I'm too late
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3rd Pov
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Cosmo woke with a sharp gasp, his chest rising and falling erratically as he struggled to catch his breath. His neck throbbed with a dull, searing pain, each beat of his heart sending waves of discomfort radiating through his body. He winced as he reached up to touch the tender skin, his claws brushing against the bruises forming beneath his fur.
The room around him was dimly lit, the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the cracks in the wooden walls. It was unfamiliar but not threatening he was in the pack’s healing den, the faint scent of herbs lingering in the air. The soft murmurs of wolves outside drifted through the silence, but none of it could drown out the memory that surged back into his mind.
Sprout’s hands around his throat.
His golden eyes widened as the scene played out again, vivid and relentless. The blank expression on Sprout’s face, devoid of warmth or familiarity. The crushing pressure on his windpipe, the desperation to breathe as his friend a boy he trusted with everything pressed him into the dirt like prey.
Cosmo’s ears flattened against his head, his chest tightening with the weight of it all. He remembered the faint tremble in Sprout’s hands, the brief flicker of hesitation in his eyes before they went cold again. Was that the real Sprout, or had something else taken over?
A soft whine escaped him as he curled in on himself, his tail wrapping tightly around his body. His throat was raw, not just from the physical pain but from the unspoken betrayal that lingered there. How had it come to this? How had the boy who brought him red velvet cake and laughed with him under the stars turned into the one who
“Cosmo?”
The voice broke through his spiraling thoughts. Gigi stood in the doorway, her usual commanding presence softened by concern. Her eyes flicked to his neck, and a low growl rumbled in her throat, though it wasn’t directed at him.
“Gigi,” Cosmo croaked, his voice hoarse and strained.
She moved to his side in an instant, her movements careful as she knelt down beside him. “Don’t push yourself,” she said softly, her paw brushing against his fur with a gentleness that surprised him. “You need to rest.”
Cosmo shook his head again, his body weak but his resolve just barely holding. “I’m fine,” he rasped, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him. He couldn’t bear to tell her what had truly happened. The words felt too heavy, too sharp to speak aloud.
Gigi’s golden eyes softened as she crouched down beside him, her large form nearly encasing his smaller one in a protective shadow. “No, you’re not,” she murmured, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and worry. “Look at you, Cosmo. Your neck…”
Cosmo instinctively raised a paw to touch the bruises, flinching as the dull pain pulsed beneath his fur. He didn’t meet her gaze, afraid that she might somehow see the truth in his silence.
Gigi hesitated, her claws softly scraping the floor as she tried to control the emotions that threatened to boil over. “You don’t have to talk about it,” she said quietly, her voice thick. “I just I'm just glad you're alive, Cosmo. When they brought you back, I ” She stopped herself, inhaling sharply as her voice cracked.
Cosmo’s ears twitched at her words, and he finally glanced up at her. She looked so different from the fierce and confident sister he’d always known. Her usual commanding presence was gone, replaced by an unspoken fear that he’d never seen in her before.
“I’m okay, Gigi,” Cosmo lied softly, though the quiver in his voice betrayed him.
Gigi gave him a hard look but didn’t press him. Instead, she leaned down and began grooming his fur, her tongue smoothing the patches that had been ruffled during the fight. It was a tender gesture, one that took Cosmo by surprise. She hadn’t done this since they were pups, back when their mother would hum softly to them under the light of the moon.
“You scared me,” Gigi whispered, her voice barely audible between strokes. “When they told me you were hurt, I…” She paused, swallowing hard. “I thought I’d lost you, Cosmo. I can’t lose you too.”
Cosmo gave a small whine, the sound unbidden and raw. He felt so fragile under her care, like a pup again, being fussed over by someone who loved him more than he deserved in that moment.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice breaking.
Gigi stopped grooming for a moment and rested her head gently against his. “Don’t be sorry,” she said firmly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Cosmo wanted to believe her. He wanted to feel comfort in her words, but the weight of his guilt pressed heavily against his chest. He closed his eyes and leaned into her warmth, letting himself be small, even if just for a moment.
As Gigi resumed grooming him, she muttered softly, almost to herself, “Whoever did this... they’ll pay. I’ll make sure of it.”
Cosmo wanted to believe her. He wanted to feel comfort in her words, but the weight of his guilt pressed heavily against his chest. He closed his eyes and leaned into her warmth, letting himself be small, even if just for a moment.
As Gigi resumed grooming him, her motions gentle and maternal, she muttered softly, almost to herself, “Whoever did this... they’ll pay. I’ll make sure of it.”
Cosmo’s body tensed at her words. His breath hitched, and his ears flattened against his head, but he said nothing, letting her anger fill the silence where his voice should have spoken.
A sudden knock broke the stillness. The sound was firm but not aggressive, commanding attention. Both siblings stiffened. Gigi rose immediately, her posture rigid and alert. As the door creaked open, the towering figure of the Alpha stepped into the room, his presence like a storm cloud rolling in.
Gigi immediately dropped to one knee, bowing her head low in deference. “Alpha,” she said, her voice steady but subdued.
Cosmo tried to rise and mimic her, wincing as the strain pulled at his bruised neck. Before he could fully lower himself, Gigi shot him a sharp glare, her eyes silently commanding him to stay down. Reluctantly, Cosmo remained seated, his ears pinned back in respect.
The Alpha’s piercing amber eyes swept the room before settling on Cosmo. His expression was unreadable somewhere between stern authority and a faint trace of concern.
“You okay, pup?” the Alpha asked, his deep voice rumbling through the small room like distant thunder.
Cosmo hesitated before giving a small nod, his throat tightening. He avoided meeting the Alpha’s gaze, the weight of guilt and shame pressing heavily on his chest.
The Alpha’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before shifting to Gigi. “He doesn’t look okay,” he said, his voice dropping, the faintest edge of worry cutting through his authoritative tone.
Gigi straightened, her tail flicking behind her. “He’s recovering, Alpha,” she said firmly. “His injuries are healing, but his voice… it still needs time.”
The Alpha nodded thoughtfully, his sharp eyes returning to Cosmo. “Does your throat still hurt, pup?” he asked, his tone softer than before.
Cosmo’s ears twitched, his body tensing as he looked between the Alpha and Gigi. He wanted to speak, to offer reassurance, but the pain in his throat and the storm of emotions swirling inside him kept him silent.
Gigi stepped in before Cosmo could answer, her voice steady and protective. “He’ll be fine, Alpha,” she said, her tone almost daring him to challenge her words. “He just needs rest and quiet.”
The Alpha gave her a long, searching look before nodding. “See to it that he gets both,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind.
The Alpha turned back to Cosmo, his gaze softening ever so slightly. “Heal quickly, pup,” he said, his voice quieter. “The pack needs you strong.”
Cosmo dipped his head in acknowledgment, though he still couldn’t bring himself to speak. His ears flicked back as he avoided the Alpha’s piercing gaze, guilt still gnawing at him.
The Alpha straightened, his massive frame towering over the two siblings. He turned to Gigi, his tone shifting back to authority. “Gigi, inform the Betas and Omegas to start packing. We leave tonight. The moon is still high, and we can’t afford to waste its guidance.”
Gigi’s ears perked, her surprise barely masked. “Tonight? So soon, Alpha?” she asked cautiously, though her tone remained respectful.
The Alpha’s fiery eyes locked onto hers, unyielding. “Yes. We’ve lingered here long enough. The humans know our trails. Staying puts the entire pack in danger.” His voice dropped slightly, his next words weighted with concern. “Including the young ones.”
Gigi nodded stiffly, though she hesitated, glancing back at Cosmo. “But... Cosmo needs rest. He’s not strong enough to travel yet.”
The Alpha’s gaze softened for a fleeting moment as he regarded Cosmo. “He’ll travel in the center of the pack. The others will guard him. No one will be left behind.”
Cosmo’s ears twitched at their conversation, and he finally managed to rasp, “I can walk... I don’t need to be guarded.”
Both the Alpha and Gigi turned to him, surprise flashing across their faces. The Alpha’s expression hardened, but his tone remained steady. “You’ll follow my orders, pup. This isn’t a matter of pride it’s survival.”
Cosmo opened his mouth to protest but closed it again, the weight of the Alpha’s words pressing down on him. He looked at Gigi, who gave him a subtle, reassuring nod.
“Alpha,” Gigi said carefully, her voice dipping lower, “do you think the humans will follow us? Or... was this just an isolated attack?”
The Alpha’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as if recalling some distant memory. “Humans are relentless. They don’t forget what they fear or what they hate. This wasn’t just an attack it was a warning. And if we don’t move now, they’ll come back in greater numbers.”
Gigi’s fur bristled at his words, but she simply nodded. “I’ll inform the others immediately.”
Before she turned to leave, Gigi paused, her eyes locking on Cosmo. “Will you be okay if I go?” she asked softly, her voice carrying the weight of her worry.
Cosmo nodded, though it was half-hearted. “I’ll be fine,” he murmured, his voice still hoarse.
The Alpha observed their exchange quietly before addressing Gigi once more. “Go. And tell the pack to move silently. We’ll travel by the river to mask our scent.”
Gigi hesitated, casting one last glance at her younger brother. She leaned down, brushing her muzzle gently against his. “Stay strong, Cosmo. I’ll be back soon.”
With that, she left the den, her pawsteps fading into the distance.
The Alpha lingered a moment longer, his intense gaze fixed on Cosmo. “You’re young,” he said, his voice low but firm. “And you’ll learn that sometimes survival means sacrifice. Rest now, and when we move, stay close to your sister.”
Cosmo didn’t reply, his eyes fixed on the ground, his mind too clouded with guilt and exhaustion to speak. The Alpha gave a quiet huff, his fiery gaze softening slightly, as if silently acknowledging the young wolf’s turmoil. Without another word, the Alpha turned and disappeared through the entrance, his heavy pawsteps fading into the night.
Left alone, Cosmo let out a shaky breath that wavered in the quiet air. The ache in his throat throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. He curled up on the soft bedding Gigi had prepared for him, burying his face into the warmth of the furs. His mind raced with fractured memories of betrayal, confusion, and pain.
For now, all he could do was wait though he wasn’t sure what he was waiting for.
The silence stretched, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves outside the den. Minutes passed, maybe hours Cosmo wasn’t sure anymore until the soft padding of footsteps reached his ears.
He tensed, his ears flicking toward the sound. The door to the den creaked open, and two nursing wolves stepped in, their expressions calm but purposeful. Cosmo tried to push himself upright, but his body felt too heavy, too tired.
One of the nurses gave him a gentle nudge, her voice soft. “Easy, little one. We’re here to help.”
The other leaned down, carefully lifting him. “You need rest. Gigi asked us to make sure you’re safe for the journey.”
Cosmo let out a faint whine, his body resisting the urge to fight them off. Instead, his eyes began to droop, sleep tugging at the edges of his mind. The warmth of their fur and the soft murmurs of their voices lulled him into a haze of half-consciousness.
By the time he woke, he was no longer in the den. The cool night air brushed against his face, and the rhythmic swaying of movement beneath him made him realize he was being carried. His ears twitched, and he let out a weak, questioning whine.
“Cosmo?” Gigi’s voice cut through the haze, filled with relief.
Cosmo blinked his eyes open, his vision blurry for a moment before he realized he was draped across Gigi’s back. She craned her neck to glance at him, her golden eyes soft but filled with worry.
“You’re awake,” she said gently, her tone laced with both relief and concern.
Cosmo let out another faint whine, his throat too raw to form proper words.
“Shh, don’t try to talk,” Gigi said quickly, adjusting him carefully on her back. “You need to save your strength. We’re moving the pack Alpha’s orders.”
Cosmo’s ears twitched, and he managed a weak nod. The memory of the Alpha’s earlier words surfaced in his mind, but the weight of them felt distant, like a heavy fog he couldn’t quite see through.
Gigi glanced back at him again, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “You’re safe with me, okay? I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Cosmo rested his head against her neck, his heart aching at her protective tone. He wanted to tell her the truth that it wasn’t the humans who had hurt him, that it wasn’t the traps or the hunters. But the words refused to come, trapped in his sore throat and knotted chest.
“I promise,” Gigi continued, her voice firmer now as though trying to convince herself as much as him. “No matter what happens, I’ll keep you safe. You’re my little brother.”
Cosmo closed his eyes again, the storm of guilt swirling violently inside him. Gigi’s warmth should have been a comfort, but instead, it only deepened the ache in his chest. Her words, full of love and promise, were daggers of unintentional cruelty. He didn’t deserve her care, her unwavering protection not after what he’d endured, what he’d allowed.
The pack moved silently through the forest, their paws crunching softly against the fallen leaves. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting fractured shadows that danced like ghosts around them. Each step carried them further away from the clearing, from the pain that lingered there, but for Cosmo, it felt like each step pulled him further from a truth he didn’t have the courage to speak aloud.
He shifted slightly on Gigi’s back, the faintest whine escaping him as he buried his face against her neck. He wanted to cry, to howl, to release the storm inside him, but all he could do was let his tears fall silently into her fur. He felt hollow, a shell of the playful, curious pup he had been only days ago.
And yet, through the guilt, one face haunted him most: Sprout.
In another place, far away from the forest’s mournful song, Sprout sat by the window of his small room. His red, puffy eyes stared out at the pale glow of the moon, its silver light illuminating the village rooftops and the dark silhouette of the forest beyond. His chest felt heavy, like it was weighed down by stones, each one etched with regret.
As he gazed into the distance, something caught his eye a line of shadows moving steadily across the forest floor. Wolves.
His breath hitched, and his fingers gripped the windowsill tightly as he leaned forward. It was them. The pack. Moving together, their shapes blending into the darkness like whispers of a fading memory.
His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of desperation and despair clawing at him. He wanted to scream, to run to them, to beg Cosmo for forgiveness but it was already too late. The wolves were moving on, leaving the clearing, leaving him behind.
Tears welled in Sprout’s eyes again, blurring his vision as he watched the silhouettes disappear into the shadows of the trees. A choked sob escaped his lips, and he pressed his forehead against the cold glass of the window.
“I’m sorry, Cosmo…” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I’m so sorry…”
But the words fell into the silence of the room, unheard and unanswered.
In the forest, Cosmo’s ears flicked instinctively, catching a sound too faint to name, too fleeting to trust. His golden eyes opened, glimmering with a sliver of hope, and he lifted his head weakly. Was it the wind? A distant voice? Something in his heart told him to look back.
The shadows of the forest stretched long and cold behind them, the moonlight dim as though it, too, mourned. Cosmo’s gaze searched the darkness, his breath shallow, his chest aching not just from his injuries but from a hollowness he couldn’t explain.
“Cosmo?” Gigi’s voice came softly, tinged with worry. She glanced back at him over her shoulder, her ears flattened slightly. “What is it? Are you in pain?”
Cosmo hesitated, his body trembling with the weight of his own emotions. He wanted to tell her, to say something, anything, but the words never came. His head drooped again, heavy with exhaustion and a despair he couldn’t shake. Instead, he gave a weak whine, pressing his face against her fur, as though burying himself in her warmth could shield him from the truth clawing at his heart.
Sprout.
The name burned in his mind, leaving behind a sting sharper than the pain in his throat. The memory of their moments together was now a twisted knot of confusion, betrayal, and yearning. He had wanted to believe in him, to trust him, but now all he could feel was a void where that trust had once lived.
Far away, back in the village, Sprout pressed his forehead to the cold windowpane, his breath fogging up the glass. His fingers trembled against the sill, his chest rising and falling unevenly as tears streamed down his face.
He’d seen the shadows dark forms weaving through the trees under the silver glow of the moon. He knew it was Cosmo’s pack, slipping deeper into the forest, further out of reach.
“I’m sorry…” Sprout whispered, his voice cracking, barely audible even to himself. “I’m so, so sorry…”
The words tumbled from his lips, desperate and broken, as though saying them enough times might somehow fix what he had shattered. But deep down, he knew it wouldn’t.
His vision blurred as he stared at the forest. The thought of never seeing Cosmo again crushed him, the weight of it unbearable. He pressed his palms to the window, his fingers splayed, as if he could reach out and touch the moonlit woods reach out to Cosmo, to the friendship they had built, to the promise he had broken.
In the silence of the forest, Cosmo felt a strange pang in his chest. His ears twitched again, but this time, he didn’t lift his head. He didn’t try to look back. He couldn’t.
Sprout’s whispered apology, carried only in the cold, empty air of his room, would never reach the wolf. And Cosmo, though he didn’t know why, felt an ache deep in his soul a silent mourning for something lost, something he didn’t have the strength to name.
The forest grew darker, the pack moving steadily onward. And in the village, the moonlight reflected off Sprout’s tear-streaked face as he finally let out a sob that shattered the quiet of his room.
Two hearts, once tethered by trust and understanding, now ached with the same unbearable truth.
“I lost him.”
Sprout sat at the window, his hands clutching the edge as his gaze was fixed on the darkness of the forest.
He had hurt Cosmo. The very thought of it, the memory of his hands tightening around his friend’s neck, made his stomach churn. What had he become? What had his father turned him into?
His father’s voice echoed in his mind those words of praise, the twisted joy in his tone as he congratulated Sprout for his "strength." But to Sprout, it felt like a sickness, a poison that ran through his veins. He could feel it in every breath, each one harder than the last. It felt like he was drowning in regret. In shame.
“I lost him,” he whispered to the empty room, his voice barely audible over the distant howls of wolves that echoed through the night.
Cosmo.
Sprout had promised himself that he would protect him, that no matter what, Cosmo would always be safe with him. He had let his friend into his world, showed him the kindness and trust that had once been a spark between them. And now, that spark was gone.
He wanted to believe it was all some terrible mistake. That he hadn’t really hurt him, that it was all just a misunderstanding. But deep down, he knew the truth. He had betrayed him. He had betrayed his only friend. And no apology, no tear-filled confession, would ever be enough to undo what had been done.
His head fell into his hands as he sobbed quietly, the pain of losing Cosmo threatening to break him entirely. The sharp, jagged ache in his chest was overwhelming, relentless.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Cosmo’s body was being carried. His throat still burned, but it was the emptiness inside him that hurt the most. He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened the way Sprout’s eyes had gone blank, how he had hurt him without hesitation. The betrayal stung worse than anything else, the feeling of being abandoned by the one person he thought he could trust.
Gigi had said it would be okay. She said he would heal, that things would get better, but Cosmo knew better. Nothing could fix this. Not the pack. Not even time.
The wolves had been there, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. His heart was heavy with the knowledge that the boy he had once called a friend, a companion in the quiet of the forest, was now a stranger to him. And that hurt more than any injury he could have sustained.
Cosmo wanted to call out, to scream into the void of the forest and tell Sprout that he was sorry. That he never wanted this. But the words caught in his throat, trapped by the silent tears that burned against his fur. He couldn’t bring himself to believe it. He couldn’t understand how it had come to this.
“I lost him,” he murmured into the darkness, the words slipping from his lips like a prayer he no longer believed in.
The moon above them was the same, but everything had changed. The bond that had once connected them, fragile and pure, had shattered into irreparable pieces. And as the pack moved through the forest, their steps slow and steady, Cosmo’s thoughts remained fixed on the boy he had trusted more than anyone.
How could he ever go back to the way it was? How could he ever forgive what had been done?
Each step Gigi took away from the clearing felt like a further separation from Sprout, from everything he had hoped for. His body ached, his mind numb, but there was no escape from the truth that haunted him.
And in that moment, both Cosmo and Sprout felt the weight of those words in their hearts. The distance between them had become too great, too vast. No matter how much they wished for things to be different, the pain, the loss, was the only reality they had left.