The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

#Chapter 83 – Ethan’s Confession

How did it come to this? I think morosely. How did everything go so wrong so quickly?

I’d like to think I’ve been shielding the pups from the truth about what happened between Jane and I all those years ago for their own safety and peace of mind, but if I’m honest, I think I’ve been protecting myself. I know how horribly I messed up with Jane, and as badly as it hurt to see my former mate looking at me with that expression of utter betrayal, seeing it on the faces of my innocent pups is worse. When I left the house this morning I was their hero,

now I’m their villain.

“Why don’t you come sit down.” I suggest to the pups, hoping they’ll agree. How am I ever going to explain this to them? They’re too young to even understand a fraction of it.

Despite my tormented thoughts, they obey. One by one they toddle into the living room,

settling on the sofa while I take a seat on the edge of the coffee table in front of them. I search their young faces for any hint of

openness, but they all seem completely

closed off.

“Listen.” I begin, not even knowing where I’m going with this. “I made a lot of

mistakes in the past, and I did a lot of things

I’m not proud of, but I love you and I love

your Mommy more than anything.”

The quadruplets exchange meaningful glances, “what does that mean?” Ryder

questions.

“It means that it’s true. Eve tricked me into

believing something terrible about Mommy,

and… I punished her.” I confess, “I put her

on house arrest.”

“But how could you b’lieve Eve?” Riley

demands, clearly affronted on her mother’s

behalf.

“Because I didn’t know how evil she was

then.” I explain, “I don’t have any other

excuse. I was a fool – I let her make a fool of

me, and believing her is the biggest regret of

my life, second only to how I treated your Mommy afterwards.”

“Wha’s house arrest?” Parker inquired,

clearly distracted by my previous choice of

words.

“It’s like what Paisley said, a permanent

time out.” I share.

“So you made Mommy a prisner,” Riley

summarizes, “for something she didn’ do.’

“Yes.” I concede. “That’s right. I made her

and I’ll never regret anything

more.”

their affection

I don’t blame them.

what I did to Jane, I’d probably

them. Still, I can’t believe how quickly things have flipped upside down. A little while ago

time, and now I’m awash with shame, guilt, and despair. I’m losing them. I think forlornly, I only just got them,

A little

of my head, after all, if you hadn’t

Jane they wouldn’t be able to

was young and stupid. I

understand the blurry black

shades of youthful indiscretions,

I’m the evil man that hurt their

you find out?” I ask them,

suddenly came

were both out

Parker admits, looking at

I’ve just kicked

growl. To my horror,

Ryder actually flinch

thought I felt ashamed before, it’s nothing compared to how

now,” I caution, softening my

((

was just

Paisley murmurs, looking as though the sky is falling around her.

a rush of pure hatred for the other man. “People aren’t angels or demons. Good people do bad things sometimes, and bad people

you?”

at me.

tricked into doing

tell you is that I’m not the same man I was then.”

understand.

They don’t.

demands, “you weren’t you

I was still me.” I state, dragging one large hand through my hair, “but people change as time passes. You’ll see when you get older, sometimes you can change so much over the years that you don’t even recognize the person you used to be, and

understand.” Ryder

he’s saying he has

explains in

I chuckle humorlessly,

personalities. I just… I would

I can’t change the

})

before,

Parker presses.

I confirm, “And I’d like to think I’m not anymore, but that’s not for

if he did the bad thing once, he could do

gain. Was dis your fault too?” She

I can

mother.” I insist.

you think?” Parker

whimpers, “I love Daddy, an

‘I love Mommy.”

Mommy.” Riley reminds her, “He locked her

})

I can say a word, Riley, Parker and Ryder put their heads together, murmuring to each other under their breath.

towards their low voices, I

their conversation. “I think we should

nicer to Mommy.”

agrees.

right, Mommy’s scared.” Parker

“I don’ want her to be scared.

we should leave.”

two murmur, pulling away and looking