4

At the warehouse in Miami, Pat entered to find Harry looking somber.

"How long have you been sitting here?" Pat asked, surprised by Harry's presence.

"As long as I'm free," Harry replied, his voice carrying a sense of longing.

"Free?" Pat questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Pat, I want to be free, to move around like any other person in the world," Harry explained, his frustration evident. "Even the king disowned me as soon as he found out I'm just a wolf with wings."

Pat understood Harry's desire for freedom. "I get it, Harry. But this is just the beginning. We need to let the entire kingdom of the peak know that not everything can be left behind."

"Pat?" Harry said, a determined look in his eyes.

"Yes, Harry?" Pat replied.

"I want to know who my mother is," Harry confessed. "I don't want to be banished from the kingdom and still look like a bastard when there's someone we need to know the truth from. Can you help?"

Pat contemplated for a moment. "Yes, it might be easier than you think. The king won't tell you because he probably doesn't know you're seeking something significant."

"Huge," Harry emphasized. "I don't see it as huge because I'm not asking him to accept me back as his son. Is it a crime for me to know the mother who gave birth to me? He can't hide my mother's identity from me forever."

"He would have told you if it were easy," Pat said cryptically. "He knows he's done something very wrong, and it's catching up to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent you away from the city."

Harry was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"How many queens are there in the palace?" Pat asked.

"Only two that I grew up knowing about," Harry replied.

"Good," Pat muttered under his breath. "If your mother were one of those two queens, the king would have sent her away along with you as soon as he found out you were a werewolf."

Harry's eyes widened in realization. "I see. So, what do we do now?"

Pat moved closer to Harry and retrieved a glass of water. After taking a sip, he leaned in, speaking softly but with determination.

"We need to kidnap one of the king's chiefs," Pat explained. "They might have information about your mother. When they see that we mean business and are armed, they'll be more likely to talk. Men tend to spill the truth when they fear for their lives."

Harry nodded in agreement, a hint of a smile forming. "You're right, Pat. Let's do it."

Pat asked, "Any mission in mind? I'm less busy now since I completed my last mission last night."

Harry thought for a moment. "There's still one mission pending. It involves a stripper named Liam Ruger."

Pat raised an eyebrow, concerned. "Do you need my help with that? She should have been taken care of by now. What went wrong?"

Harry hesitated. "She's not who we think she is."

Meanwhile, at Cinderella's father's house, Cinderella was preparing for her upcoming birthday. She danced to the music, determined to make new friends this year to avoid another lonely celebration like the last one. Cinderella was known for her fiery temper, but deep down, she longed for true love and companionship.

She stopped the music and picked up her phone. She had a list of six friends:

1. Mirabella

2. Christina Aguilera

3. Marcello Jane

4. Mason Angelina

5. Luis Gabrielle

6. Greenwood Martha

Cinderella hesitated, unsure of which friend to contact first. She knew they might not be eager to hear from her after her previous behavior. Cinderella was beautiful and good-hearted, but she had a habit of testing people's love by breaking their hearts, a behavior she was trying to change.

"I'll text them," she decided. She typed a message, hoping for a positive response.

To: Mirabella, Christina Aguilera, Marcello Jane, Mason Angelina, Luis Gabrielle, Greenwood Martha.

I know I haven't been the kind of friend you all wanted, and I'm truly sorry. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I have nobody to celebrate it with. I've heard that you've all built better relationships now, while I've been distant due to my attitude. I'm begging you to give me another chance to be your friend. Please join me in celebrating my birthday together. I spent last year alone, and it was awful. I'm ready to change and be a better friend to you all. If you see this message and are willing to reconnect, please reply. Thank you.

After sending the message, Cinderella sighed, realizing that her friends might have moved on with their lives. However, she hoped they'd find it in their hearts to forgive her and give their friendship another chance.

Later that afternoon, at the supermarket, the cashier was busy, and shoppers browsed the aisles. Unexpectedly, a bus loaded with crates of tomatoes pulled up in front of the supermarket, and Pat and Harry stepped out.

A young seller approached them, puzzled by their arrival. "Hey, I'm not sure why your bus is here," he said.

Pat looked at him sternly. "You're too young to question why we're here. Get some other workers from the supermarket to help us unload these crates into the store."

The young seller bristled at the tone but quickly ran off to fetch assistance. Pat and Harry got to work unloading the tomatoes, their determination evident.

Inside the supermarket, Cinderella, having just finished her shopping for her birthday, noticed the commotion outside. Curiosity piqued, she approached Pat and Harry, who were working diligently.

"Excuse me," Cinderella began, "I couldn't help but wonder what's going on here. Why all the tomatoes?"

Pat glanced at her, assessing her cautiously. "We're just making a tomato delivery, miss. Nothing unusual."

Cinderella raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "Are you sure? It seems odd to be delivering so many tomatoes."

Harry, working alongside Pat, decided to explain further. "It's for a special event. We have a lot of cooking to do."

Cinderella's curiosity got the best of her. "A special event, you say? What kind of event?"

Pat and Harry exchanged glances, realizing they were sharing more information than intended. Pat decided to play it cool. "It's a surprise party for a friend. We're making a massive batch of tomato sauce."

Cinderella accepted the explanation, albeit a bit skeptical. "Well, that sounds like fun. I hope your friend enjoys it."

As she turned to leave, Pat couldn't help but notice the sadness in her eyes. "Wait," he called out, "are you okay? You seem a bit down."

Cinderella hesitated for a moment before admitting, "It's just that tomorrow is my birthday, and I don't have anyone to celebrate it with."

Harry and Pat exchanged glances once more, silently acknowledging a shared intention. Perhaps this unexpected delivery of tomatoes would serve a greater purpose – bringing a little joy into Cinderella's life.

Pat smiled warmly at Cinderella. "Well, miss, it just so happens that we're planning a small gathering for our friend tomorrow. You're welcome to join us. It might be a perfect way to spend your birthday."

Cinderella's eyes lit up with surprise and gratitude. "Really? You'd do that for a stranger?"

Pat chuckled. "Why not? Sometimes, the best moments in life come from unexpected encounters. What's your name?"

She beamed with appreciation. "I'm Cinderella."

"Excellent, Cinderella," Pat said, "we'll make sure your birthday is a memorable one. Just be here tomorrow, same time."

Cinderella felt a glimmer of hope in her heart as she thanked the two mysterious men who had offered her a chance at a brighter future. Little did she know that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't have imagined, thanks to a busload of tomatoes and the kindness of two strangers.

Harry turned to Cinderella: "You should follow us out."

He didn't want to say anything else as they turned to the cashier who didn't know why they're there with a raw busload of tomatoes.