Ethan

As I hang up the phone, I wonder if I’ve just made a terrible mistake. According to Devon, Jane was so out of it that she won’t remember any of our conversation, and I’m praying he’s right. It would complicate things far too much if Jane actually recalled my confession professing my undying love for her even after everything I’ve done. Still, I couldn’t help myself. My wolf wouldn’t allow me to listen to her suffering in this way and stay silent.

I also fear it was a mistake to promise I could be there with Paisley once she wakes. In the moment my thoughts were simply that getting Jane to sleep was more important than anything.

Hopefully when she wakes she’ll be lucid and the entire PTSD episode will be a blur, but I don’t want to frighten her more if she does remember and I break my promise. I suppose Devon can keep her asleep until I çan arrive, but we can’t keep that up forever.

I’m currently at the border of the NightFang territory, having every single car crossing into my pack’s lands searched. I’m praying that Paisley is indeed headed in my direction, and if we’re lucky then I might even be able to find her before the people with whom she’s stowed away even know she’s there.

My guards have already been at it for an hour however, and the more time that passes, the less optimistic I feel.

Depending on the drivers, Paisley could be anywhere on the continent, and after what happened in the Southern Isles, I’m not confident that would tell a stranger her identity if she’s found. This both comforts and frightens me at once. I want her to be cautious, but not to the point that she can’t find her way back home.

This is why we never should have sent her away.

We should have known she’d do something like this. My wolf growls in my head.

I was trying to do what’s best for her. I bite back, wondering if he’s right. She’s been pining for a mother her whole life, and we’ve seen the damage I do to she-wolves. She needs a father like Devon, not me.

Just like Jane needs a mate like Devon? My wolf grumbles, Who couldn’t calm her or comfort her despite his best efforts?

He’ll learn. No one figures these things out overnight. I reason stubbornly.

did- you never had

Jane’s needs. He argues.

unwanted slave for more

spellbound and Eve and your mother were whispering poison

is that I wasn’t able to see what was happening right in front of my very eyes despite being her mate. I cut sharply, Now enough of this I’m not going to keep litigating this to death. I’ve

completely, sick of these constant arguments and wishing I could somehow cut myself off from the pain he feels being trapped. It’s not that I don’t love that part of myself, it would just be so much easier

thoughts when a shout sounds on my left, “Alpha!

air and immediately detecting my daughter’s pure,

in question as fast as my braces will allow. When I arrive at the vehicle, finding a very confused looking couple and one of my guards leaning into the backseat, I see Paisley sound asleep on the floor of the car, half- covered by a

injuries or signs of distress, but she looks

and even, and she’s napping so deeply that she doesn’t even notice being moved. I hug her close, looking over the top of her head to the panicked couple. “It’s alright. I promise. “She snuck into the backseat all on her own, I know it wasn’t

my guards then, Call off the search and get me

when Paisley stirs, yawning widely and blinking up at me in confusion, then relief. “Daddy – you found me.” She smiles and stretches, snuggling into my chest. “I knew you

even if they were

couldn’t leave you, and I knew you’d find me. Paisley argues,

upset with you. You terrified your Mommy and took some very serious risks. You’re a big

huge puppy dog eyes. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’ wanna scare you and Mommy. Please don’ be mad at

much, but you can’t get yourself out

brow furrows. “Why

actions when you’ve done wrong, and you know you were wrong, Paisley. You know

can see her working through all her different emotions: guilt, sadness, anger, indignance, confusion. Her little face is set in a deep frown, and then she looks up at me with blazing eyes looking more fierce and determined than I can ever remember seeing her.

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