CHAPTER SEVEN; BLACK WIDOW

❝ some stories are better left unsaid ❞

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ st.petersburg [ melina's farm ] ❞

"ARE YOU SURE YOU DO NOT WANT TO TELL HER," Melina confirmed as she and Natasha stood in the doorway of her home looking out at Alina. The young Dranganov teen was sitting on the ground in front of the pig pen.

Natasha reaffirmed herself with a nod, "Yes, she might have questions and I can't answer them. Be quick, we still have to get us and her ready." The red head excused herself heading back inside the home, Melina exhaled deeply before she too began walking.

Hearing her approaching steps, Alina kept her eyes locked on the pigs, "I have helped cause so much pain. Do you think that guilt...do you think it will go away."

Melina stood behind her answering, "I could lie to you, but it won't. Those things will always be apart of you, that is the truth."

Her eyes shut while Alina shook her head, "I knew it," she said already having arrived at that idea herself. Before even opening her eyes, she wiped away potential tears. "Why did you try to save me," questioned Alina taking Melina off guard.

The older woman said nothing at first, she simply moved to sit on the ground next to her. "I wanted to save you because I am not blind. You were such a small child when we met, I doubt you even remember, but you fought so hard every day. There was a time before the collar they gave you even worked. When it finally did you were only two years old, and I saw something die in your eyes. I tried many times to get you out before, none worked, until the last time. I couldn't let you stay behind, I but when I failed...it hurt too much to try again."

"So, you just left me there," Alina confirmed digging her nails into the dirt beneath her hands.

"My intentions were to find the one person I knew would stop at nothing until they freed you," Melina said as she began digging into her pocket.

The brunette scoffed saying, "Yeah like who?"

Hesitantly, Melina clutched the photos before she answered, "Your mother." Alina sat up instantly at her words, "I knew her as well, at least in the year you were first born. Dreykov tried to break her, make her a widow, but she wouldn't break. It drove him mad he couldn't break her, and eventually she became too dangerous to keep near you. So, they sent her to Hydra, much like they mistakenly did with you, she was with the winter solider when Hydra fell. No one knows where she or he is."

Holding out the photos she'd brought out with her Melina handed them over to the young girl. While Alina took in all the small details she could of her mother. Her long dark brown hair, her tan olive skin, the way her cheeks were so rosy and full.

The first picture had her holding a baby and written on the bottom was 'Anastasia and Alina, 2001.' She was so small; she could've only been a couple months old at the time. The photo just beneath it was one someone had taken of Anastasia while she was looking somewhere else. Written beneath that photo was, Anastasia, 1998. 

Tears brimmed Alina's eyes, "She's so pretty," she said softly. Looking back at Melina, Alina had to know, "What else do you know about her?"

"Not any information you're really looking for, I know what she was. I know that she was royalty to creatures' literature calls, werewolves." Seeing the way Alina's face reacted at her words, Melina added, "Yes, those abilities you have were passed down to you. You were born from creatures we hardly comprehend let alone have a name for. Yet she had needs you do not, she needed blood, human blood to survive. She was immortal, if you found her, she would no different than she does in that photo."

"What does that make her then," wondered Alina.

Giving her the only words, she had for her, Melina said, "A hybrid of some kind. We found out the werewolf half, hydra was responsible for the rest. Her immortality is why they believe if you were to die, you wouldn't really die. You'd experience death but awake unharmed every time."

Alina's eyes fell back down to the picture, she'd always wondered what she looked like. She saw the same eyes looking back, and a smile just like Alina's very own. Then she thought what she might be now, would she ever know the version of her mother that existed in these photos? Or had Dreykov and Hydra molded her into something different all together.

"Dreykov took everything from her," Alina said sadness dripping from her.

"And Natasha has an idea for you to make him pay for what he's done," Melina informed making the brunette look up at her.

Skeptically she countered, "I thought it was a fantasy?"

Melina shrugged surmising, "So are werewolves."