Chapter 189 – Fast Forward
Sophie
“Should we tell her?” | ask Drake, unsure whether telling Lila that her parents will be gone even longer than we feared can do any good. We certainly can’t tell her that they’ve been captured: that Bastien is Blaise’s prisoner, Selene his slave and her younger sibling bound for death.
“We have to tell her something.” Drake sighs, “she’s ex pecting them to come for her any day.”
“She’s three and a half.” I remind him, “she doesn’t know what day it is or how long they’ve been gone.”
“Maybe not, but she asks for them every day.” Drake counters, “I don’t want to lie to her – not completely anyway.”
“I know.” | agree, “but where do we draw the line? If we tell her they’re going to be gone longer she’ll want to know how much longer – we can’t very well tell her they might not come back at all. She’s already having nightmares.”
“I just want to prepare her.” Drake scrubs a hand over his rugged features, “setting expectations is important and if we don’t she’s going to get her hopes up more and more… it’ll make it that much harder if things don’t turn out the way she wants.”
“She’s too young.” | insist. “Her hopes are going to be up no matter what.”
“Sophie, if the worst happens…” Drake begins, sounding as though he doesn’t want to finish his thought but knows he
doesn’t have a choice, “she’ll be ours. I promised Bastien and Selene both.” He grimaces, “I can’t bear the thought of losing them, or Lila growing up without them – but if she does we’ll be her parents. She has to trust us, we can’t start out that re lationship on a lie.”
“You sound like you think their fate is already decided.” | murmur, wrapping my arms around myself protectively.
“Blaise is the most powerful Alpha the continent has ever known.” He states simply. “It might be one thing if Bastien was free or Selene was able to use her powers, but as long as Blaise can leverage them against each other… the chances of them escaping him are beyond low, Sophie.” Drake admits, “they’re practically nonexistent.”
my shoulders with crushing weight. “We’ll tell her some of what’s happening, but I draw the line at telling her they
my hand and leading me back out into the
table, scarfing down a waffle with her chubby little fingers. She looks up happily when we
you finish that one, first.”
chomping into the confection. She chews thoughtfully and studies our tense expressions. I can see the question on her tongue before she asks it – it’s the same question she asks
little one.” Drake answers gently, the same way he has every day for the
her breakfast so she
come home any
simply, cocking her
happened, and they’re going to be gone longer than we
inquires curiously,
than telling her they’re a madman’s prisoner. “So they won’ t be
home for a few weeks
repeats, horrified. “But that’s for
it seems like a long time.” | sympathize, “but
lip begins to tremble, her eyes going so wide I suspect they would be watering
I immediately reach for the little girl. “Listen to me Lila.
world to your Mommy and Daddy. They’re doing everything they can to come home to you, and they’re not go ing to ever give up.” | tell her. “Sometimes things are out of our control, and
promise either of us could offer
———-
Selene
Three Weeks Later
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