The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapte 35 Jane Pulls a Vanishing A

Jane

Spinning to face Paisley, I find her sitting up in bed, her green eyes wide but still glazed with the remnants of sleep. This is the first time since the surgery that she’s seemed truly lucid, and I have to fight every protective instinct in my body to immediately begin interrogating her about who visited her before she went under.

“Hello my love.” | greet her, crossing the room to sit at the edge of her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Funny.” Paisley answers with a yawn. “Why were you swearing, Mommy?”

Brushing her hair back from her face, I offer her a lopsided smile. “I was just feeling a little out of sorts.” I confess, “But I shouldn’t have said those things.”

Paisley leans forward, raising her hand to her mouth and secretively whispering “I’s heard Daddy say some of dose words too sometimes.” She grins sheepishly, “but he says dey’ re bad words and only bad Daddies say dem in front of pups.”

“And what do you think?” I ask her, overjoyed that she’s up and talking,

She thinks for a moment before deciding, “I tink he’s a good Daddy.”

“I think so too.” I share, unable to stop myself from kissing her little hands. “And I’m so glad you’re alright Paisley, you really scared me for a while there.”

“How’d I do that?” She asks, looking worried.

“It’s not anything you did, little one.” I assure her, “I just get nervous about surgeries. You’re such a brave girl.”

“I’s my last one, you know?” Paisley tells me with excitement. “I never have to have ‘nother.”

“I know.” I beam, “and you know, that means my game of hide and seek with Daddy can end soon too.”

“Really?” She exclaims, “you mean you can be my Mommy?”

holding a finger to my lips. “It’s not over yet, so we

unusually

you want to do when you get out of the hospital?”” | ask, changing the subject before she can think about it too hard. I’ve long past given up on keeping her completely in the dark, but I can’t tell her too much either. She still has weeks of physical therapy to get through before she’ll be well enough to consider

answer, because her precious little face

| exclaim, “We can get you ice cream right

eagerly, bouncing up and down in her

and I take

———

Ethan

my room when I emerge from a long, hot shower. I feel only marginally better than I did when I got home, the steaming spray worked wonders on my tense muscles, but all my stress remains. I’m

own roof. Jane’s words from earlier ring in my head: whoever poisoned Paisley is

only reason someone could want her out of the way, is if Paisley was somehow keeping us apart. Eve obviously wants to marry me, and Paisley

sodden hair with a fluffy towel, I watch my mother’s reflection in the mirror, “I suppose you’ve come to tell me what

simply, “I came to see if you’re

I admit bleakly, “things are

raising her voice so I can hear her as I retreat into my closet to get changed. “You know it might be easier to

you’re going to suggest I marry Eve

family to us for years now. She’s lived here, helped raise

my concerns. If she’s willing to give anything, she might be willing to do anything too, including kill. “I don’t love her.”

my life, Ethan. She only wants the best

everything that Eve has done, but I don’t want to take that step unless it’s absolutely necessary. At this point Eve is Mom’s only friend, and if she knew what I’m beginning to suspect… well, let’s just say it would crush her. Mom isn’t as young as she used to be, and she barely survived losing my father. Her only joys left in life are me, Paisley, and Eve. I won’t destroy a third of her happiness unless I

I remind Mom. “We know I’m not her mate. It would be better for everyone if she tried to find him instead of pining

your fated mate either.” Mom argues, a bitter note entering her voice. “You certainly loved

for not leaving her afterwards. In fact, it’s so rare for her to bring

know,

clarifies, studying her fingernails as

I ask, wondering if Eve has figured out the truth