her, at a respectful distance, stood Jason with a small, characteristic smile on his face.

As Mona's intense stare bore down on him like a torrential rain, Romeo quivered as he extended his hand in a wordless supplication. In that instant of weakness, he discerned the faint trace of familiarity in her gaze - an inkling of the affection they had previously shared.

Gently, Romeo wiped away a lone tear from Mona's cheek with his soft breath. Their eyes met and emotions swirled between them as he murmured words of regret and apology - each syllable adding to the melody of their joint past.

As Mona's rage subsided, her mental barriers weakened and she became exposed with raw vulnerability just like Romeo. Amidst the inner tumult, a new sense of forgiveness blossomed tentatively yet persistently in her heart.

As the gentle patter of rain persisted beyond their windowpane, a soothing melody in nature's repertoire, Romeo and Mona sought refuge within one another's embrace. Amidst this momentary reconciliation, they realized that true love wasn't immune to tempestuous trials but rather served as an unwavering anchor for them during times of hardship.

Renewed with hope and determination, Romeo pledged to brave any storm that may cross their path. He was led by the steadfast radiance of Mona's gaze - a light that would never falter. Through her eyes he discovered not only forgiveness but also a love more resilient than even the strongest tempest; an everlasting bond unyielding in time.

"Why are you here?" Mona asked, her voice carrying a tone of hostility that pierced Romeo's heart.

As Romeo stared into Mona's eyes, a surge of conflicting feelings churned inside him, causing sharp pains in his chest. Even though they had grown apart from each other over time, he felt a glimmer of the comforting affection within her gaze that illuminated hope amidst their sea of doubts and insecurities.

Romeo drew in a quivering breath as he closed the gap between them. With tender affection, his hand found Mona's cheek and echoed their profound love for each other through an unspoken connection that surpassed time and language barriers.

As he touched Mona, her eyes became gentle and a glimmer of familiarity sparked within them. In the stillness that enveloped them, her pulse beat in a musical tune which felt like second nature to him - an unspoken tribute to their love that had remained steadfast throughout time.

Romeo whispered a promise as he leaned in towards her, their breaths blending into one another's, expressing unspoken revelations. Within that brief instance of intimacy, Romeo sensed the barriers separating them disintegrate and transform into an empathetic connection between them.

With a silent embrace that held them in place, Romeo realized their love surpassed all boundaries of doubt and distance. As he looked into Mona's eyes, he saw his own desire and remorse mirrored back to him - offering the possibility of new chances and fresh starts.

In the delicate space that existed between them, where agony and affection entwined, Romeo made a solemn commitment to defend their love with unwavering dedication. Mona's heartbeat provided him steadfast guidance and served as an eternal reminder of the unison in which their hearts beat - together always.

"Two years," he said, his voice trembling with a mix of desperation and determination. "Just two years. That is all the time I need. Wait for me for only two years. I will be back for you with my own pack. A pack more powerful than this one. I will be back. I will come back for you and prove to you how worthy I am. That I am capable of change. That I am capable of being a good leader. That I respect you. That I understand you. I will prove to you that I take you seriously. This, Mona, is a promise I will keep!"

He glanced at Jason, who stood with a smirk. "Just don't do anything with that fake smile over there. Goodbye, Mona. For now!"

Without waiting for a response, Romeo turned and sprinted back into the forest, disappearing into the coverage of fog and leaves.

Mona watched him go, her heart aching. Tears trickled down her face, their flow camouflaged by the returning light drizzle. Even long after Romeo was gone, Mona remained, hoping for him to come back and take her in his arms. She yearned for him to kiss her gently, softly as he used to, but a part of her knew she needed to move on.

Jason walked towards her, his expression a mix of sympathy and cold practicality.

"Don't get your hopes up! He most likely won't even survive his first year outside the protection of a pack. He's too much of a troublemaker, and the outside world is more ruthless than you can possibly imagine. He is in for a severely painful awakening."

Mona glared at him, anger and sorrow mingling in her gaze.

"Even if he does survive, you can't possibly expect him to keep his promise. How do you expect him to gather a group of werewolves who will respect him enough to let him be leader in just two years? It takes time to build trust. And all the experience he has trust-wise is breaking whatever trust you already have in him."

Jason's words felt like a cold splash of reality, and Mona's heart sank further. "So, don't get your hopes high. In fact, it will be in your best interest to have absolutely zero expectations. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. But, it is what it is. I will leave you to process your thoughts. Take your time."

With that, he walked inside, leaving Mona alone outside the gate, lost in thought and tears.

Romeo ran through the night, driven by memories and a promise he had made. The forest seemed endless, the trees whispering secrets and the shadows concealing his pain. As the first rays of sunshine seeped through the dense foliage, he leaped over a large rock that seemed out of place. It was said that the rock had been there since the beginning of the pack's existence. According to the stories, it was a symbol of protection by the moon goddess, a beacon for all who sought refuge within the forest.

Romeo stopped and looked at the rock, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He touched the stone, feeling its cold, reassuring solidity beneath his fingers. This rock was more than just a piece of nature; it was a reminder of his past and a symbol of the future he was determined to fight for.

He took a deep breath, letting the cool morning air fill his lungs. With renewed determination, he turned and continued his journey into the unknown, the promise he had made to Mona fueling his every step.