That night, as the harvest moon rises in the east and we Shift with ease (or at least, those of us who were born into a multiple-pup litter do; those wolves who are born into a single-pup litter tend to take longer to acquire the Shifting gene) Jayden stands there, puzzled.

'Gildren; I... I can't do it...' Seeing my cousin in such a state of mental upset, I walk over and, before Shifting back, I nuzzle his pale cheek. 'You know what Grandfather says about an attitude like that, Jayden... Don't think ill of yourself... It can only get worse, cousin...'

Jayden nods and says, as a set of footsteps advance on us, 'Speak of the devil and he shall appear... What is it, Grandpa; is something wrong?' Grandfather dips his head and replies 'I am a stupid, untrustworthy asshole, Jayden; remember that when you regale your future spawn with stories about your grandfather.'

'But why, Grandpa? Why label you like that; what did you do?' I smirk and reply 'He just passed a law stating that all single-pup parents are to be executed at dawn. I am terribly sorry, Jayden...' My cousin growls, a threat rumbling deep within his throat.

'For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.'

Grandfather glares at Jayden and whispers 'You're lucky our parents are at the very rock bottom of my list, Jayden; but I may be so kind as to move them to the top. Translate what you have said; where is it from?'

'Ecclesiastes 9:5, sir.'

'Are you saying that I am the evil staining the planet?'

'No! I'm saying that once you're dead, you're basically forgotten; but with God, you wouldn't be.' Jayden smirks and turns away slightly before Grandfather grabs his wrists and holds them behind Jayden's back. 'Don't make me turn you around and kill millions of your potential future children, Jayden...'

I can sense tears forming in the eyes of my cousin. Just as he had growled with passion before, Jayden now whimpers. I want desperately to help him, but I don't know to do that without making things worse; because even though the Great Alpha is my grandfather, I know he is ruthless and it won't take much to make him follow through on his threat. Or worse...

Uncle Kade runs into the room when he hears his child baying in terror, still bound by his father-in-law's hands. The look on Jayden's face pleads for safety from somebody, anybody; and yet all of us are too afraid to do so. 'Let go of him, Theron... let go of my child...'

Upon hearing her husband plead for their son's safety, Aunty Belle (my father's sister) rushes in as well. 'Daddy, please... please let my child go... I'm sure that whatever he said-'

'He told me I was a corrupt being; that I was staining the planet with my presence!' Grandfather visibly strengthens his grip on Jayden, at which my helpless kin whimpers. 'Silence, whelp!' Grandfather yells, tightening his grip yet again while Aunty Belle swoops in to save her only child.

When she has a decent grip of his waist, Grandfather leans in toward her and sneers 'Honor thy mother and father, Belle... Is that not the correct commandment, Jayden; since you're so Biblically oriented?'

Jayden nods and whispers 'Yes, sir...' I can hear his and my Aunty's thoughts reach the other's minds afterward. Though Jayden cannot yet Shift, or believes he cannot Shift, he and his mother can still communicate with one another this way. I listen intently to the conversation

Mama, I'm scared... what's gonna happen if I fall asleep? What if I wake up, and you really are gone?

Oh, my baby... Your father and I will be just fine. Grandpa Theron is just habitually cranky.

~~~~~~

The next morning, Jayden wakes up early and rushes downstairs to see his parents sitting at the dining-room table with Grandfather and myself. 'My prayers were answered...' When my aunt and uncle stare at me in mock surprise, I explain.

'He'd been praying all night that you would live; didn't get a wink of sleep, either...' Again, Aunty Belle holds Jayden close. 'Oh, Jayden... don't worry, sweetheart... your daddy and I will be fine...'

~~~

After breakfast, Jayden returns to the bedroom and picks up his sketchpad. He draws a loop at the top of the paper, defines it to the form of a rope, and proceeds to draw a body with the head sticking out of the loop. Noticing my presence, he turns to me and says 'Someday I will do this, Gildren. Someday I will end my own life.'

Shaking my head, I reply 'Suicide is not the answer, Jayden.' He shakes his own head in return. You're wrong, Gildren; it is the answer.' As he walks away, even as his cousin, I begin to dread the decision he has made.