My father gawked out of the window of the car in astonishment as Cole sped down the dirt path. Not only was my father excited to ride in an actual real life car, but the idea of seeing the city was enough to make him almost burst. He had got so red when I had told him, and Finn and Kassandra laughed along together also in the back seats.

Cole wasn't going to be coming into the city with us- as he didn't want the humans to think he was trying to start some kind of issue. Some wouldn't care, but he didn't want people becoming wary and spoiling our time.

We had five hours. Five hours to do whatever we wanted, and Finn and Kassandra had already mapped out everything they wanted to do. Eat, drink, eat some more and shop.

They also wanted to take a quick look at the houses for sale, but they had kept that just between me and them, not wanting to tell Cole and have him feel they disliked the pack. I knew he wouldn't feel that way though.

"I'll pick you up from the same spot at four," Cole told me as he pulled up along the side of the road, pointing ahead to the huge array of sky high buildings- cars gliding across the busy roads as if they were the most normal thing on the planet. I pressed a quick kiss to his lips, cupping both of his cheeks.

"Thank you. I love you."

He beamed. "I love you too. Go and have fun."
We all clambered out of the car, a few people wandering past us munching on some food it looked like they had just bought from a stall, and my mouth salivated at the smell.

"This isn't real," Finn mumbled to himself as we moved quickly down the road, entering the city, hearing cars honking and people chattering. The paths were busy- packed even. Each building was a different shape and size, but they were all the exact same colour. Shiny silver.

I could see my reflection in them as we strolled past, Finn yanking Kassandra back as she mindlessly stumbled into the road, almost getting trampled by a car. She laughed, sheepishly smiling at him.
We were out of our depths here, but it was incredible.

There was no sign of fear. Hatred. Or desperation. Nobody here looked like they wanted to kill anybody, and there wasn't a weapon in sight.

"Hi there!" spoke somebody from beside us, and we turned to see a young cheery woman dressed in a white and orange uniform, matching the ribbons and bunting wrapped around the smallish building in front of her. This one didn't look as new- kind of rustic and old, but it was nowhere near crumbling or collapsing. It just looked loved. "Fancy coming in for an hour of free jazz music? Drinks are on offer right now, and Jeremiah is an incredible saxophone player."

Finn's eyes lit up at the woman's words, and he grabbed Kassandra's hand even tighter and nodded, gesturing for us to follow him as he all but barged into the building. It caused the lady to laugh, and she waved at me as I entered the building. She seemed happy. She seemed content. She looked like she loved her job.

Red velvet surrounded us, couches and tables placed in every corner. The room smel of cinnamon and was warm and toasty, the sound of a smooth saxophone ringing through the air and gaining my attention.

Glancing up to a small red stage at the back of the room, I spotted a dark skinned gentleman dressed in a shiny grey suit- his head bald and face bearded. His eyes were shut as if he was completely lost in his own music, and I found myself gobsmacked and in a trance from the sound. I had never heard anything like it.

As a child, I had taken up playing the flute, but I had made it myself out of wood, and it only took a week for somebody to snitch on me and for my father to snap it like a twig- which I supposed it kind of was.

"This is incredible," I said, my father nodding as he watched the musician play like his life depended on it, the notes soothing us and the other people collected in the room. It wasn't busy- but it wasn't dead either.

"Didn't the lady outside say something about cocktails?" Finn questioned, wiggling his eyebrows at us as he dragged us over to the bar where a nice blonde lady was waiting.

I had never had a cocktail before, but I opted for a mocktail instead, my eyes popping out of my head at the delicious flavours. Fruity. Sweet. Smoky. I laughed as Finn downed the rest of his drink, passing the bartender more coins, asking for more.

Jeremiah stopped playing, and I spotted two children rush up to him. He bent down on the stage, greeting them kindly.

"You're amazing," spoke one of the young boys, looking around nine or ten.

"Yeah, when I grow up, I want to play the saxophone just like you." The younger girl spoke next, her voice high pitched and squeaky.

Jeremiah chuckled. "Well, you can," he said, passing them his glowing saxophone. "You can be anything you want to be. My only advice is to never give up on your passions. Don't do something just because others want you to. If you have a dream, do it until the end."

My eyes teared up, and I nodded as if he was speaking to me.

The children laughed, poking and prodding at the instrument, Jeremiah explaining to them how it worked and where he had it made. I listened intently, sadness filling me. These children had the world at their fingertips. It was their oyster and they could do whatever their heart desired.

I thought back to the frightened child I had seen at the rich colony. How he was trapped. I hope he escaped, but I didn't hold my breath. It was so unfair how just because you were born into a certain type of lifestyle, it determined the course of it. No children deserved to be forced into hunting werewolves. It was wrong.

My child was going to have the choice. They were going to be able to be anything they wanted to be.

"Reya," called my father as he swayed to the music, seeming to have let loose after his fruity concoction. "This music. It's like nothing we've ever experienced before."

I smiled, nodding. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He frowned, clearing his throat as he stopped, gazing at me in the eyes. He spotted the children that were still hounding Jeremiah, and after a couple more seconds, they scurried off back to their parents and Jeremiah resumed playing his magic. "I'm sorry I was never able to give you this life."

I shook my head. "Father, you didn't-"

"No," he held up his hand to stop me. "Please just let me say it. Yes, I was brainwashed by Markus. Yes, I believed that what we were doing was the right thing, but I didn't once take you into consideration. How this would affect your life. How you would be trapped doing the exact same thing we all were. I had tunnel vision, and I was frightened."

I sniffled.

"I would hear you crying in your room at night and talking to your mother in the sky about how you didn't want to be a huntress. I saw how stressed training made you, and yet, I pushed you into it anyway. I never once spoke to you about it, because I believed you would get over it."

Memories of my sleepless nights where I would sob into my pillow filled my mind- covered in cuts and bruises from training.

"Your mother would have pulled you out of training after seeing the way you were. She would have convinced Markus that you weren't meant to be a huntress and to give you another job around the colony instead. You would have been much happier that way, but I was selfish and instead, I put my ego above the love I had for my daughter."

Taking his hand, I gave it a squeeze. "Don't blame yourself. If I hadn't been a huntress, I never would have met Cole. Markus wouldn't be dead, and future generations would be stuck in the same vicious cycle bestowed upon us. It all happened for a reason. All of the pain and suffering was worth it, dad. Not only am I free now, but so are you." I smiled, and his eyes filled with tears, shocking me.

"If only your mother could see you now." He sighed. "She would be so proud of you, Reya."

Warm radiated through me. "Thank you, Dad. Really. I know we went through some bad times, but we're going to be okay."

He smiled, dipping his chin. "Finally."

•••

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