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

Paisley agrees, looking unusually somber

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 moving, and that’s a very long time

ponders, racking her brain. I know the moment she’s decided on an answer, because her precious little

why wait?” | exclaim, “We can

inquires eagerly, bouncing up and down

and I take

———

Ethan

my tense muscles, but all my stress remains.

I think about it, no one in the pack has caused more problems for me than the she-wolf dwelling under my own roof. Jane’s words from earlier ring in my head: whoever poisoned Paisley is someone you know, someone with the motive to hurt you or get Paisley out of the way. Get Paisley out of

could want her out of the way, is if Paisley was somehow keeping us apart. Eve obviously

with a fluffy towel, I watch my mother’s reflection in the mirror,

came to see if

not.” I admit bleakly, “things are

retreat into my closet to get changed. “You know it might be easier to carry the weight of

marry Eve again-” I begin, only to get

She’s lived here, helped raise

might be willing to do anything too, including kill. “I don’t love her.” | remind my mother, “And I know how much you care about her, but I don’t trust

you say that?!” Mom cries, “she saved my life, Ethan. She only wants the best

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

the best for her.” 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 after someone who can never

either.” Mom argues, a bitter note entering her

never mentions Jane. She never got over my chosen mate’s betrayal, and she never forgave me for not leaving her afterwards. In fact, it’s so rare for her to bring up my former wife that I

“You know, don’t

studying her fingernails as

told you?” I ask, wondering if Eve

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