The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 67

“No.” I protest. “It isn’t possible, whatever happened between us in the past, however badly Ethan might want the kids, Ethan would never harm his mother. He’s been devastat ed by her loss.” I explain, feeling confused but increasingly confident Eric is on the wrong track.

“Devastated by loss, or guilt?” Eric suggests ominously.

“The investigators said a woman killed her.” I remind him, “If Ethan had done it her head wouldn’t have even been on her neck anymore.”

“Well of course they did, you’re being framed for the crime

Jane, it would have to look like a woman did it whether it actu

ally was or not.” Eric insists. “And that man almost killed me for merely suggesting the pups weren’t his. You think he wouldn’t take extreme action to keep them?”

“You don’t know Ethan like I do.” I insist, “He loved his

mother.”

“You’re right, I don’t know him like you. But I know how he talks about you and your family when you’re not there and he’ s not trying charm you, I know the kinds of things Alphas do

to

behind closed doors to stay in power.” He leans forward, “You have a big heart, and your empathy for his loss is blinding you.”

“My big heart isn’t the only problem with your theory.” I sigh, “Ethan doesn’t only want the kids, he wants me too. He can’t have me if I’m behind bars.”

“He kept you out of prison once before didn’t he?” Eric asked, “didn’t you say there were assault charges which had been dropped? Wasn’t that the start of all your problems with

him?”

–

could keep the kids and take me prisoner again, as an excuse to punish me without putting me in jail – just

through my account of my

want me so badly if he knew how low Ethan had brought me. That self destructive spark inside me is flar ing up again, because I can already feel myself thinking I won’t have to

misunderstanding, one gone terribly wrong.” I murmur. “Eve concocted the

how she did it.”

happened?” Eric questioned

able to talk about it.” I admit, but even as I say it, I don’t feel the usual

be a simply girl’ s trip, but we were attacked by rogues the moment we got across the border. They were waiting for us, and the moment we came in

to share this

strange,” I admit, “I wonder if Petra’s death somehow broke the spell. I’ve never been able to get one word out about that day.” I continue. “They attacked Petra, they were going to rape her and it was like I was completely frozen. I wanted to help her, I kept trying to intervene but I was para lyzed. I couldn’t speak or twitch a single muscle. Until Eve tried to step in, and then

I was doing, but I didn’t want to and couldn’t stop. It was

knew then and there it was a setup. They could have attacked all of us I mean I was Luna, I was most valuable, but they only chose Petra and then they left for no reason. I got my body back, but not my voice. I couldn’t say a word to defend

—

that Eve was behind it, but I saw what happened

lost her wolf in the attack and so Ethan moved her into the penthouse, and they

Ethan?” Eric encourages, “What did he

didn’t let me go unpunished. He demoted me from Luna, he made me nothing more than his concubine. I wasn’t permitted to work, I stopped having anything to do with lead ing the pack and was taken completely out of the public eye. I wasn’t allowed to leave the house without his permission.” My voice shakes as I recount those

look him in the eye. “Later I learned that there was never anything between them at all. Ethan took my status but he couldn’t stay away, he couldn’t bring himself to throw me out. So in his mind, he thought he was depriving me of my privileges as punishment for my crimes, but in reality I was just imprisoned for some thing I didn’t do – degraded

them so easily, he believed I would just abandon Petra and attack Eve for trying to help her. I couldn’t speak to defend myself, but he just ac cepted their word. We’d

―

like he’d just snapped our bond in two, he

Eric has over mind

tears from my

take comfort from him for

When I pull away, swiping at my cheeks, I glance around the shop

—

how hard that was for you,” Eric acknowledges tenderly, “but there are a couple