Jane

Before I became a mother I used to sleep like the dead. Truly, a tree could fall right by my bed and I wouldn’t wake. I always slept through the night, and I never struggled to rest in cars, trains or planes. Now a cricket can chirp a mile away and I’ll jolt up like someone has screamed in my ear. Of course it’s not only sounds and disturbances that wake me now. My wolf always knows when one of my children needs me – even if they don’t make a peep.

So when I wake in the middle of the night with my wolf urging me to check on the pups, I don’t question it. I slide out of bed and pull on my robe, striding out into the darkened apartment. I find Paisley standing in the middle of the hallway, staring at her father’s closed door.

“Paisley, why are you still up?” I whisper, coming forward and brushing her hair back from her eyes as she looks up at me.

“Cuz I can’t get in bed with Daddy when he’s with Nina.” She replies sadly. My stomach sinks, I hate the idea of Ethan sleeping with Nina too, and I wonder how many nights my little girl has stayed up this way, wishing she could be with him but feeling like she’s not allowed.

“Well why don’t you come get in bed with me?” I suggest warmly. “You know I miss my snuggle- bug.”

To my surprise, Paisley’s lower lip quivers as is she’s on the verge of tears. She frowns up at me with wide eyes. “I can’t.”

“What? of course you can.” I encourage, leaning down to her level.

“No. Because Mommies always know when something’s wrong.” She whimpers, shaking her head.

My heart aches, and all my instincts tell me this is related to Ethan’s strange behavior. “That’s true.” I concede. “But you know, Mommies also know how to make things better.” I remind her gently.

Tears spill over Paisley’s lashes, and she sniffles hopelessly. “Not this time.” She murmurs miserably. “There’s nothing that can make this better.”

Something cracks open inside me, and it takes all my strength not to burst into tearS myself. Theres no worse feeling than seeing your child in pain and not being able to fix it for them. “Hmm, well how about this: Why don’t you come give me a cuddle, and we can talk about it and see if it’s really as bad as all that”

“No.” Paisley refuses, even as she climbs into my arms and wraps her little limbs around me. “I can’t tell you.”,

Kissing her wet cheeks and carrying her into the living room, I admit, “Paisley, I know something is going on with your Daddy.”

“You do?” She hiccups, not letting go of me even as I lower us to the couch. I carefully untangle her legs from my middle so that they rest on the cushions and I’m able to lean back completely.

when we’re finally settled. “Mommies

all it took. As soon as the words are out of my mouth,

breathe. She’s just a pup. I think frantically, she probably misunderstood something. “Oh my angel, why would Daddy die?” I ask,

and his

a flash of relief. She must have misunderstood. “He’s walking around like

her head. “He has these

I repeat.

“He has metal all over his legs, it walks

back surgery. His doctors wouldn’t tell me how things went because he wasn’t awake yet, even though they knew we were mates. When I finally

been more severely hurt in his fight with Aimon than any of us knew. Suddenly I remember the

now he’s gonna have a surgry, but it’s probably

wolf howls in misery. No, no, no.

you known about this?” I ask, trying to get ahold

afore Christmas.” Paisley admits. “Is why I had to stay with him. He needed me to

close. “I’m so sorry, my poor sweet pup, I can’t believe you’ve

on her own.” Nina’s voice interrupts us, and I turn my welling eyes to the other she-wolf. I was so

daughter what to do.” I growl defensively, still hugging the precious bundle

like to speak to you in

Paisley’s hair, “why don’t you go get in my bed, baby. Il

couch and disappears down the hall. Swiping at the tears on my

The other woman observes

the Goddess she did.” I bite. “Some

man.” Nina hisses. “And you shouldn’t either. He’s trying

none of it was real-“I

it was real, Jane.” Nine cuts me off. “He might have been motivated by things you didn’t understand, but he thought long and hard about this. You have no idea how much he struggled with this, how difficult it’s been for him to ensure your family and the pack will be okay after he’s gone. This is what he wants – you should respect

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