Ch. 136..140: The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 136-140

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 136

3rd Person

“It can’t be locked!” Riley insisted. “We just got ins!”

“Maybe it locked aut-auto… you knows, on its own.”

Paisley guessed, unable to navigate her tongue around the big word.

“Maybe,” Riley agreed. “But eithers way, we’re definitely moving” The trunk was rocking back and forth, and they could hear footsteps outside.

1 thinks we’re being carried?” Paisley whispered nervously.

“Do you thinks the boys are moving too?” Riley wondered.

“I dunno.” Paisley frowned, distracted when the trunk stilled with a sudden jolt, and a strange rumbling filled the air. “Wha’s that noise?”

Riley leaned up to the keyhole in the wooden siding, trying to peer through.”l sees the other trunk!” She shared excitedły. “But we’re not in the street anymore.”

Even as she spoke, they jerked forward again, banging their slight shoulders into the walls of their wooden enclosures. “Where are we then?” Paisley whimpered.

“You’re not going to like it.” Riley told her, gazing around the dimly lit space outside.

“Why nots?” Paisley questioned with trepidation.

“Cuz I think we’re in the back of a truck… or van.” She guessed. “lt looks kinda like the van Anita had us in, only there’s much nicer things” Indeed, the back of the strange vehicle was full of clothing racks and painted set pieces, not that the child recognized these items. All she saw was sparkly fabric and what looked like painted tapestries.

“But Mommy and Daddy are back in the cloud city!”

Paisley all but wailed, “we can’t be going someplace else!”

Riley wrapped her arms around her sister, leaning her small head against Paisley’s. “I don’t think we have a choice.”

She confessed. “l think we’re going someplace new, whether we likes it or not.”

In the other trunk, Ryder and Parker were having much the same conversation. They’d noticed they were moving just as quickly, and also tried to escape their confines. For a moment they’d been afraid they were back on a boat, the way they were rocking about, but thankfully that ceased before either could be sick. Instead they found themselves lurching to a stop before the engine began and the van set off.

Parker was doing the exact same thing Riley was, peering out the trunk’s keyhole and trying to get a bearing on his surroundings When he was certain there were no people around, he raised his voice to a low hiss. “Riley? Paisley? Can you hears us?”

“We hear you!” A whispered shout came back. “We can’t get outs, what do we do?”

“We could shout for help?” Ryder suggested.

“If we shout for help it will only get us caught by whoever’s driving.” Parker reasoned. “Who knows who it is.

“But if they stop, maybe they’ll takes us back to Mommy and Daddy!” Paisley added hopefully.

The last time we trusted someone they tried to hold us pris’ner, and even the nice peoples just wanna go to the police. We can’t risk it!” Parker insisted. “I say we wait until we get wherevers we’re going, then make a break for it when no one’s looking.”

“Okay.” Riley and Paisley said in unison. “Let’s just hope they aren’ going very far.”

“They’re probably not.” Ryder claimed, but it was simply his hope rather than a fact. “At least, I hopes their not.”

The girls exchanged worried glances through the gloom.

“We hope so too.”

After stashing the quadruplets Sophie dashed around the corner, intent on finding Jane and Ethan again, only to slam headfirst into Fabian. “What – oh!”

“Sophie!” Fabian caught her by the shoulders, “Have you seen the new pups? They escaped.”

The little girl had never been more thankful she had the foresight to hide the pups rather than taking them through the city with her and Bailey.”No! How did they escape?” She asked, adopting a shocked expression.

“They must have worked together somehow – I don’t know’ Fabian growled. “But we can’t let them get away.

They’re cute enough that they can make us a fortune begging tourists alone”

I’ll help you look.” Sophie offered, “They can’t have gotten far.”

“Alright, you take the East quarter, I’ll take the West.”

Fabian suggested.

“No!” Sophie chirped nervously, she’d left Ethan and Jane in the Western part of town, far to near the secret entrance to the tunnels. “1 doubt they’d go to those parts of the city, they know that’s where the tunnels start and let out.

“l don’t think they’re that bright” Fabian frowned.

They were smart enough to get out of their bindings.”

Sophie reminded him pointedly.

“You’re right, okay I’ll take North, you take South.”

Fabian amended, charging off without another word.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sophie quickly retraced her steps back to Ethan, Jane, Mary, Thomas and Linda. They all whipped around in surprise when she appeared behind them, Bailey hiding behind her back. “Sophie, where are the pups? Jane asked.

“Come this way, but be careful,” Sophie cautioned, ” Fabian knows they’ve escaped.”

The adults dutifully followed the young pair, their pulses racing with excitement. Jane was trying very hard not to get ahead of herself. She wouldn’t relax until her babies were safe in her arms, but she could feel how close they were. It was nearly impossible not to let her hope run rampant.

“Where did you leave them?” Ethan pressed, no less patient than his mate.

“Fabian was chasing us, so l helped them hide in some big trunks” She shared, more than a little proud of herself. “

It’s a good thing too cuz I ran into Fabian a minute later”

“Very smart thinking” Thomas praised.

However just as they rounded the corner where Sophie and Bailey had left the pups, they found the entire space empty.”They’re right over….What? No!” Sophie ran forward, spinning around on the spot. She’d just been there, she’d just seen them a few minutes ago.

“They were just here, you have to believe me!” Sophie exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears. “Bailey tell them!”

Bailey nodded in agreement, “They were rights here.”

Jane and Ethan surged forward, studying the surrounding space. There were large dry rectangles littering the soaked cobblestones. Clearly trunks and crates had been sitting there very recently, but they were gone now. “It’s okay.

Sophie.” Ethan assured her.”We believe you.”

Though he spoke to the young girl, he wasn’t looking at her. In that moment he only had eyes for Jane. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but at the moment it had nothing to do with her charm of beauty. She was standing in the middle of the street, looking so lost and helpless his heart ached.

Her lower l!p was quivering violently, and Ethan quickly closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms before she could start sobbing.

In the meantime Linda darted into the nearest shop, and Sophie looked piteously up at Mary and Thomas. “Does this mean you won’t take us home with you now?”

“I told you that you would have a place with us whether you helped or not, and I meant it.” Mary told her simply.

Sophie’s cheeks split into a tearful smile, “really?”

“Really.” Thomas nodded, wrapping an arm around his wife as he watched the suffering parents in front of them.

Ethan was petting Jane and whispering promises against her hair. “lt’s okay, we’ll find them. We know they’re alright now, we know they’re out of the jungle and we know how they’re thinking. This is just a roadblock.

“But we were so close!” Jane cried despondently. I don’t want to wait, I want them back now!”

“I know, little wolf.” Ethan crooned, rocking her from side to side and clamping his own eyes shut in unmistakable pain. “I do too.”

Jane looked about ready to collapse, and though the shepherd and his wife hadn’t trusted these strange characters initially, there was no denying now that they clearly loved their pups more than anything in the world.

Jane’s mournful cries carried through the air as Ethan tried to comfort her, to no avail.

A few moments later Linda returned from the shop, offering her friend a sympathetic look. “Apparently the trunks belonged to a traveling theater troupe. They just finished a stint here and packed up to travel to their next gig.

If I had to guess l’d say they didn’t realize the pups had climbed inside and just loaded everything into their caravan.”

“Really?” Jane pulled away from Ethan, sniffling but heartened by this news. “Maybe we can catch up with them!”

“We will catch up with them.” Ethan decided firmly. “Do we know where they’re headed?”

Linda took a deep breath, clearly not eager to deliver the rest of the information she’d learned. The bud of hope which had bloomed in Ethan and Jane’s chests dampened before she could say a word, it was obvious from the look on her face that she didn’t have good news to share. “They’re going to the capital.” She shared gravely, “to perform for the king.”

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 137

Jane

I can’t lose them. I can’t.

When was the last time I held them? K!ssed them?

What were the last words I said to them? Do they know how close l am? Do they know how hard I’m trying to rescue them? I would give anything to have them safely home. I would gladly trade my own life for theirs, though I hope it won’t come to that. The pain comes and goes in waves, which is something of a blessing.

Just when it becomes so overwhelming that I think it will crush me completely, it ebbs away, replaced with a yawning emptiness that leaves me hollow but not miserable.

We took action immediately when we learned about the pups new destination, but I fear it Won’t be enough. We left Sophie and her brother with Thomas and Mary, and jumped in the car, only stopping for petrol. My eyes are so sore from searching the road and surrounding forests, but that’s about to be the least of my problems.

“I think l’m going to be sick” I choke, looking around the car. We’re speeding down the King’s Highway, desperately trying to catch up with the theatre troupe. The vehicle is veering around the twists and turns of the mountain roads, and for once I have no fears that my unsettled stomach might be caused by a pregnancy – I know this is good old motion sickness.

Ethan immediately applies the brakes, as if he intends to pull over. I grip the handhold over my head with a white-knuckled fist. “No- don’t stop! l just need a bag or something.”

Jane –

“Don’t stop!” I repeat stubbornly.

“Here” Linda produces a plastic bag, dumping out the water bottles and snacks we purchased at our last fuel stop. It’s just in the knick of time. Thankfully my hair is up, and I reach into the bag, emptying the contents of my stomach and grimacing at the unpleasant sight and smell of my own sick. I m0an pitifully when it’s over, sipping some water to take the sour taste out of my mouth. There’s nothing left for my body to expel, but stomach acid and bile- but l still feel terrible.

“Poor baby? Ethan strokes my hair, but doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “Are you sure you don’t want me to slow down? These roads aren’t going to get any less windy for a while.”

“No, don’t slow down.” l insist. I have to get to my pups. I kills me that we came so close to finding them, only to have them snatched away at the last moment. I can tell Ethan is worried about me pushing myself too hard, and is clearly grappling for a way to prioritize me and finding the pups at the same time. I suppose that’s why he didn’t want me to come. But l had to -I would have gone crazy if l’d stayed behind. Besides, the pups are going to need me when we find them. They’re probably so frightened. I can almost see them now, huddled in trunks, not knowing what’s happening.

What if they run out of air? Is there enough oxygen in those trunks? I whimper aloud at the thought.

“We have to go faster:” I urge, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

“Any faster and we’ll risk a crash Ethan tells me, using his most soothing tone.

“Stop talking to me like that.” l beg. “You can’t make this better by coddling me” Suddenly I remember Ethan’s habit of pulling over cars for lectures, and l’m afraid he might do so now – but I should have known that hé would never do that at such a critical moment.

In the past our speed hasn’t been able to solve or hurry up resolving our emergencies, now it might cost us everything.

He simply shoots me a disapproving look, “And if one of the pups was beside themself and could calm down on their own, would you just let them spiral?

“But I’m not one of the pups!” l exclaim. “The pups are out there somewhere at this very moment, probably feeling exactly the same way and l’m not there to comfort them! Don’t you understand that?”

Tears are burning in my eyes now. They could be overheating or suffocating as we speak, we can’t waste a single second!”

“1 hear you, sweetheart. I truly do.” I believe him. I can feel the tension radiating off him in waves and I can tell he wants to reach for me, hold me, but we both know he can’t. I think not being able to make me feel better is as upsetting for him as not being able to comfort the pups is for me. I suddenly feel very guilty for making things harder on him. How am l supposed to cope with such a thing? If I feel badly I hurt my mate, but I can’t help feeling badly. Ethan changes tactics before I can come up with an answer, “You have to keep your head, Janey. If you fall to pieces you won’t be able to do what’s necessary.”

“1 know I whimper.”l just feel like they’re slipping out of my fingers. Like every moment we don’t find them, is another mile of distance between us. How much more time can pass before they’re too far out of reach to ever get back?”

“But it’s the opposite.” Linda interjects. “Every moment is a step closer to them.”

“That’s right.” Ethan agrees. “Just keep telling yourself that.”

We drive until the sun begins to set and Ethan slows at last, pulling over to the side of the road. At first I think he might be making a pit stop to use the restroom, but he doesn’t step out of the car. “What are you doing?” I ask.

He turns to me with a furrowed brow. “Do you think they’ll stop for the night?”

“What day are they performing for the king?” I inquire, looking back at Linda.

“The clerk didn’t have the details, just the destination.” She explains with a frown.

“And how much further is the capital?” l question, realizing the problem at once. If they stop and we don’t – we’ll pass them by. But if we stop and they don’t, we’l never catch up.

“Halfa day – at least.” Ethan informs us.

“If it was me, l’d stop.” Linda reasons. “Unless the performance is first thing tomorrow.”

“Can we look it up?” I wonder aloud.

Linda pulls out her phone, typing as quickly as she can. “It’s not for three days.” She finally announces.

“Good.” I breathe a sigh of relief.

“So do we stop?” Linda questions.

“Well unless they stop right on the side of the road we’ll never know we’ve passed them.” I muse, “We can’t risk that.”

“Or maybe that’s better.” Linda counters, “If we get to the capital before them we could intercept them when they arrive.”

“But what if the pups run away again before that?”

Ethan suggests. “They might not be with the troupe anymore by the time they reach the city:”

“We have to find them tonight.”I declare, a new and terrifying thought entering my head. “lf the troupe doesn’t unpack the trunks when they stop, the pups will be trapped until they arrive… without food or water.”

“Jane’s right.” Ethan murmurs. “But I don’t know how to find them. It would be one thing if we could track them, but it’s impossible.”

“Is there a phone number for the company?” I ask suddenly.

“There must be – otherwise how would anyone book them!” Ethan says excitedly.

Linda is typing away again, “There is – Goddess, I can’t believe we didn’t think of this before!” She raises her phone to her ear, then swears.”D*mnit, there’s no service. We must be in too remote of an area.”

“Keep trying” l encourage, “Maybe see if you can get some bars moving around.

Linda steps out of the car, lifting her phone up and trying to get a signal. Meanwhile I look to Ethan. “We can’t risk passing them” I state gravely. “I think we have to stay in this general area and try to find service or a landline so we can call them. If we can’t get hold of them we can keep driving tomorrow and hope we catch them. But if we drive ahead of them we’ll never find them until it’s too late”

“You’re right” He concurs. “I saw a sign for a hotel a few miles back. Maybe they have a phone we can use.

If we can pick the pups up tonight we’ll need a place to sleep anyway.”

“Okay.” I nod and call Linda back to the car, quickly filling her in on our plan. Just as we turn around, I think I spy a flash of red up ahead, but when l look back, there’s nothing but an endless sea of jungle.

I must have imagined it.

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 138

3rd Person

If only Jane and Ethan had continue driving that fateful night, they might have discovered that the theater troupe and their pups were only a mile ahead, pulled over on the side of the road to investigate the strange sounds coming from the pair of costume trunks in the main caravan.

The troupe leaders had first noticed the sounds of whimpering just as the sunset, and upon closer investigation, heard a tiny voice whisper, “I can’ hold it!

I’m gonna burst!”

“I think we might have picked up some stowaways.

” The director murmured to his costume mistress.

“Oh dear!” She exclaimed, “Surely not” Even as she spoke, she fumbled for the key to the trunk in question. She slid it into the lock and quickly unlatched the trunk. The lid swung open, and revealed a pair of little boys, both unbearably cute but covered in dirt and grime. They had huge, fear-filled eyes, and were trembling as they stared up at the unfamiliar grown ups.

“Oh my word!” The costume mistress cried. “You poor darlings! How did you get in there?”

The boys exchanged worried glances, then one of them waved his small hands in front of him and chirped. “We aren’ here -this trunk is empty… is just an lusion.”

The adults had to smother the desire to laugh at the cheeky claim.”An illusion huh?” The director repeated. “I don’t know, you seem awfully solid to me.”

When the pair continued staring at the boys, clearly not convinced, the second boy whimpered. “

Please don’ hurt us.” This pup was squirming with the antsy energy of a child desperate for a potty, but before the costume mistress could extract him, he leapt out of the trunk and to her shock-ran to the other one.

Open it! Our sisters!”

“Oh my Goddess!” The overwhelmed woman immediately raced to open the second trunk. When the lid popped up it revealed a pair of identical little girls, easily as similar as the boys except that one was a bit smaller than the other. The costume mistress pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Well l never!”

The larger girl eyed the she-wolf warily as she climbed out of the trunk. “We won’ be any troubles.

Just lets us go an’ you’ll never see us agains.”

The pups started inching away and the costume mistress held up her palm.”Now hold on a minute little one. We need to talk about this. I can’t just let you run off into the wilderness.”

The little boy had apparently reached a breaking point. He was dancing around on the spot, holding his hands between his legs. l has to pee!”

“Alright pup, come right this way.” The director instructed, leading him towards the restroom.

“Ryder!” The smaller girl squeaked with alarm.

“It’s alright, no one is going to hurt him, and he’ll be right back:” The costume mistress promised. “Won’t you tell me what happened? Are you lost?

Orphaned?”

“No” The first boy shook his head, his voice thick with emotion. After so many weeks of surviving all on their own, not trusting anyone and hiding from everyone they met, the exhausted pup finally broke.”

Our parents were coming to get us. We only wanted to hide for a minute” He explained, bursting into tears.

“Oh you poor thing!” The costume mistress crooned, hugging him close. “‘m so sorry, we’ll turn around right now!”

“Really?” The first girl sniffled, also on the verge of tears and not believing her young ears.

“Of course!” She agreed, trying to gauge their age, and placing them somewhere around four or five. “1 suppose you don’t know their phone number?”

They pitifully shook their heads. “Well maybe can look it up. What are their names?”

“We can’ tell you that” The second girl announced, rubbing her eyes.

“Why not?” The costume mistress pressed.

“Cuz is not safe.” The boy explained.

The costume mistress was baffled, “What isn’t safe, sweetheart?”

“Telling you their names.” The first girl shared.

The she-wolf frowned. On one hand she figured it didn’t make much difference, finding phone service in the middle of the jungle was an impossibility, and by the time they got back to Alta Montarña it probably wouldn’t be hard to locate their parents. They could go to the police or simply look for a panicked couple shouting their names. On the other hand, she ached for what these poor angels must have been through. Their first reactions to being found hadn’t been relief but pleading not to be hurt and worries about safety. “How long have you bee lost?” She asked. From the looks of it they’d been on’their own for some time.

“1 dunno” The second little girl frowned. “Ages an ages.”

“We haven’t seen Mommy and Daddy in weeks.”

The boy asserted.

“You must have been very afraid.” The costume mistress guessed, her voice overflowing with sympathy.

They nodded again, and she opened her free arm to the girls, who promptly cuddled in next to their brother.

They cried and cried into her blouse, soon joined by their second brother once he returned from the bathroom.

She looked up at the director with wide eyes. “We have to turn around”

Within minutes the bright red caravan had made a u-turn and was speeding back in the direction from whence it came, whizzing right past the hotel where Ethan, Jane and Linda had stopped for the night.

Hours away, deep in the dungeons of King Aimon’s palace, Eric sat in misery, locked behind iron bars too strong to ever break. His father stood across from him, making his first visit since ordering his captivity. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, only that the king was determined on making it as unpleasant as possible. When he wasn’t being interrogated he was shivering in the cold or listening to his stomach grumble in desperation. He spent almost all his time thinking about his friends and Linda. He hated to think he might not see his mate again – he’d only just claimed her, and he loved her so much.

“Have you come to your senses yet, boy?” The king demanded with a sneer, Eric could almost feel his hatred slicing into him with every word. He’d never regretted being exiled from his home, but now he was reminded of just how cruel and unfeeling his father could be.

Goddess how Eric hated it when his father called him that, as if he was a child. “I’ve already told you, I don’t know anything” He grumbled, exhausted from the relentless questioning.

“You must think ‘m a damn fool”‘ Kind Aimon muttured sharply. “Blackwell’s pups get kidnapped and brought to the Southern Isles, then you just magically appear claiming a change of heart after four years of silence? I don’t think so.”

“Coincidences.” Eric insisted through clenched teeth. “You’ll also know Jane went back to him after everything he did to her. She told me point blank that she’d never want me, and Ethan tried to have me killed just for sniffing around her.” He lied.

“What I know is that the Alpha and his mate are no longer in Cité de la Nuit. Tell me, are they here? Have they come to find their children? Are they somewhere on our shores right now, as we speak?”

“1 don’t know.” Eric claimed fiercely. “They were still in the capital when I left, and I didn’t exactly stop to have a heart to heart before l left. I’m done with them.”

“You’re lying” King Aimon accused. “You never were a good liar, I don’t know why I ever dreamed of making you a spy.”

I did my duty for more than a year, I kept up –

“Oh, one year! What dedication!” Aimon taunted,

What sacrifice!”

“It wasn’t right!” Eric insisted. “She was no longer with him, she could only tell me about what he’d done in the past, not anything that was happening at the time, and she was his victim.”

“And so you chose to leave once she went back and finally had access to information that would be useful to me. How was that supposed to prove your loyalty?”

The king demanded.

“Well as you say l left, so I don’t have useful information and ifyou’re hoping otherwise you might as well leave me down here to rot. Use Anita if you want a spy.” He suggested, eager to know what had happened with the trafficker, and hoping his father would be goaded into telling him.

His gamble paid of. “Oh l’m already using Anita.

She’s gone to Alta Montaña to find the pups and bring them to me.”

“And then what?” Eric demanded, praying that she would be too late. Ethan was the best tracker he’d ever seen, and even though this environment made tracking them nearly impossible, he knew the couple was clever.

They must have found some leads. Maybe they were already back with the pups already.

“And then” King Aimon announced, pulling Eric’s attention back to him. “I”ll have Ethan Blackwell exactly where I want him.”

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 139

Jane

Ethan walks into our hotel room, frowning deeply.

If he notices that I’m brushing my teeth for the second time in as many hours, he gives no indication. I’ve been sick again, even though I initially felt better after we stopped. We booked two rooms after we arrived, and we’ve been taking turns using the hotel’s landline to try and call the theater troupe. I’m beginning to worry that they’ve also stopped somewhere in this area, and therefore don’t have any cell service themselves – because so far we haven’t had any luck.

I can tell by Ethan’s face that nothing has changed.

He must have come upstairs because Linda took over calling the theater. “No luck?” l guess. I’m beginning to think I must have done something truly horrible in a past life, for us to be punished this way. While l fret about karma and lament our dreadful near misses, I can tell Ethan is trying to keep up a strong front. Even now he looks up at me and wipes the somber expression from his face, trying to look hopeful.

“No” He reports. “I have a feeling they’ve stopped in an area with no service. But the good news is that they probably have stopped for the night. The later it gets without success, the less likely it is they continued to the capital.”

I nod. “I hope you’re right. And at least if the performance isn’t for three days, we know that we can probably get in touch with them before the King gets wind of anything, or before the pups try to run.” Even as I say it, I’m reminded of my fears that the trunks won’t be opened until the troupe reaches their destination, but the pups can make it 24 hours without food and water – as long as they don’t overheat. And they ‘re in a shaded caravan, I remind myself, they won ‘t overheat.

It will be okay. It has to be okay.

Ethan nods. “We’l reach them first. I’ll make sure of it.” He grimaces. “However we may have other worries. Linda is concerned that we haven’t heard from Eric for so long. She thinks something must be wrong.”

As conflicted as I feel about my one-time friend and confidante, I also don’t feel comfortable with the radio silence he’s been keeping lately. “And what do you think?”

Ethan sighs, “Well it was always going to be difficult. He promised to check in whenever he could, so it’s not as if he’s missed meetings.”

“But?” I prompt him, sensing the oncoming contingency.

“But I don’t like it either. Anita was headed to the king and haven’t heard from Eric since we learned that detail. I think there’s a good chance Anita outed him.”

Ethan confessed. “Which means Aimon could have done any number of things.”

“Do you think he’d have him killed?” l ask anxiously.

“I think it’s more likely he’d take him prisoner.

Apparently Eric’s older brother died a few years ago, which means Aimon no longer has an heir, unless he wants to leave the kingdom to his daughter, and I doubt he’d do that. He can’t be too cavalier about ending his male b***d line” Ethan reasons.

“So what do we do?” l ask, trying to imagine being so heartless that l’d take one of my own children captive, let alone kill them. Then again, l’d never ask them to become spies or exile them either. Suddenly I have a great deal of sympathy for Eric. What must it have been like to be raised by such a person? How much strength did it take to turn his back on him, to disappoint someone he’d probably been striving to please his whole life.

There’s nothing more we can do right now.” Ethan frowns. “We have to get the pups back first. Once they’re safe, we can try to find out what happened to Eric. If it turns out that he has been taken prisoner, I’ll stay behind while you take the pups home and see if I can rescue him.”

“What?” I gape. “Are you serious?”

“He’s in this situation because of us” Etha reminds me. “And it’s true he owed us, but I don’t want him to die. For Linda’s sake if nothing else.”

“But Ethan, you can’t stay here. The pups need you, the Nightfang pack needs you – and King Aimon will kill you the first chance he gets.

“I know that.” He says, “But l don’t leave men behind.”

Why does the idea of Ethan remaining in the Southern Isles to help someone in trouble bother me so much. I know it’s the right thing to do, but the idea of him being in danger makes me want to throw up all over again. “There must be another way. You have spies and soldiers, can’t they break him out?”

“They would help, yes.” He confirms.

“Then why are you insisting on doing it yourself?

Why take that risk?” l fret.

Ethan grins wolfishly, striding forward and reaching for my waist. “You worried about me, beautiful?”

“Don’t” l complain. “I’m serious. I don’t like the idea of you endangering yourself just when we get the pups back. I need this ordeal to be over, not for it to be dragged out because you need to play the hero.”

“It will be okay, Janey.” He insists, pulling me closer. We don’t even know if that’s necessary yet, it’s just a possibility I’m keeping in mind.”

“I hate this!” l exclaim pulling out of his arms before he can cuddle me into complacency. “1 know being a parent is one crisis after another – but does it always have to be life and death! I’m so sick of the constant emergencies. Why is this happening?” l ask, for whát feels like the thousandth time. “I know the Goddess does everything for a reason but I swear Ethan, I can’t find any logic in this! Why is she doing this to us? What did we do wrong?”

“We didn’t do anything wrong sweetheart.” Ethan insists, coming towards me again. “You can’t think that way.”

“1 don’t know any other way to think.” I counter. “1 mean, the world is clearly sending us a message here.” I pace back and forth, trying to find a way to forget all the horrible possibilities ahead of us, trying to put all these cynical thoughts out of my head. However no matter what I try, I can’t get myself out of this grim thought spiral. There is only doom and gloom in my head, and I’m helpless to fight it.

“I need you to distract me.” I finally say, turning to Ethan, who’s been watching me with the same worried expression he’s worn since this all began.

“Distract you how?” He asks, eager to help but unsure what I mean.

“Any way you can.” l plead. “l just need to turn my mind off somehow. If we’re not going to find the pups tonight… l just – I don’t know what to do, Ethan.” I confess, my voice growing higher and tighter with every word.

He comes forward again, and this time when he reaches for me, I don’t pull away. He takes my face in his powerful hands, catching a stray tear with the pad of his thumb. “l’m so sorry you’re hurting, angel. I am too, and I’m so sorry that I haven’t been able to find them yet.”

“It’s not your fault.” I tell him, sniffling.

“It’s my responsibility.” He clarifies. “And l’ve failed.

“You haven’t failed!” I argue, hating the pain, guilt and shame on his handsome features. “You’ve been doing everything you can, taking care of everyone else, with no one to take care of you even though you’re suffering just as much as the rest of us.”

“That’s the life of an Alpha? He shrugs.

I shake my head, guilt flooding my veins. “I don’t think I’ve been very considerate of you. I’ve been difficult, unloading all my pain onto you, asking you to distract me, getting cross when you try to comfort me.”

“But I want to do those things for you.” Ethan objects. “I want to provide and care for you.”

Again I shake my head. “I think it’s high time I try to return the favor.”

That isn’t necessary, Janey.” He murmurs, giving me another sad smile.

“Yes it is.” l declare, sliding my arms around his neck and pressing my body flush against his. “You did tell me that we could be together when I felt better” I remind him.

“You were sick just this afternoon” Ethan says, and suddenly l’m very glad he didn’t pick up on the fact that I was also sick about ten minutes ago.

“Don’t you want to?” I question, pouting.

“Of course l want to.” Ethan chuckles darkly.

Before all this happened all l could think about was being with you. The only reason I was able to resist you on the journey is because you were so out of it.”

“Well l’m not out of it now.” I state, rising onto my toes and pressing my lips to the hard line of his jaw. I trail them across the rugged surface, feeling my body begin to heat up. “And ifyou keep denying me, I’mgoing to think you don’t want me.”

To my surprise and pleasure, a hungry growl rolls through his ch3st like thunder, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. When I look up at him, he’s looking at me as if l’m a particularly juicy steak he’s about to devour.”0h my sweet little wolf” He purrs ominously, all predator now. “That was the wrong thing to say?

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 140

Ethan

Before my eyes, my strong, feisty Jane is suddenly transformed into a needy Omega. Her inner wolf instantly responds to the dominance of my own, and her instincts to give chase take over. She slips out of my arms, backing away with a flush of anticipation, excitement, and just a little fear. “Why? Am l in trouble?

” She asks, her little tongue darting out to we*t her l!ps.

The sound of her pounding heart and tremulous voice sends my prey drive into high gear, and the sight of her pink tongue makes me hard as a rock. “I think it’s safe to say you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, I state, prowling towards her, “but that’s an interesting choice of words. I never did give you any consequences for stowing away on the ship.”

“Consequences?” Jane squeaks, her eyes going wide.

“That’s right.” I flash my fangs, and the scent of her ar0usal slams into me. I breathe in the sweet aroma with relish- it makes me want to take her now, hard and fast. But I want to make this last, I want to drag out the pleasure until she’s positively begging me for relief.

“Get on the bed.”

The order sparks a glimmer of defiance in her beautiful green eyes, and she tilts her chin up. “Or what?”

A smirk splits my cheeks in two. I love every part of Jane, every one of her moods both good and bad, but this is undoubtedly one of my favorites. There’s nothing cuter than when she’s clearly turned on but her wolf is driving her to challenge me. Sometimes she doesn’t even realize why she’s testing me, making me prove my strength and power before giving herself to me. She knows how much pleasure I can give her, yet every time it’s the same story.

“Or this.” I growl, pouncing. I catch her easily and toss her onto the bed, covering her body with my own before she can try to scramble away.

“Hey!” She objects, sulking when I trap her hands above her head in one of my large fists.

“Hmm,” I muse aloud, dragging my free hand down her soft curves. “What to do? There are so many options.”

Jane narrows her eyes, clearly not liking the sound of that. “What options?”

“Well” l drawl, smirking when she tries to arch her bre*asts into my touch. I shift my hand in the other direction and she hisses in protest. “I could tie you up and have my wicked way with you, take all the pleasure for myself and leave you wanting.” Jane whines and tries to rock her h!ps into mine, but continue describing my various ideas. “l could put you over my knee and spank your luscious little behind.” This makes her eyes go almost comically wide, she looks both horrified and impossibly curious, and I decide to keep that thought in mind for a later date. “I could give you more pleasure than you can handle, show you how getting the thing you want isn’t always a good thing.”

“You don’t have to discipline me, you know.” She grumbles mutinously. “1 think it’s safe to say I learned my lesson.” It’s true that she’d been so horribly sick on the journey that she probably regretted stowing away – but that wasn’t the lesson I care about most. I care about her endangering herself, being reckless, defying me. Still, I wouldn’t choose this particular method of punishment if it didn’t excite her so much. I could just as easily lecture and scold her, but this is much more fun.

I chuckle, sliding my hand between her legs. “If you don’t like the idea, then why are you so wet? Your p*nties are soaked through already.”

“They are not.” She scoffs, even though she can feel exactly how slippery she is as I slide my fingers through her pink folds.

I think we’d better get them off” I decide, Then you can see for yourself.”

I release Jane’s wrists only long enough to strip her clothes off, then use her p*nties like a rope, tying them in a neat bow around her wrists. “Wha- are you tying me up with my own p*nties?” Jane exclaims, sounding thoroughly affronted.

“That’s right.” I confirm, swatting her behind. “Now be a good girl and get on your knees.”

“Why?” She asks suspiciously.

Laughing deeply, I begin undoing my belt. “Why do you think? I want you to show me how sorry you are for disobeying me and being so reckless. For lying and plotting behind my back.”

Jane is still pouting, and I see her hands twitch as if she’s fighting the impulse to reach down between her own legs and soothe the ache. When she still doesn’t move, I tangle my fingers into the long locks of her hair, applying just enough pressure to show her I mean business. “Now, little wolf. And if you do a good job, ”ll think about letting you come.”

A month ago I would have been nervous to take her so firmly in hand, especially after everything we went through when we were married. I never want her to feel neglected or like a pleasure slave, but I can sense how profoundly things have shifted in our relationship.

It almost feels like the old days, before pups, before Eve – when we were just a young couple in love, an Alpha and Omega unashamed to be together the way their core natures demanded.

Jane follows my guiding hand as naturally as breathing, and soon she’s on her knees before me, her bound hands in her la*p as I pull my c0ck from my trousers, not bothering to get fully undressed. “Can I touch myself?” She asks hopefully, her hands again twitching in that direction.

“What do you think?” I say, arching my brow.

Jane peeks up at me from beneath her lashes. “But lache.” She tells me.

“You’re pushing your luck, Janey.” I proclaim sternly, nudging her l!ps towards the swollen head of my c0ck. They part reflexively, and soon that perfect little tongue is tracing my length, exploring me so eagerly it takes my breath away. She gazes up at me the whole time, never breaking eye contact. When she finally takes the head into her hot mouth, her cheeks hollowing as she applies suction, I realize this might have been a mistake. If she keeps this up l’m going to come way too soon.

My wolf growls in my head, and I find myself growling too. Her tongue massages the underside of my rod as she slides me in and out of her mouth, taking me so deep l can feel her throat muscles working around me. I only let Jane control the movement for a few minutes, before I use my handhold in her hair to still her and use her mouth at my own pace.I can feel myself getting close, but I don’t want to come in her mouth, my wolf demands I empty myself in her womb, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I pull her off of me just in time, and guide her onto her back.I use the excuse of undressing to try to get hold of my desire, but the entire time l remove my clothes, I’m tormented by the sight of Jane gloriously n*ked and laid out in front of me. She’s squirming with barely contained l**t, trying to wriggle her hands free without being obvious. I growl again, and she stills, her legs clenching together as she quivers with delight.

As soon as l’m naked I part her silky th*ghs and bury myself into her tight heat, and she’s so wet lI slide in to the hilt without any resistance. She still whines as I stretch her, but I don’t give her any time to adjust. I thrust into her slowly at first, then accelerating to a relentless pace, relishing the sounds of her m0ans and whimpers as my c0ck rubs against her g-sp0t.

My jaw clenches tight as I try to hold out, and after a while I realize Jane is whispering “please, please, please,” under her breath.

“Please what, Janey?” I ask, knowing full well what she needs.

“Please can I come?” She begs, her lower l!p trembling.

“Well since you asked so sweetly.” I rumble, reaching down to thrum her swollen clit. That was all it took, ‘ve barely touched her when she detonates around me, clenching and spasming so tightly that l lose all control. I bury myself inside her one last time, roaring out my pleasure as I spill my seed in the delirious aftermath, I roll so that Jane is sprawled on top of me, loving the precious weight of her body on mine. She’s so precious to me, I don’t know how l ever lived without her. How did I possibly survive those years when l believed she was dead? Was it because it wasn’t real? Could my wolf sense that I would see her again one day? When she’s in my arms this way, I can’t imagine going a single day knowing she was no longer in the world.

I love you so much, Jane” The words slip out before I can stop them. And right now l don’t even care if she can’t say them back. l feel it so strongly it would be a crime to keep it a secret. When I look down at Jane, I expect her to look panicked or awkward, but her wide eyes are far more vulnerable than uncomfortable.

She opens her mouth and my heart races in my ch3st.

Is she going to say it back?