She crouched in front of him and reached out to caress his face. “Grayson, don’t be upset. This isn’t your fault. Ray just isn’t lucky enough to be your pup. Even if Sandy leaves, I’ll be with you. There’s also my pup, Tom. We’ll stay by your side forever.”
I thought that Dad would grab the opportunity to embrace Judy. But unexpectedly, he pushed her viciously to the floor.
“Get lost! Sandy is my only mate, and Ray is our beloved pup! No one can replace her, not even Tom!”
Judy’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe that Dad would be so ruthless.
“Grayson, didn’t you say that Tom is the most well–behaved pup? You said that you would rather have him as your pup, and that Ray isn’t worthy of being your pup! Since Ray is dead and Sandy is going to leave, why can’t you accept Tom and me?”
“Well–behaved?” he scoffed. “But I also once said that Ray is the most obedient pup in the Moonflash pack. How could I have forgotten that?”
Dad clutched his head in both hands and roared in pain. The memories he had forgotten were now attacking him fiercely, and it made his heart tremble.
He scrambled up with difficulty and headed outside, but Judy grabbed him in a panic.
“Where are you going? It’s Tom’s birthday today. Didn’t you promise to go to the playground with him? If you leave, Tom will be very sad.”
Dad turned to her slowly. There was an empty, despairing look on his face. “I remember that Tom and Ray have the same birthday. How long has it been since I held a birthday party for Ray?”
I nodded approvingly in midair. After meeting Judy, Dad had stopped holding parties for me. He had also stopped holding banquets for his anniversaries
with Mom.
He said that Judy had lost her mate and that Tom no longer had a father. He said that they were to be pitied.
That was why I had let them have my father while I became a pup with no father.
I rubbed my eyes. They were dry, devoid of tears. Were people unable to shed tears after death?
U
