The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

3rd Person

“Are we there yet?” Riley whined, her small body rocking back and forth with the ship’s movement.

They’d been out on the open ocean for days now, and though the pups would probably have enjoyed standing on the deck looking for dolphins and whales in the vast sea’s swirling waters, they hadn’t been allowed to go above deck. Instead they remained safely in the vast vehicle’s hull, and bided their time by badgering their kidnappers until they all but screamed.

“No, for the millionth time, we Are. Not. There. Yet.”

The woman who’d forced them on this unwanted adventure groused. They’d learned her name was Anita, and had figured out that she was definitely the leader of this trafficking gang, but otherwise their time with the crooks hadn’t offered much information.

“How much longer?” Paisley asked innocently, exchanging a grin with Riley when Anita threw her head back in exasperation. She didn’t respond, she’d already told them it would be two more days three times that morning, and she knew they were just asking to torment her. Luckily for the pups, she was too afraid of harming the Alpha’s pups to retaliate, though she clearly wanted to. That realization had helped Paisley come out of her shell, taking up the slack from Parker and Ryder, who were too seasick to help much.

The boys had spent the first few days of their journey curled up on the floor of the ship, trying to sleep in between bouts of vomiting. They were exhausted and dehydrated, and their sisters were doing everything they could to take care of them despite their bare resources.

Right on cue, Parker moaned and rolled over, resting his head in Riley’s lap. She patted his head the way their Mommy sometimes did, recalling just how much her affection helped even the worst aches and pains. Just thinking about Jane made her heartache.

She knew the others missed their parents as well, but she also understood if they talked about it the traffickers would just make fun of them.

She’d hated very few people in her young life, but Anita and her goons were quickly rising to the top of her list, even on par with Eve and the inspector. “Hey Paisley, she asked in a stage whisper. “What do you think Daddy’s going to do to them when he finds us.

“l bet he’ll r!p their arms off and beat them with them. I saw him do it once” She lied, keeping her face and voice entirely serious.

“Really?” Riley exclaimed, smothering her desire to laugh. When she and Paisley first met, she loved her simply for being her sister, but the more time that passed the more she fell in love with her personality. It took Paisley a while to feel safe enough with new people to let her mischievous side out to play, but once she did it was unstoppable.

“Uh-huh.” Paisley confirmed, nodding earnestly.”

He told me never to tell anyone bout it. It was really scary.”

“Anita,” one of the thugs murmured, nudging the woman in question, “are you sure about this? The girl said-“

The girl is winding you up, you fool.” Anita answered with a glare. “You’re being outsmarted by a four year old. Does that make you proud?”

know she’s making it up?”

ruthless,

such a thing,

not lying” Paisley declared boldly, glowering at

Anita snapped back, “I don’t want to hear

it?” She challenged, confident that the cunning feline was

like a wild thing, thrashing against her captor with righteous fury. “I might not be able to hurt you – no matter how much you deserve it” She muttered

the wailing pup

by weak echoes of outrage from

bit. “This ought to teach you not to test my patience, brat. Keep up the nagging and the games and I’ll

wanted was to be parted from her brothers, but they were in this together. If Paisley had to be alone, she wouldn’t suffer

Anita shrugged, lunging for Riley.

the penthouse’s master bedroom, rousing the slumbering Alpha from his fitful rest. Ethan groaned and glanced at the clock. It felt like he’d only just fallen asleep. When he saw the timestamp blinking on the digital screen, he realized that wasn’t far from the truth. It was just past six AM, and they’d returned to the apartment only an hour earlier, after yet another

the rivulets of tears sliding down her cheeks as she

from her face with the pads of

into his chest. Tell me it was just a dream.” She begged

He answered forlornly, wishing he could tell her

her would-be breakdown

her pain away, she pushed away from Ethan and sat up in bed, giving herself a

sat up behind her and stroked her rigid spine.

out, slamming her fists into the mattress on either side of her. “It’s not helping a Goddess damn thing. I can’t afford to waste time feeling sorry for myself and I refuse to be the sort of woman who just weeps about her problems instead of fixing

what you’re doing. In fact, maybe if you let yourself cry more it wouldn’t keep happening

safe. I notice you’re not exactly sleeping either”

with him. He tugged gently on her shoulders, not giving in until she surrendered

Jane muttered sulkily, “you’ve slept maybe three hours since this ordeal began,

“Careful, or I might think you’re worried

don’t have a crush on you.” Jane replied tartly, “I just don’t want you to fall over in the middle of