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.”

done to deserve so many trials and tribulations. At the time I promised her for a bright future once the pups were safe, but now I wonder if she was right. Am I being punished for wrongs I committed in the past? Is this my repayment for stealing her agency when we were married? It doesn’t seem fair. After all, I’m not the only one ‘suffering here – Jane and the pups are paying the price too. I can’t stand

you.” I explain. “Tell her I was evil, tell her other men aren’t like me.

wanted you, and you destroyed her.” Linda proclaims sadly. “And I understand you’re trying to protect her. I

wish it didn’t

flinch. Linda looks mildly shell-shocked, and I try to calm down, I’m sorry,

what you want either.” Linda apologizes, shaking her head and looking as though

the researchers interjects, you’re all strapped in.

move your legs, you have to move your hands and then the system will mimic the motion. To stand, close your hands into fists and straighten your arms

the strangest sensation, I feel completely disconnected from my lower half. I sway in place for a moment, and the people around me reach out to brace my

feel the floor, so it’s going to take some practice learning to

I ask, wanting to reach my arms out to my sides to try

swing one hand forward – slowly – like

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

in awe. “I can’t believe you did this so

actually incredibly simple.” The researcher from the think tank smiles. You should see the things AI is capable of these days – this is

I state honestly. This is

in some practice before heading home.” Linda observes, ‘but once you’ve

It’s even silent.

you so much.” I profess, smiling for the first time since this all began. I haven’t had any good news in a while now, and I wasn’t sure that there would be any way to actually

likely that it would fail spectacularly. I can’t express

if you want to be able to jump up in the middle of the night, but you have to remove them to bathe. Do you have someone at home who can help you do that?” My surgeon asks, smiling despite