Ch. 141..145: The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 141-145

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 141

Jane

Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it.

A month ago I never would have dreamed of telling Ethan I love him, and we’ve been stuck in a holding pattern ever since the pups were taken – so why am l so tempted to say it now?

Do I truly feel it? Do I love Ethan? Is it just the impulse to return the sentiment out of politeness? Does he truly mean it, or is simply the afterglow of s’x? Is that why l feel so inclined to say those dangerous words?

I don’t know what to do -my feelings aren’t even the problem, it’s what admitting them would mean. If I tell Ethan l love him now, there will never be any going back. He’s already determined not to let me go, and saying”I love you” would be like a green light waving him forward. I try to get hold of myself, to drown out the encouragement of my inner wolf.

It was just the s’x .l insist in my head. I’m still coming down from the stratospheric high of Ethan’s lovemaking. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed it, needed Ethan to take control: touch me and take my pain away – if only for a moment. I’m finally sated and preening under his lavish attentions, feeling safe and secure even as the world spirals out of control.

It’s not so different from the first time we ever shared these words, when we were young and completely oblivious to the challenges we’d face in the future. l’d been reluctant then too – for very different reasons. Now I’m afraid of committing to being with a man who almost destroyed me once, even if he didn’t intend it. I know he wouldn’t hurt me on purpose, but it happened once already by accident, what if history repeats itself? I don’t think l can survive going all in and losing him again.

I’d known that much when I was l6, when my fear of admitting my feelings was because a future together seemed impossible. My inner omega had been head over heels, but I was desperately trying to hang onto reality – to protect myself.

Gazing at Ethan, it’s hard not to get carried away.

He’s so handsome, and when he looks at me the way he is now – as if l’m the most precious thing in the entire world-I want to dive into love head first. I know I’m falling too fast, I can feel myself getting pulled deeper and deeper every day. I’m constantly digging my heels in, trying not to let him sweep me off my feet, but he’s so much bigger and stronger than I am that he always succeeds.

Still, sometimes I wonder why he bothers. I know he’ll never be free to marry me. People like Ethan just don’t end up with girls like me. This relationship is bound to end in misery, and despite what people say about it being better to love and lose than not love at all – I’m fairly certain that’s only true if you actually survive the loss. Could I survive losing Ethan? Will that be the end for me?

The thought of living without Ethan is like the thought of living without oxygen. He breathes life into me with every k!ss. I need him – not want, not desire, but need. That can’t be healthy, can it? Does love always feel this way? This overpowering? This all-consuming? How does anyone manage to keep both feet on the ground with such a powerful force assailing them?

I no longer even recognize myself anymore. I’ve always been so serious and level headed – I’ve had to be. Mom and I have to struggle for every crumb of food we put on the table, and moving through the world as an omega is rife with dangers. I guess l’ve never felt safe enough before to be silly or mischievous, but Ethan makes me feel so secure that l can happily spread my wings and explore those hidden parts of myself.

Still sometimes it’s very daunting to be with the future Alpha. He seems to know what l’m thinking even and especially when I try to hide it. Like now, He’s watching me with a gnawing smirk, petting me everywhere except where I need him most. This has become his favorite game of late, even though it’s taken him absolute ages to work up to this intimacy. Doesn’t he realize how strong the effect of his pheromones are on me? An alphas scent is positively like catnip to an omega and l’d always heard it was true vice versa, but Ethan seems entirely unaffected.

“Won’t you touch me, Ethan?” I inquire, sliding my hand down towards his belt and rolling my eyes when he intercepts it.

“I am touching you.” He reasons, offering me a wolfish grin.

“You know what I mean.” I press.

“Such a greedy little wolf” Ethan teases, stealing a k!ss. “So demanding.”

“Don’t you want to?” I pout.

“Of course I do.” Ethan shakes his head in disbelief.

“How could you think otherwise.”

“Because you never do!” I complain sulkily.

“I’m trying to be good.” He explains with a heavy sigh, I don’t want to pressure you.”

“Maybe I want to be pressured.”I tell him slyly, rubbing my body against his, covering him with my scent and relieving some of the ache in my swollen bre*asts.

Ethan growls, catching my h!ps before l can start grinding them into his. He buries his face in my neck, breathing in my scent. “Goddess do I love you.” He says, his l!ps moving against my skin.

My body goes rigid. “What?” l gape, not believing my ears. He can’t mean it, people like him don’t love people like me, they might fool around and have a nice little distraction, but they don’t get serious.

“I said I love you.” He repeats, pulling his head up to stare into my eyes. His usually dark irises are glowing with his inner wolf and his voice is deeper than I’ve ever heard it. “I love you more that anything.”

“No you don’t.” I object, blurting the words out without thinking. “you can’t.”

“Excuse me?” Ethan intimates, a foreboding expression coming across his handsome face.

“You can’t love me, I’m -“

Seeming to sense the next word out of my mouth isn’t going to be complimentary, he interrupts me.

Perfect. So perfect it takes my breath away.”

“But l’m not!” l insist. “Im so far from perfect it’s laughable.”I want to say l’m not good enough for him, to point out what is so glaringly obvious to me and almost everyone else we meet, but l know that will end badly. “I’m nothing.”

“Not to me.” Ethan states firmly,. “To me you are everything.”

“Ethan -“l begin, wanting to put a stop to this before things get out of hand. His words make me deliriously happy, but I hesitate to believe them. We have no future together, if I let myself imagine otherwise I’ll just be setting myself up or an even bigger heartbreak than before.

“No Jane. I meant what I said.” He interjects, cutting of my protests. “Im in charge here, and if I say you’re perfect, you are.”

That hadn’t been what I was going to say, but his teasing did exactly what he intended, derailing my train of thought and making me instinctively rise to the challenge. “You’re in charge are you?”

“Was that ever in doubt?” He jokes.

I don’t recall giving you that authority.” I remark tritely.

“Of course not. It’s not yours to give, it’s mine to take.” He goads me, knowing that I can ‘t help but defy him when he gets so high-handed.

“Bossy Alpha.” I accuse, narrowing my eyes and beginning to plot some mischief to get back at him. Of course the moment he sees my “plotting face” (as he calls it), he bursts out laughing.

“I do love you, Jane.”Ethan says again, making my heart melt. “With all my heart, and I’m going to keep repeating it until you believe me.”

Can I say it back? It feels so dangerous to give him more power than he already has. Keeping my expectations low is the only way l know how to protect myself If l share my feelings with him, it will be like I’m holding my heart up like a pinata, just waiting for him to smash it to pieces. But it is the way I feel, is staying silent really helping me that much? As Ethan said, he doesn ‘t need my permission to get carried away, he’s going to do it whether I agree or not.

“I love you too.”I whisper softly, not feeling brave enough to actually meet his gaze. Instead I stare at his collar, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.

“Look at me, baby.” Ethan commands, not taking my chin and forcing me, but waiting for me to obey. I slowly raise my eyes to his, feeling more vulnerable than l ever have in my entire life. When I finally make eye contact, Ethan smiles so tenderly that my knees go weak – it’s a d*mn good thing we’re lying down. “You have no idea how happy you just made me, Jane.” He shares. “n fact, the only thing that could possibly make me happier now is if you say it again when I can see your beautiful face.”

Flushing bright pink, I tell him again, unable to stop myself from bursting into a wide smile I love you. The next thing l know, Ethan is claiming my l!ps in an unforgettable k!ss. I know I’m lost now – there’s no saving myself from this fall. I just have to hold on and pray l can get up again after I land.

The memories swirl through my head as I watch Ethan. The last time l spoke my truth I lived to regret it. I don’t want to make the same mistake again, but I find myself in precisely the same position as before. Can I say it?

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 142

Jane

I don’t know how it happened, but suddenly I’m crying.

I’m sprawled out on Ethan’s chest, hot tears sliding down my cheeks. His brow furrows with concern, and he takes my face in his hands, searching my eyes for answers. “Sweetheart, what is it? Was I too rough with you?”

I shake my head, not feeling up to speaking at this particular moment. Ethan relaxes slightly, using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away my tears. “Then what’s wrong?”

Doesn’t he know what he’s doing to me? Doesn’t he realize how powerful those words are? What they mean to me? Does he even remember that first time?

How difficult it was for me to tell him even before I’d had my heart smashed to pieces?.

Before I can reply the door swings open, and I hear Linda’s shocked voice break the tension-laden air, “Oh my Goddess! Why didn’t you two lock the door.”

I whip my head in her direction, hearing Ethan hiss with annoyance when I take my eyes from him. “We assumed anyone entering a bedroom would knock.” I tease my friend.

Linda rolls her eyes. “It’s a hotel room and we’re in a shared suite.”

Ethan pulls a sheet up to cover my exposed backside, and I look up at him in amusement. “I think she’s seen it all before.”

He’s watching me too closely, and I can tell he doesn’t want to release me. Ethan has always hated seeing me cry, and all of his instincts must be demanding he make it better -I’m sure that’s why he’s trying to cover me up right now. It’s in his bones to protect, and there’s nothing else he can do right now. I can also tell he doesn’t approve of me avoiding telling him why l’m upset by focusing on my friend, but I need a moment.

“No luck?” l question, referring to her shift calling the theater company.

“No.’ She sighs, “I’m sorry. At this rate l don’t think we’re going to get in touch tonight.”

“I want to keep trying. At least for one more shift.”I decide. “It kills me to think the pups might be five minutes down the road at this very moment.”

“But if they are, they won’t have cell service either” Ethan murmurs. “And you need to eat and rest”

“I’m not hungry.” I lie, only for my stomach to start growling at that very moment.

“Uh-huh.” Ethan remarks, disapproval clear in his voice. “I say we keep calling, but only until room service can bring up some food.”

“But -“I try to argue, and Ethan swats my behind, seeming to forget that we have an audience.

I yelp, and he chuckles darkly. Surely l’m not already feeling hot and bothered again – we only just finished making love. I’m sure if Ethan touched me now I would be too sensitive, still that achy, antsy energy is rising up inside me again. “You’ve been sick” Ethan reminds me, “you need to keep up your strength.”

“Maybe, but another half an hour isn’t going to make a difference” I counter.

Ethan drops his l!ps to my ear, lowering his voice to a husky whisper. “You’ve only just finished dealing with the consequences of the last time you disobeyed me, do you really want to dig yourself in deeper?”

I shoot him a glare. Can I really love someone who scolds me this way, who sees it as his right and duty to boss me around? And why does it turn me on so much?

Why dóes the idea of his discipline excite me this way? It certainly doesn’t feel very feminist of me, but then again, how many omegas have the freedom to be political? I suppose l like feeling like he cares enough to make the effort. After all, setting limits is part of taking care of someone, and he clearly wants to take care of me.

I consider Ethan’s question with a sly grin. I sort of do want to dig myself deeper, just to see what he’ll do, how far l can push him. Of course, Ethan reads my feelings without any problem, and soon he’s laughing, his ch3st shaking beneath me. “You’re incorrigible, Jane.”

I giggle, nibbling his pec, then squirming and bursting into gleeful laughter as he tickles me. missed this. I’ve missed just… playing. When was the last time l got to be silly like this?

“You two remember l’m still here, right?” Linda quips sarcastically.

“Yes, sorry Linda.” I apologize, carefully climbing out of bed and wrapping myself in a robe. “Let’s look at a menu, and then we can order up some dinner.”

Hours later, when dinner is long past and Ethan and I are getting ready for bed, he finally brings up my earlier upset.

“Do you want to tell me why you were crying earlier?” He asks, coming up behind me and sliding his arms around my wa!st.

I peek up at him from beneath my lashes. “You told me you love me”‘ l confess, feeling braver now that I’ve had a moment to process everything.

“And that made you sad?” He questions, clearly baffled.

“lt scares me.” I whisper, staring at my hands as I nervously fidget.

“Scares you how?” Ethan asks, sounding as if the concept is truly foreign. What must it like to be such a powerful alpha? Afraid of nothing, except perhaps losing his loved ones. Does he even know what it is to feel vulnerable? Helpless? l know he feels helpless when the pups or I are hurting and he can’t fix it, but that’s not quite the same. It’s not like the life of an omega, where there is so little freedom and choice.

“I suppose it’s not hearing you say it that scares me” I reveal, shrugging. “More so, the way it makes me feel… the way I want to say it back.”

Ethan blinks, looking so surprised that I wonder if I’m very wrong indeed. Maybe Ethan knows more fear than I realize, if I had to guess based on the emotions flashing across his face right now, l’d suspect he never imagined he’d hear those words from me again. “You want to say it back?”

I nod, gnawing on my lower l!p. “If I do..” I begin, my voice sounding so small l’m actually ashamed of being so timid. Still, l can’t help it, I haven’t taken a leap like this in a very long time – not sober and out of heat, not with all my senses intact. “If l do, are you going to break my heart again?”

Pain consumes Ethan’s face, and he’s across the room in an instant. One moment l’m shivering in cold and fear, the next my strong mate is wrapped around me like a blanket, k!ssing my cheeks, hair, eyes and l!ps.

“No baby. Of course not. I’m so sorry.”

I can feel fresh tears welling, and a wave of guilt for making him feel badly. “I don’t want you to feel sorry.

I’m not trying to make you some sort of villain, I just… I can’t help it.”

“I know, angel” He purrs, squeezing me tightly.

And it’s alright. You can’t change the way you feel, and if you are afraid… it’s because you have good reason. I failed you, and as much as I hate seeing the proof of it, it just makes me more determined not to fail you again.

“Thank you? l press my tear-stained face into the curve of his neck, breathing in his scent. “Because I do love you. So much, Ethan.”

“Come here.” At first I don’t understand his meaning. lam here. I think, but soon I realize he meant he wanted my l!ps. He tilts my face up to his, and claims my mouth in a devastating k!ss. His l!ps are like a brand, scalding me and leaving his permanent mark on my skin.

My heart swells with joy, even though nothing has really changed. We both already felt this way – does saying it, acknowledging it, really make that much of a difference?

Of course it does. My 16 year-old self says in my mind. It changes everything. You can’t take it back now.

Strangely enough this idea doesn’t bother me. I don’t want to take it back. I feel like myself again for the first time in a very long time, and l can’t regret that one bit. All these years, I’ve been a shadow of myself. Even as I found untold bliss in being a mother, I was not whole without my mate and my youngest daughter. I didn’t even realize how incomplete I became until l finally regained all I lost – now the only thing I need is my pups. As soon as they’re home, l’ll have everything I need, and everything l could ever want.

The idea of being pregnant doesn’t even frighten me anymore, not as long as we can find the children and bring them safely home. I’m going to be with Ethan now, this conversation has sealed it. Nothing can ruin our happiness now, right?

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 143

3rd Person

“Are we really gonna see Mommy and Daddy?”

Paisley whispered excitedly. The pups were hesitant to believe any good news after everything they’d been through, but their walls were down after so much trauma, and the costume mistress had taken their worries very seriously. She promised to take them back and not to trust anyone but their parents.

“They says they’re taking us back!” Riley exclaimed, bouncing up and down where she sat. “l can’ waits, I’m gonna hug Mommy and Daddy so tightly. I’ll never ever, ever lets go.

“What if Fabian finds us first?” Parker worried aloud. “What if it’s too cloudy to see thems again?”

“Don’ be so grumpy” Ryder scolded. “lf you thinks like that, you’ll jinx us.”

“How long ‘afore we get there?” Paisley asked the costume mistress when she returned from the caravan’s kitchen unit with a jug of hot water and a few wash cloths.

“It will be a few hours.” She tells them kindly, “And I’m sure your Mommy and Daddy would prefer to have nice clean pups returned to them” She continues, waving the cloths in their direction.

“Mommy and Daddy loves us dirty or clean.” Riley informed the woman haughtily.

“Well of course they do, but you don’t want to worry them do you?” She reasons. “They’re probably already so concerned, and they’ll feel bad if they see how hard you’ve been living. I don’t have any fresh clothes for you, but we can at least get some of the dirt off you.

This reminder made the pups submit to her ministrations. They found it annoying that grown ups were always so obsessed with being clean, but they couldn’t help but see the logic in her statement. They didn’t want their Mommy and Daddy to feel bad, and if they were completely honest, they didn’t like smelling like the sewers or feeling the grime on their soft skin.

“When was the last time you ate?” The costume mistress questioned once they were recognizable as pups -rather than street urchins- once more.

“A nice llama farmer gave us food the day ‘afore yesterday.” Parker explained, “we didn’ really have anything with the orphans.”

“Ahh, so you were with the street children for a time” The woman surmised. “That must not have been easy, they have a bad reputation in Alta Montaña.”

She was gently probing for more information, trying to figure out the story behind the little one’s adventure without asking directly. She could only guess why they were so skittish, but she knew it would keep their l!ps sealed no matter the cause.

“No one really helps – is all just tricks and playing pretend.” Paisley murmured, her young eyes look far more haunted than should be possible. “Only Mommy and Daddy are safe.”

“They were so close.” Ryder nods in agreement. “

We heard Mommy calling for us in the clouds.”

“I’m sure they can’t wait to see you.” The costume mistress assured them. “There’s nothing scarier than losing one’s pups.”

“Did we do someting wrong…. To be taken from thems?” Parker wondered aloud, speaking thoughts he hadn’t aloud himself to voice with his siblings. As the oldest, he often considered it his job to protect the others, but now that there was an adult to ask- now that they’d given up trying to stay silent to protect themsélves – hé couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“No my sweet.” The costume mistress promised. “

It’s very hard to explain or understand, and it really isn’t fair. But sometimes bad things happen to the best people. Even innocent little ones like you.”

Paisley was nodding in agreement. Of all her siblings, only she had experienced such misfortunes before, and she had asked herself these very same questions. If Parker had shared his worries she might have told him she feared the same thing. But after everything happened with Jane and Eve, her parents had told her over and over that it wasn’t her fault, and it was always hard to believe – until she was safe in their arms and heard it repeated a few dozen times.

That was the only thing that ever helped.

“I misses them.” She whispers, linking hands with her siblings.

“I’m sure they miss you too.” The costume mistress empathized. “You’ll be together again soon enough. I promise, I will not leave your side until you’re back safe with them.”

The pups exchanged hopeful glances. They’d heard promises like this before, but so far no one they’d met on their journey had been truly trustworthy. Anita’s goons had promised they were safe, only to take them so far away. Thomas and Mary had been kind, but they’d only gone to the police. Sophie had promised to be their friend, only to hand them over to Fabian as his first command. Could this grown up be trusted to keep her word? Would it be smarter to run again?

When the pups finally climbed out of the caravan back in Alta Montaña, they immediately began scanning the small town’s streets for signs of their parents – or even Sophie. They saw nothing at first, and the costume mistress took Ryder and Paisley’s small paws in her own. “Why don’t we try going back to the spot where you first found the trunks?”

They nodded in agreement, that made sense. They padded through the dark cobblestones, wanting to call out for their Mommy and Daddy, but afraid to call attention to themselves. They came to a stop behind a clothing shop, and the costume mistress pursed her l!ps. “All these shops are closed now. Perhaps we should try checking with the hotels. Are you sure you can’t tell me your parent’s names, or maybe what they look like?”

The pups looked back and forth between one another, silently conferring. Eventually, Riley nodded and shared, “Mommy’s really pretty, with gold hair and eyes like mine.”

The costume mistress smiled, she believed it-if their mother was even half as lovely as her pups, she must be a great beauty indeed. “And your Daddy?”

“He’s as tall as a giant and really strongs!” Paisley announced, smiling as she thought about her beloved father.

“And we looks just like him” The boys declared in unison.”

“All right then.” The costume mistress assessed.

I’ll ask if anyone who looks like that has been seen around.”

As they walked from hotel to hotel, questioning receptionists and maitre d’s however, it gradually became clear that no one matching these descriptions had been about. The only travelers in the area had been a trio of three men, and a young woman in leather – all on her own.

“I suppose they might not have stayed the night.”

The costume mistress mused. The possibility that they might have figured out what happened and tried to follow them suddenly occurred to her, though she prayed she was wrong. She changed tactics then, beginning to ask around at the restaurants – which were much more likely to note day trippers.

After the fourth restaurant, she led the pups back towards the caravan, deciding to check their cell service in case anyone had been calling during their journey.

Unfortunately, as the pups waited outside the caravan’s doors the clouds rolled in, covering the mountains in dense white mist which was only too familiar.

The young children’s bad memories began to play tricks on their minds, as they recalled all the terrors that might be waiting just out of sight. “I thinks I hear Fabian!” Riley whispered, spinning around anxiously.

“Quick, get into the care van!” Parker advised, holding onto his sisters’ hands while they held Ryder’s.

They knew never to let go of each other in the pale fog.

They ran back in the direction of the caravan, at least they thought they did. Instead they ran blindly in the wrong direction, all navigational sense gone out the window with the whiteout.

“Wait where is it? It was just here!” Ryder whimpered.

“Maybe we wents the wrong way?” Paisley fretted, looking around nervously.

Back at the caravan, the costume mistress was stepping out the door with a wide smile on her face. It had been just as she feared, the pups parents had tried to follow them, but thankfully they had also been able to find out who the theater troupe was, and had been calling non-stop. Her voicemail was full of messages.

Good news, I have phone numbers for- kids?” Panic assailed her when she saw the blanket of clouds, which obscured absolutely everything from sight. “Ryder, Riley, Parker, Paisley? Where’d you go?”

Less than a hundred meters away, the pups had come face to face with the last person they expected to find in this place. They’d been so worried about Fabian, they forgot all about their other pursuers. But now they were facing someone they wished never to see again – a tall woman, dressed all in leather.

Anita’s face split into a cruel grimace, one she surely meant to be a smile. “At last. ‘ve been looking for you everywhere.” She prowled towards the pups, even as they huddled together in shared fear.”Come on now, don’t be difficult.” She growled. “You’ve got a date with the King, and it’s rude to keep royalty waiting.

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 144

Ethan

I feel like a terrible parent. l shouldn’t be able to find any happiness when my pups are in trouble, but hearing Jane say she loves me fills me with euphoria. I truly never believed l’d hear those words from her again – even if she felt them, I doubted she’d ever trust me enough to voice them. The guilt is almost as powerful as the pleasure, but then again, when everything else is too painful to bear, I suppose we have to find happiness anywhere we can.

This settles it. l’d hoped to slowly win Jane over once we got the pups back, but now the only thing between us and our future together is bringing our babies home. As soon as we find the pups we can start fresh, they way things always should have been. I can give her everything I failed to in the past, and we can be a happy family at long last.

I’m still k!ssing her, drinking her in and thinking that l’ll never get enough. She’s still crying too, but her tears don’t worry me so much now. I know they’re cathartic tears, her love and trust in liquid form, finally letting go of the past – of all those hurts inflicted by Eve and our years apart.

Jane makes me feel like a teenager again. We made love only two hours ago, but l feel like I could take her again and again, all night long. What’s more, I want to. I want to overwhelm her with so much affection that she’ll never doubt my love for her again.

What a fool I was, l can’t even blame youth for my past failings. Jane was always my chosen mate, why did I ever let a scheming social climber convince me she was guilty of crimes she didn’t commit? Why didn’t I push harder to find out Jane’s side of the story?

I lift Jane into my arms, carrying her backwards toward the bed, internally debating how I want to pleasure her first. So many options ,I think. Her beautiful breasts, her sweet p**”y – or do I just want to keep k!ssing her for a while and draw out the fun? Either way, I certainly don’t want all these clothes on her.

Within moments, Jane is naked as the day she was born, and laid out in front of me like a stunning feast.

Perfect. I lower-myself over her, k!ssing my way down her body. I take a detour around her aching n*s, already hard and begging to be touched, before settling between her th!ghs. I start to thrum her lovely little cl!t with my thumb, breathing in the scent of her ar0usal and thinking how cute the tiny nerve center is – peeking out at me from beneath its hood as if shy to ask formore attention.

Of course, as soon as I make contact, Jane squirms and whines. “Ethan, I’m still sensitive from earlier.”

Jane protests, propping herself up on her elbows.

“Well in that case, I’ll have to k!ss it better.” I reason, flashing my fangs and nibbling her inner th!gh.

“Oh Goddess,” She m***s, slumping back down and surrendering to my whims.

Leave my tongue along her center, relishing her honeyed flavor and wondering if I will ever get enough of her – even though I know the answer is no. I could happily gorge myself on Jane’s sweetness every hour of the day and still want more.

“I love you.” I tell her again, just in case she forgot.

As my words land l slide my fingers into her soaked channel, making her cry out as I pet her most sensitive sp0ts.

She tries to respond to me, but my skilled touches I stop her short. “l love y- oh, Ethan, that feels so good.”

I make quick work of bringing her to cl!max, using my tongue to flick and svck her cl!t while my fingers curl inside her. She explodes on my tongue, but l show her no mercy, I keep working her overloaded senses until she’s practically screaming with ecstasy and riding high on another wave.

Only after she’s come a third time and is lying completely boneless beneath me, lost in a daze of lvst, do l remove my own clothes and move to claim her again.

I’m just about to thrust inside her when my phone rings, and we both freeze. I swiftly move off the bed, retrieving my discarded trousers, and bring the device to my ear. The number flashing across the screen is only too familiar – it’s the one l’ve been dialing over and over again for the last few hours. “Hello?” l answer hurriedly, my heart leaping into my throat as I reach for Jane. She’s out of her hazy state immediately, suddenly alert at the prospect of retrieving the pups.

I put the device on speaker as Jane’s warm little body presses anxiously into my side, wrapping my arm around her and squeezing her like a particularly sweet smelling security blanket. Is this Ethan ?” A woman’s voice sounds on the other end.

“Yes, my mate is here too.” l explain. “Do you have our pups?” There’s no use being polite now. If they know my name they’ve heard all the messages we left, which means they know why we’ve been calling.

“They’re al right.” The woman explains, and Jane whimpers with relief. Still, I don’t let myself feel any joy beyond the fact that they didn’t suffocate in those trunks – she didn’t answer my question, and the fact that she’s prefacing whatever else she has to say with this disclaimer makes me think whatever is coming next won’t be good. “But I’m afraid we don’t have them anymore.”

Jane’s weight tugs on my arm as her knees give out, but I catch her easily, tucking her against my ch3st as she begins to cry. Unlike before, I hate these tears. These tears are of a mother who can’t take any more pain and disappointments, whose hope is continuously being smashed to pieces with every new twist on this journey. She sounds so heartbroken, and my own wolf is roaring in my head, almost drowning out the caller’s explanation.

“I’m so sorry, we found them when we were still in a remote area, and as soon as we realized what had happened we brought them straight back to Alta Montaña. We didn’t have any cell service until we got here, so by the time we got your messages it was too late” She shared, sounding truly apologetic.

“What do you mean, too late?” I question. “What happened?”

“We were looking for you with the pups when the clouds rolled in, we got separated from them, and the next thing we knew, they were just gone. We didn’t see it happen, but a waitress in one of the restaurants said she saw them getting into the car with a woman. At first we thought it might be your mate, but she said the she-wolf was completely alone and that her name was Anita – she’d waited on her earlier that night. When we got your messages and realized your mate’s name was Jane we knew something was wrong My heart stops completely now. Not Anita! She’ll take them straight to the King, and we won’t have any time to rescue them in between.

“Did the waitress describe the car?”I choke, my voice coming out a snarl.

“Only that it was an SUV – but in these parts everything is an all-terrain vehicle like that, they have to be.” The woman laments.

“How long ago did she take them?” I demand, trying to calculate how far we’ve driven, if there’s any way we can intercept them.

“It’s been about twenty minutes.” The woman answers. “I’m so so sorry. We’ll be back on the road fairly quickly ourselves, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for them on our way, but as you know it’s not an easy thing to track someone here.”

“H-how w-were they?” Jane sobs, barely getting the words out. The pain in her voice is so visceral that my wolf howls with shared agony. “W-were they h-hurt?

Scared?”

“Oh you poor darling.” The woman sympathizes.

They were missing you as much as l’m sure you’re missing them. But they knew you were trying to find them, they knew you were on your way.”

Jane keens as l impart our thanks to the woman and hang up, and then it’s all l can do to stay upright.

We’ll check out right now and drive through the night.” I decide, rocking her back and forth in my arms. “We’ll beat them to the capital and be waiting when she arrives. We know exactly where she’s headed, and we know she won’t hurt them. She has to deliver them safely.”

Jane nods, but she can’t seem to calm down. She’s choking on her tears, gasping for air but unable to catch her breath. I can’t stand it – she doesn’t deserve this.

Tears are burning in my own eyes, but I’m trying to hold it together for Jane and the pups, I have to keep my head if we’re going to get them back. Especially now, when we’re headed straight into the belly of the beast.

 

The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 145

Jane

“This is going to work, Jane.” Ethan promises.

We’re going to get to them first.”

I’m having a hard time believing it. I want it to be true, but every near miss we experience sends me deeper and deeper into depression. I can’t live without my babies, I can’t survive this constant worry. I’m beginning to associate hope only with pain and disappointment. It doesn’t feel safe to hope anymore – I think it only invites heartbreak. After all, if I don’t hope, at least I won’t be surprised when my worst fears are proven to be real.

The depression and woe makes me want to give up. To curl into a little ball and never get out of bed. Of course, I don’t have a bed to languish in, and if we stop moving we risk missing the pups or worse, being caught by the King. We drove through the night to reach the capital, resuming our disguises and trying to locate Eric. There hasn’t been any word from him, and knowing that Anita has the pups in her grasps doesn’t make me optimistic about his chances. If the king trusted his son, he might have sent him to find the kids, rather than assigning the task to a stranger.

Linda is beside herself with worry, and if I had any space left in my heart to feel anything beyond my own sorrow and terror, I might be a better friend to her right now. Of course I patted her back and listened attentively as she shared her fears, but I couldn’t truly engage – not the way she deserves.

Guilt swirls with my despair. Linda has always been there for me whenever I needed her, the least I could do is return the favor in her own time of need – but I’m barely holding myself together as it is. “Baby, did you hear me?” Ethan presses, pulling my attention up to his handsome face.

You said this is going to work.” I parrot hollowly.

His face crinkles with pain. ‘No, sweetheart.” He corrects gently. I said that I need you to make me a promise.”

İ guess I wasn’t listening after all. “Sorry,” I murmur,

“I guess I got lost in my thoughts.”

Do you want to tell me what you’re thinking about?” He asks, stroking my spine.

My lower l!p trembles. If I speak, I’m surely going to cry and I can’t cry anymore. If I start now, I’l never stop. Nothing important.” I lie, shaking my head.

Ethan Wraps me in a hug, but even physical comfort is too emotional for me in this moment.

It’s too easy to let my mate take care of me, to fall apart knowing he’ll catch all the pieces and glue them back together. I pull away from him, feeling another stab of shame for making this situation harder on him. For all I know he might have been hugging me for his own comfort, but I don’t have the strength to think about anything other than keeping my composure it’s taking absolutely everything I have. “What promise?” I prompt him, blinding myself to the worry and pain on his face.

There’s a chance I’ll have to fight Aimon, if we can’t intercept the pups, or if something goes wrong along the way, I might be forced to challenge him, or taken prisoner.” Ethan explains, his voice far too gentle to be speaking about such grim matters.

Ethan no.” My wolf rears up, and suddenly my mood swings wildły to anger. If we don’t intercept them, we have to wait for a ransom and adapt. You can’t just charge in their and demand to get them back.”

I hear you.” He assures me, and I agree, but I’m saying there’s a chance no matter how smart we are, how cleverly we play it – this is incredibly dangerous territory Janey.”

I know that!” I exclaim, “Don’t you think I know that?!”

“Of course.” He sighs. I’m not trying…. I just…

If things don’t go as planned, I need you to promise to save yourself and the pups. They need you more than they need me, and if it comes down to choosing between me and them, you have to choose them.”

“You’re telling me, that if he captures you or you’re fighting for your life.. you want me to leave you behind?” I summarize hoarsely, trying to wrap my mind around the impossible idea.

Yes.” Ethan confirms, and my inner wolf goes practically berserk. I have to fight the urge to shift then and there, to let out my inner predator and attack anything that might threaten the man I love.

“Never.”I shake my head. I can’t do that, Ethan.”

You have to.” He states evenly. You have to think about -»

What if it was me?” I demand. Don’t you think I feel the same way? That the pups come before everything else? I already suggested that I would rather myself be taken than them, and you bit my head off. “

Because it’s not the same!” Ethan thunders, his own eyes glowing now. “You’re their mother.

And you’re their father!” I remind him. You not only protect us, but the whole pack. And what about the boys, you think that if Aimon believes he finally has a chance to expand his empire onto the continent, he’ll just let your heirs go – to grow up and challenge him?”

Then you’ll hide, you’ll go somewhere he can’t ever find you!” Ethan growls, That’s exactly why you have to run if the worst happens to me, because if you and the pups are still here, he might not let you get away.”

“No Ethan!” I say again. “I only just got you back. You’re the one who’s been going on about united fronts and being a team. That doesn’t change just because things gets worse, if anything it makes it more necessary. When we go home, we go as a family and if I’m not allowed to sacrifice myself for you and the pups, you sure as hell aren’t either!

Ethan’s inner predator is in full control now, I can feel it deep inside – the raw power radiating off of him. I know he’s about to lash out towards me and I try to dodge out of the way. But he’s too big, too strong and fast. He catches me so easily I ought to be embarrassed, gripping my nape with pure dominance and scowling down at me.

I can feel an order coming on, and not the usual kind. Not the stern command of a man in charge, or even the sexy kind I can choose whether or not to defy. When an Alpha wants to, he can put all his power and authority into a command and make it impossible to refuse. Only an alpha of equal strength could fight such an order, and I’m far from Ethan’s equal in power.

I thought he’d done this to me when he ordered me to stay behind in the NightFang territory, and that somehow my maternal instincts overpowered it, but now I realize he’d done nothing of the sort. This feels a hundred times stronger, and I wonder if it’s because his wolf is fully on board this time. When he found me on the ship he said he hadn’t really wanted to let me out of his sight, so maybe that order hadn’t been at full force…. But this one will be.

Don’t. I beg, tears welling in my eyes. “Please don’t do this.”

Ethan pauses only long enough to k!ss me, crashing his mouth down over mine and letting me feel every last ounce of his dominance. His l!ps move over mine as his tongue delves into my mouth, sending shivers down my spine as he clutches me against him. He’s rough and ruthless, wringing all the defiance out of me with every n!p and care*ss. The force of the k!ss takes my breath away, and for a moment time stops.

I forget everything – where we are, why we were fighting, my own name – it feels as though he’s reaching inside me and touching my very soul, reminding me of who and what we are to each other. Of course, at the end of the day, he’s the alpha, and I’m the omega. What was it he’ d said when we were young? The authority was for me to give and him to take?

I’m crying again, even though I’d been fighting to stay calm with all my willpower a few minutes ago. In the face of Ethan’s strength, my defenses crumble, whether I consent to the surrender or not.

We’re both breathless when he pulls away, and he takes my face in his large hands, his glowing eyes piercing me like a knife. “If it comes to it, you will choose the pups and your own survival over me. If I tell you to run, you’ll run. If it looks like I’ve lost, you’ll run. If I’m captured, you’ll run. You will leave me behind, Jane – and that’s final.”

I’m shaking my head, even as his magic washes over me, taking hold deep in my bones. “Say it.”

He orders fiercely, tightening his hold on me.

I can’t refuse, I don’t have a choice – so I say the awful words, words I hate more than any I’ve ever spoken before, “I’ll leave you behind.”