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?”

she’s making

ruthless, you

such a thing, he wouldn’t do it in front of

Paisley declared boldly, glowering

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

to do ’bout it?” She challenged, confident that the

with righteous fury. “I might not be able to hurt you – no matter how much you

over to a storage closet, and shoved the wailing pup inside, closing and

cried, joined by weak echoes of outrage

teach you not to test my patience, brat. Keep up the nagging

were in this together. If Paisley had to be alone, she wouldn’t suffer while the other three got to comfort each other. That was the way it had been from

for

sun filtered into 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

tsking when he saw the rivulets of tears sliding down her cheeks as she

them from her face with the

whined and cuddled into his chest. Tell me it was just a dream.” She begged groggily. “Tell

again” He answered forlornly, wishing he

and hiccuped a sob, but her would-be breakdown ended as soon as it

of giving into the instinct to cry her pain away, she pushed away from Ethan and sat up in bed, giving herself a vicious shake.

directed at him, sat up behind her and stroked her rigid spine. “What’s

not helping a Goddess damn thing. I can’t afford to waste time feeling

cover her clenched fists with his hands. “That’s not what you’re doing. In fact, maybe if you let yourself cry more it wouldn’t keep happening when you’re

Jane huffed, “and I won’t be able to rest easy until the pups are home safe. I notice you’re not exactly sleeping either” She added, glancing at him over her

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

sulkily, “you’ve slept maybe three hours since this ordeal began, Ethan Blackwell, don’t think l haven’t

so you’ve been watching me, have you?” He inquired with a small smile. “Careful, or I might think you’re worried about me – or worse, that you

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