The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Ethan

This is crazy, you know that?” Linda asks, watching as the doctors fit the braces onto my lower body.

“Linda, if you’re not going to be supportive, you might as well as go back to your palace.” I tell her coolly. Eric was released a few days ago and the couple is slowly settling into their life as the new King and Queen. They’re planning a mating ceremony and a coronation, as well as trying to launch an emergency PR campaign to get the Kingdom up to speed on the changes in governance and conduct outreach to those citizens in need. Still, Linda visits me every day and though she’s not always the most supportive of guests, it does feel nice to have at least one person who knows what I’m going through.

I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be unsupportive.”

She replies contritely. “I just think this plan of yours is a recipe for disaster, I mean what’s going to happen when people find out.”

“If you have a better solution I’d love to hear it.”

I gripe, “And they’re not going to find out.”

They will eventually.” She reasons, “when it’s all over the truth is going to come out.”

“Im going to do my best to ensure that doesn’t happen.” I sigh. “We’ll come up with another story, a sudden illness or something. No one ever has to know about the deceit.”

“Ethan, I wish you would reconsider telling Jane and the pups.” Linda says, for the thousandth time.

Linda, we’ve been over this, and I know it’s difficult for you to keep this from her, but you know it’s for the best.” I argue. I just hope you’ll encourage her to find a new mate after I’m gone.” My wolf howls at the very idea, and I admit that the idea of another man going near my beloved mate makes me apoplectic, but I want her life to be happy. I want her to be loved, and I want my pups to have a father figure if I can’t be there for them.

I know this isn’t what you want to hear,” Linda begins carefully, “but I think you pretty much ruined the chances of that happening. You know how hard it was for her to trust you, to let herself be vulnerable with you again, and then you rejected her. She was traumatized enough after your marriage ended, I don’t think there’s any coming back from this.”

was right. Am I being punished for wrongs I committed in the past? Is this my repayment for stealing her agency when we were

her other men aren’t

you destroyed her.” Linda proclaims sadly. “And I understand you’re trying

it didn’t

scientists around me flinch. Linda looks

what you want either.” Linda apologizes, shaking

of the researchers interjects, you’re all strapped in. The system works through

to move your legs, you have to move your hands and then the system will mimic the motion.

sway in place for a moment, and the people around me

The scientist informs me. “Obviously you can’t feel the floor, so it’s going

my arms out to my sides to try

hand forward – slowly – like you might

she says, amazed when the brace silently bends and straightens my leg, extending it out in front of me to take a step forward. It’s really quite amazing. I move my other hand now, and before long I’m walking around the room in my hospital gown. Granted I’m walking with the ungainly grace of a newborn foal about to topple over at any moment, but I can already tell that once I have some time to get

to the scientists in awe. “I can’t believe

terms of robotics it’s actually incredibly simple.” The researcher from the think tank smiles. You should see the things AI is capable of these

I state honestly. This is

heading home.” Linda observes, ‘but once you’ve got normal clothes on and everything, no one would

It’s even silent.

any good news in a while now, and I wasn’t sure that there would be any way to actually pull

going it actually seemed more likely that it would fail spectacularly. I can’t express how relieved I am that we truly

but you have to remove them to bathe. Do you have someone at home who can help you do that?” My surgeon asks, smiling