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"He swore never to take a mate. Never to have a child. Never to be happy. He does not think he deserves those." she sniffled, "And it getsworse daily. Every time you refused to step out of here and into the fresh air, you hurt him immensely."

Turning away from the window, she walked back to stand in front of the cage. The wolf has not moved. Its breathing has not changed. Its eyes have not opened. Nothing.

But, she did not stop.

Tears overflowed from her eyes as she whispered, "Please, do not die, Nalaila. Do not choose death over your brother. You don't have to take the human form. If that zeal...that Will...is not in you, you do not need to force it. But, please, do not die. You have held out for eighteen years...do not give up now."

No movement.

But, a tear dropped from the wolf's closed eye.

A huge sense of hope enveloped Ismena. She can hear! She can hear her!!

Oh, my, God, she can hear me!!!

"If you cannot forgive him yet, I understand," she continued, "I understand and he does too. But, please, do not die. He will never be able to recover from that. Go out to the night; get some fresh air, run in the woods and climb trees. You are strong, I know you can do this. I know you hate my kind. I understand. I hate my kind too for what they did to your kind...to you."

Another tear dropped from the eyes of the white wolf.

"I will always visit you here. You are my friend and I love you...even if you hate me. I understand it all. But don't give up on us. Don't give up on your brother." She wiped the tears from her eyes, "Don't give up on yourself, Nalaila Sierandelina Throne."

Silence descended upon them afterward. Dead silence.

A second passed... And then, two.

Three...

Six seconds...

Ten seconds...

Then, the white wolf opened her eyes.

CHAPTER 31. IN THE SHADOW OF CHAOS.

IN A TROUBLED, CHAOTIC MIND.

It was that voice again.

That soothing, peaceful voice which It has come to look forward to since she started visiting here.

How long has passed? How does time work?

It does not know. Holed up in a dark room where it was never night or day, It has no idea how time works.

But that voice soothed It. Most times, in the past, It does not listen to what that voice said, It only listens to the voice.

Not only because the voice is soothing, but also because the voice jests a lot. She does not give important news, she just goes on and on and on, about anything andeverything.

The first time It got past the distinctive human scent and listened to that voice, It recognized it instantly.

The girl from the labs.

It is Her.

It does not know her name, but It knows it's the same girl. The same voice.

This chaotic mind never forgets.