The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Jane

“I.. what?” I stutter, wondering if this is another fever dream, or if Ethan actually just suggested splitting our children up again.

“We have to accept the reality of our situation, Jane.” Ethan continues, pursing his lips. I barely contain the impulse to scoff – he has some nerve saying this to me, as if I haven’t been coping with the fallout of his reckless decisions for months now. “Paisley isn’t going to stop running away, so the only thing I know to do is to keep her with me so she won’t have anywhere to run.”

“But everything is different now!” I insist, my lip trembling at the very thought of giving up my daughter. “We can’t just pretend like we never met. She’s unhappy being away from you at the moment, but what happens when she starts missing me and the other pups. You want to keep them apart for the rest of their lives?”

“No, of course not.” Ethan sighs. “I think we give her the choice. And whoever she picks, she can always see the other for visits, even full holidays.’

“You know perfectly well shell choose you!” I accuse, wondering what bothers me more knowing she likes Ethan better, or knowing it’s my own fault.

“But I just got her back.” I argue weakly, knowing this isn’t really a good excuse to make my child miserable. “We hardly had any time together before the kidnapping, and half of that was spent in hospitals or playing games with you. I’ve been waiting for her for years.”

“I know that.” Ethan frowns, looking very severe.

And I hate to say it, but I think this is the price of that decision. She wants me, because she doesn’t know you.”

I want to scream that this isn’t fair. He knows I never felt like I had a choice in leaving her. He knows that he’s forbidden me to stay in the NightFang pack.”So you’ll change your mind about keeping her, but you won’t change your mind about letting me stay – about the other pups?”

Ethan’s features harden, and I know his answer before he ever opens his mouth. “I’m only putting this on the table because she’ll kill herself trying to get back to me otherwise. This isn’t what I wanted.”

“Leaving her wasn’t what I wanted either.” I hiss. “I was trying to ensure she survived too, I was trying to protect them all the best way I knew how.”

“Paisley knows that. But it doesn’t change the fact that she spent all those years without a mother.”

possess some empathy for my plight – assuming

was supposed to work out Ethan laughs humorlessly. ” Jane, if anyone understands what it’s like to make plans for your children, only to have everything backfire because kids have minds of their own, it’s me.” I flinch, not because his statement is harsh, but because it rings

best, but the sign of being a good mother or father is raising independent, free thinking pups. We can’t be angry with Paisley for living up

voice, feeling very silly now. Tears are spilling from my eyes, and I’m shocked to feel one of Ethan’s strong arms come around me. I try to lean into him, to bury my face in his neck and cry

bitterly, I shared her long

Ethan promises. “And

this isn’t the end. I’ll make sure P aisley can visit you and the other pups as often as she

her?” I clarify, wondering if I’m asking for myself or my pups. At present, the other pups don’t want anything to do with Ethan, though that might change. My wolf on the other hand, she’s still praying he’ll wake up and realize what a fool he’s been to reject us and that’s

idea.” Ethan hedges, still patting my back as if I’m a stranger, and not the woman he was vowing to love to the ends

briskly, stepping away from him. “I need a few minutes…

not sure you should be on

how he manages to be so impossible. It seems like everytime I want him he pushes

I meant.” Ethan admonishes, raking

very steady

urge to scream out all my overflowing emotions. The last thing I need is for Ethan to think I’m even more unstable than he already does. I count to ten, then I count to twenty, taking deep breaths all the time. At a

emerge, with my shoulders set and a deternmined grimace on my

I’ll ever me.”I mutter – as if anything could be ready for

over, and they approach us hesitantly. Paisley immediately asks to be picked up, lifting her arms to me in silent request and all but breaking my heart in two. I promptly scoop her

the last time I ever get

have something we want to ask

almost as nervous as I

same time, we understand that

Ethan suspiciously. Of all my pups, Parker