Vladimir slowly lowered his head, his eyes growing distant as memories he had buried for decades came rushing back to the surface with painful, crystal-clear detail.
One after another, they replayed in his mind like a cruel movie he couldn't stop watching.
If only he had listened. If only he had taken those warnings seriously instead of letting fear control him. None of them would be standing here today, drowning in all this heartbreak.
A bitter smile crossed his face. "So many people envy wolves with special gifts," he said, his voice quiet and almost empty. "They admire the power. They dream about having abilities no one else possesses."
He slowly shook his head. "But if they truly knew the terrible price that comes with those gifts, they wouldn't wish for them at all."
The guilt weighing on Vladimir's heart had been building up for more than thirty years. There had been signs, warnings. There had been questions that should have been asked.
