Ch. 61..65: The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 61-65
The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 61
Ethan
I could kill Eric.
Sitting next to Jane’s hospital bed while she sleeps, the only thing I can do is imagine all the different ways I could hide his body once I’m done tearing him to shreds. The bastard knew Jane and the pups had come home and still he kept coming at me, forcing me to defend myself. Then he actually bit my mate and landed her here.
The doctor’s assured us she just lost a little too much b***d and would be right as rain in a couple of days, but I can’t stand seeing her like this. If I wasn’t already ashamed of terrifying the pups and setting a horrible example for them, I might go through with my macabre plans for the other man.
I’ Il never forget the sound of Jane’s head hitting the floor, or the cries of the petrified children. I’ll never forget the sight of my beautiful mate collapsing in front of us, the helplessness | felt as I rushed her here. More than anything else, I won’t ever be able to rid my mind of the scent of Jane’s b***d or the guilt of knowing my actions led to her injury.
I overruled Eric when he wanted to come with us, insisting he stay with the pups he claimed to be his own. I know they’ll probably be even more confused and worried when they wake up and we aren’t there, but I couldn’t bring myself to be separated from Jane under the circumstances.
When she m***s in her sleep, I’m out of my chair in an instant. Sitting on the edge of her bed, I stroke her hair back from her face. My name is on her lips before her lashes even flutter open, sending a great pang through my chest. “Ethan?”
“Hey little wolf.” | greet her, feeling more relieved than | can put into words. It wasn’t rational, after all the doctor promised she’d be okay, but I already thought I lost her once, the idea of going through that agony a second time was too much to bear. “You’re alright.”
“What happened?” She frowns, looking up at me in confusion.
“You lost too much b***d, baby.” I tell her gently, “You collapsed right in the middle of yelling at me and Eric.” Shaking my head, I add. “Next time you’re hurt I don’t care what else is going on, you have to let me help you first.”
“You don’t get to scold me, Ethan Blackwell.” Jane sullenly declares, “it’s your fault I’m in this predicament.”
“You scared the hell out of me. I’ll scold you all I want.” | in form her, feeling the corner of my mouth twitch up when her pout deepens, “Especially because you shouldn’t have been anywhere near us. Goddess forbid something like this happens again, but if it does you can’t interfere – you have to take the pups and get out of there.”
“You’re blaming me for you and Eric acting like immature Gavemen?” Jane asks in disbelief.
“No, I’m saying that you can’t protect the pups if you aren’t around to raise them.” | remind her, “They were already scared, but Paisley wouldn’t have run in after you if you hadn’t left her in the first place.”
“So what, I should have just let you two kill each other?” She asks, her voice softer than it had been a moment ago. I feel sort of like I do when Paisley misbehaves, I hate seeing her upset, but I know I can’t let her get away without consequences. I feel like a bloody hypocrite lecturing Jane for something that was my fault, but this lesson is too important.
“If it comes down to choosing between me or Eric, and yourself, you have to choose yourself.” | confirm sternly.
Jane is giving me huge puppy dog eyes, but I don’t think she’s doing it to manipulate me. In fact, she almost looks pained by the idea of putting her own survival above ours. Her vulnerable expression brings out my inner wolf, like a hound on a scent, I zero in on the cause of her concern, “Who are you so worried about losing, Janey? Me, or Eric?”
“Eric of course.” She answers, much too quickly. “He’s my fiance, and you would have killed him – you almost did.”
“I still might.” | mutter under my breath.
“I heard that.” Jane quips in reply, sitting up and starting to climb out of the bed. “Woah there, where do you think you’ re going?”
“Home, to my pups.” She says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Not happening, sweetheart. The doctors want to keep you here overnight” | explain, guiding her back down onto the pillows.
“But the pups!” She argues.
“I’ll take care of them.” I promise.
“But,” Jane objects again, “I don’t want to stay here. It’s uncomfortable and the food is terrible and this gown is scratchy and horrible.” Now her puppy dog eyes are one hundred percent a put-on, but luckily I have lots of experience resisting such tactics.
“It’s just one night.” | croon, tucking the blankets around her more tightly. “And you’d be amazed how good the food is in the VIP wing.” Jane looks around for the first time, realizing that she’s not in a standard room, but a very cushy suite. Other than the unflattering gown, it’s more like being in a hotel than a hospital. “Besides, when was the last time you had a night off?”
“But…” She tries again, scanning the room for another excuse to leave, “But…” After a moment of fruitless searching she slumps back in the bed, crossing her arms over her chest “I really don’t like you, you know that?”
“I know you don’t,” | chuckle, but when I lean over to k**s her forehead, I can’t help but notice her lashes falling shut as if she’s savoring the feeling.
As I pull away I hear the door open, and four familiar little voices. “Mommy!”
“My babies!” Jane exclaims, happily opening her arms to them.
They rush the bed, clambering up next to her heedless of my cautioning call, “Careful! Be gentle with Mommy.”
Jane hugs and k****s them, letting Parker dig his knee into her injured thigh even though I can see her wincing. Plucking him off her and rearranging them, beside her, I glance at the door and find Eric looking on with a wide smile. While the kids bombard Jane with questions, I stalk over to the other man. “You brought them? I thought we agreed seeing her like this would frighten them?”
“They were begging to come.” Eric explains, “they made her a card and everything.”
I don’t doubt they were begging to come, but looking back at the bed I can’t help but notice Jane wincing repeatedly as the exuberant kids climb over her on the wide, plush bed. Studying their young faces, I notice Paisley’s lower l*p trembling as she stares at the IV and transfusion tubes protruding from Jane’s arm, one clearly full of b***d.
“Mommy, are you gonna be okay?” Ryder asks, eyeing her exhausted expression and pallid skin.
Scowling at Eric, I gesture at the pups. “They’re four and Paisley has spent half her life in hospitals surrounded by death.”
He looks uncertain as Jane answers, “yes love puddle, I’m going to be just fine. I just need a little rest.”
Still, like typical toddlers, they begin asking “why” about everything around them. “Why’s that tube in your arm?” “Is that b***d?” “Why is that machine beeping?” “Why can’t you come home now?” Jane answers all the queries with the practiced ease of a woman used to wrangling three munchkins, but I know how tiring it is to field a pup’s curiosity even when one is in perfect health.
“Hey kids,” Eric steps in, approaching the bed. “Why don’t you show your Mommy the card you made for her.”
“Uncle Eric it was s’posed to be a surprise!” Riley scolds him.
“A card?” Jane asks excitedly, “did you guys make me a card?”
The pups pull out a big piece of construction paper covered in their drawings and folded in half. “Oh it’s beautiful!” Jane exclaims, “Let me guess, Ryder drew the dinosaur, and Paisley did the unicorn?” They nod happily, and Ryder chimes in, “It’s a doctor dinosaur! So it can make you all better.”
“Are you sure it wouldn’t eat me?” Jane asks with faux wor
“Mommy i’s a doctor!” Ryder exclaims, “it took an oath not to eat ‘ny people at work.”
“Oh of course, how silly of me.” Jane apologizes with a grin, looking back to the card. “And Parker made all the pretty flowers, and Riley… are those two wolves fighting?”
“Yes, but look!” She points to the next page, “then they k**s and make up!”
Five heads turn to stare at Eric and I, and I promptly put that idea to rest. “Oh no, not gonna happen.”
“I don’t know.” Jane smiles slyly, “I think that’s a good idea. Under my roof we always have to say sorry and k**s and makeup after disagreements.”
The Goddess blesses me in the next moment when my phone begins to ring, and I pull out my cell, seeing the name of the investigator leading Paisley’s case roll across the screen. “Sorry, I have to take this.”
Stepping out into the hallway before they can object, I raise the device to my ear. “Ethan Blackwell speaking.”
“Alpha,” The man’s familiar voice sounds in my ear, “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 62
3rd Person
“What’s wrong?” Ethan asked nervously, afraid of hearing one more word of bad news in this horrendous week.
“We don’t have enough on Eve to get a warrant for her arrest. The only evidence we can find is circumstantial.” The investigator sighed.
“I thought you said she was growing the flowers used for the poison?” Ethan growled, his head reeling. “And after the car accident, and that recording? She’s the only one who has motive!”
“The flowers are a common garden plant, half the residents in the city have them.” The investigator answered. “And yes, the brakes were cut on her car, but we can’t prove she did it. At best we can make a case for criminal negligence and child endangerment between having Paisley in the front seat and encouraging her to run away.”
“Then arrest her for that!” Ethan insisted.
“She would be out on bail within the hour.” The detective replied, “if we want to convince a judge that she’s too dangerous to be out among the public, we need to get her on attempted murder. We just don’t have a strong enough case at the moment though. I’m not saying we won’t keep working, I’m
just saying it isn’t going to be fast.”
“This is unbelievable.” Ethan snarled, “Every second that woman is free, my child is at risk. Mark my words, if Eve remains on the loose, someone else is going to get hurt.” He couldn’t help but think that now Jane was back, she and the other pups might be in danger too. If Eve knew they were his and was willing to kill in order to get one child out of the way, what might she do in order to get Jane and the others out of the way too?
“I’m very sorry sir.” The investigator assured the Alpha, truly meaning it.
“What if I ordered you to arrest her anyway?” Ethan in quired, spiraling slightly, “what if I ordered that she not be released on bail?”
“Alpha, are you suggesting…” The man tried to figure out how to push back with accusing his Alpha of a crime, “Eve has rights too… if we did that, it would be considered a miscarriage of justice.”
Goddess damn it! Ethan thought ferociously, recalling the last time he put Justice over his family. He’d ended up punishing Jane for a crime she didn’t commit, leading to the divorce and everything since. He couldn’t risk making that kind of mistake again, after all, Eve had engineered the event that led to that catastrophe as well. “It’s my right as Alpha to overrule the law in matters of pack security. This woman is a danger to the public – get the damn warrants, I’ll deal with the judge.”
A beat of silence floated through the phone, and for a moment Ethan thought the detective might refuse, but eventually he caved. “Yes sir.”
When Jane returned from the hospital the next day, she was surprised and frustrated to find Ethan’s mother waiting for her. Walking into the penthouse, which had actually been cleaned up remarkably well after the fight – not hard considering Ethan didn’t have any choice except to basically buy all new furniture for the common areas after destroying everything – she saw her pups gathered around their grandmother in the kitchen.
They were baking cookies from the smell of it, and all four children were covered in flour. Of course, that didn’t stop them from running to Jane and throwing their arms around her. “Hello muffins,” she greeted them warmly, “you look like you’re having fun, what are you making?”
“Choco chip cookies!” Parker exclaimed, “Paisley’s really good at it.”
“She’s had a lot of practice.” Petra said sweetly, grinning at the kids and then leveling Jane with a very cold gaze, “I would have taught all of you if you’d been here with us.”
“They’re here now, Mom.” Ethan replied in a tone brooking no argument, “that’s what matters.”
Petra grumbled something under her breath, but then the oven dinged behind her, and the pups began excitedly trying to wriggle out of Jane’s arms. “They’re ready!” They cried, “Mommy, let go – it’s cookies!”
“But what about my hugs?” Jane teased, only able to keep hold of Ryder and Paisley as Riley and Parker galloped back into the kitchen.
Ryder was squirming to get away, “You ‘ready got hugs Mommy, it’s cookies!” He said, repeating Riley’s earlier words.
Unlike her brother, Paisley seemed content to stay in Jane’s arms, snuggling in even after Riley escaped. “I’ll hugs you, Mommy.”
“That’s my cuddle bug.” Ethan praised, leaning down to drop a k**s on her head, then sneaking one on Jane’s as well.
“Or maybe she’s just used to cookies.” Jane suggested wryly, ignoring the Alpha’s sneak k**s.
“No.” Paisley corrected, pulling back to look Jane in the eye with a sober expression, “Mommy’s are just better than cookies.”
Jane felt herself tearing up, and pulled the pup back into her arms. “Well you’ll always have a Mommy now, little one.” She vowed, making Petra look up with suspicion. Ethan hadn’t told his mother about his deal with Jane, telling her only that
she would be moving in with the pups. Petra had badgered him with dozens of questions, not the least of which was how he could ever trust a woman who faked her death and his pups from him, but Ethan put his foot down. “They’re moving in and that’s final, we can talk about it more after you return from the spa.”
“Careful baby.” Ethan advised as Jane rose up, carrying Paisley with her.
“I’m fine Ethan, stop fussing over me like a mother hen.” Jane argued, squeezing Paisley and rocking her from side to side.
The little girl giggled and reached out one arm to her father, wanting him in on the hug. “Daddy likes to fuss lots.”
Ethan gladly accepted his daughter’s invitation and moved to put his arms around Jane and Paisley, sneaking more k****s along the way. “I have two very good reasons to fuss right here.” He remarked, and three more in the kitchen, he added silently to himself.
Riley appeared beside them then, “Paisley come on!” She encouraged, “they’re almost cool enough to eat.” Turning her face up to Ethan, she grinned. “You’re all floury.”
“I am,” Ethan agreed, looking down at himself. “I wonder how that happened?”
“I know how,” Riley told him brightly, throwing her arms around his legs, “Like this!”
“And on that note, I think it’s a good idea for everyone to get cleaned up before we go gobbling down cookies.” Petra announced, putting the last trays into the oven.
“I’ll take them.” Ethan offered, pulling Paisley from Jane’s arms, he murmured, “You should rest.”
Rolling her eyes, Jane raised her voice over the loud protestations of her children. “The faster you wash up the faster you get to have a cookie – last one to the bathroom is a rotten egg.
The kids took off in a tear, and Ethan watched them with arched brows, “I’ll have to remember that one.”
As he strode off to oversee cleanup, Jane moved into the kitchen. “It’s good to see you, Petra.”
The elder woman glared at her, “I hope you don’t think you can just walk back into my son’s life after everything you did.”
“I guess we’re done with the pleasantries.” Jane muttered, dragging her hand through her hair.
“As far as I’m concerned you should be behind bars. Fak ing your death that way – | never understood what my son saw in you but losing you destroyed him. No parent should have to see their child in such pain.” She snapped, throwing dirty bowls and spatulas into the sink.
“I’m a mother now too.” Jane reminded her, “So I truly feel for you, Petra. I’m sorry.”
Petra blinked, clearly expecting – if not wanting – a fight. “And you left previous Paisley behind! I suppose you didn’t want to lose all the money her medical care would cost you after you stole Ethan blind in the divorce.”
Jane straightened her shoulders, “Say whatever you like about my morality Petra, but don’t you dare question my love for Paisley. Ethan was the only one who could help her, I never would have left her otherwise.”
“You should have left all of them if you wanted to be so selfish.” Petra growled. “Keeping an Alpha’s pups from him is worse even than faking your death.”
Ethan didn’t tell you?” Jane asked, raising her brows.
“Tell me what?” Petra demanded.
“The kids aren’t his.” Jane announced.
“You’re full of it.” Petra scoffed. “You forget I raised him, your boys could have been his twins.”
“Believe what you like, I’m not here to walk back into Ethan’s life or make yours any difficult. I came back because of Paisley. I’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”
Petra’s eyes widened as Jane’s words clicked in her mind. Before she could reply, however, the pups came rushing back in from the other room. Instead, the elegant woman closed her mouth tight and tried to process what she’d learned.
She didn’t believe for one second that the pups were not Ethan’s, and she’d be damned if she would allow Jane to steal them from him a second time. She was certain that was what the little gold digger intended.
After she cleaned the kitchen, she pulled out her phone and began searching for DNA testing laboratories outside of the territory. She knew Jane had managed to fake or intercept the test Ethan had done on her here in the city, but the scheming creature couldn’t stop her from finding out the truth elsewhere. Before she even returned to the kitchen to take the astray from the oven, she’d ordered a test kit with overnight shipping. Now she merely had to collect some DNA samples – t would be only too easy.
The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 63
3rd Person
“I really am sorry Jane.” Eric professed, reaching for her hand across the dinner table.
“I know.” Jane smiled softly, giving his palm a squeeze. After a week of chaos, Eric had convinced her to come out with him for an apology dinner, and she’d been only too happy to oblige, since every night she had plans was one more night she could tell Ethan she wasn’t available for a date. At the same time, she also hadn’t told the Alpha about their evening out, though she wasn’t sure why. A woman had every right to go out with her fiance after all.
She supposed she was worried about creating more tension between the men when things were already so stressful, but she also felt a bit guilty lying about having a business dinner with Ethan’s replacement on the perfume launch. He didn’t seem to mind – so thrilled to spend time with the kids he’d agreed to take them to see a new movie that was bound to be a drag for any adult.
Studying Eric in the low candlelight, she realized that it was for the best they could share this time together. They needed to talk before this situation could get any more out of hand. “Listen Eric,” She continued hesitantly. “You coming here was supposed to help uncomplicate things with Ethan, and now it seems like things are more complicated than ever.”
“I hate to say it, but that was bound to happen when you moved in with him.” Eric reasoned, hanging onto her fingers a few moments too long.
“That’s fair, but I didn’t have much choice, and I’m trying to do what’s best for my pups.” Jane countered.
Eric bit his tongue. He strongly disagreed about her lack of choice, but he didn’t want to argue with her either. “I understand, so how do we move forward?”
“Well, I think we have to consider if this arrangement is still a good idea at all.” Jane sighed. “I love you for going to bat for me the way you have been, I just… that fight really scared me, Eric. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you and I definitely don’t want that kind of energy around my pups.”
“Are you saying you want me to go back home?” Eric asked. He felt like he was on a roller coaster. Hearing Jane say she loved him – no matter how innocently it was intended – followed so closely by her potential rejection had his heart beating a mile a minute.
“I’m saying I think the fake engagement can work without you being so present.” Jane hedged. “I don’t want to give up the protection it provides me, but I can keep up the lie without you being physically there. All that aggressive alpha male energy between you two is making things worse. It’s turning this into a competition when it’s supposed to be a safeguard.”
“Jane,” Eric said evenly, feeling as if she was slipping out
of his hold with every second that passed, “I talked to Ethan before we came to blows, I know how he thinks about your relationship and I am telling you that unless there is actually a physical wall between you, he is never going to give up.” He pressed, “let me be that wall for you. If you truly can’t get out of this launch early, this is the only way you’re going to keep him at bay.”
Jane gnawed her lower l*p, unsure if he was right or wrong about Ethan’s mindset. She knew he didn’t give up easily, but she also knew another man challenging him constantly was only making him feel more possessive. “There’s another thing, Eric.” She admitted, watching her friend closely for his reaction. “I feel really guilty using you this way. It really isn’t fair to you to ask you to fake a relationship and paternity… not to mention your life.”
Eric bristled at the reminder of how close he’d come to losing to Ethan. If Jane hadn’t interrupted when she did, the other man would probably have killed him. He couldn’t even blame Ethan for it – he’d picked the fight, and it was the way of their kind to take challenges seriously. Still, he’d invested so much time in breaking down enough of Jane’s walls to even begin thinking about approaching her, he couldn’t stop now.”
“What if I want you to use me?” Eric blurted out.
Jane blinked. “What?”
“Not like that.” He corrected, huffin out a laugh. “I just mean that I’ve wanted to be more than friends with you for a long time now. I was trying to give you time and space, but maybe this is the way it was supposed to happen. I don’t feel used, or like I’m missing out on being with someone else by keeping up the charade – because I want to help you, I want to be with you.”
Jane’s eyes widened, and Eric felt her pulse speed up beneath his fingers. “I respect that you aren’t ready to tell me about what happened between you two yet, but I can see how badly he hurt you. And I can see how much of an effect he still has on you. I know you don’t want to be hurt again, so let me protect you. I would never do anything to harm you.”
“Except bite my leg off.” Jane joked, cracking a smile for the first time since he started talking.
“Except for that.” Eric said with a laugh.
Jane still looked uncertain, as if too many gears were spinning in my head. “I don’t know.” She answered softly. “I mean, 1 find you attractive and we get along so well… I just never picture myself getting into a relationship again. Can I think about it?”
“Of course you can.” Eric agreed, feeling a spark of hope in his chest. She wasn’t opposed, she just needed more time, like he’d always thought.
Of course, on the other side of the table all Jane could think about was that as many wonderful qualities as her friend had, she’d never felt a spark between them – certainly not like
the explosions of fireworks she felt at Ethan’s smallest touch. That might be a good thing. A little voice said in the back of her mind. Look at how those fireworks ended up.
You might not feel passion with Eric, but that also means he can’t ever hurt you the way Ethan did. You don’t really want to be alone forever, you just don’t feel safe – but Eric is safe.
Almost too safe. Jane thought back, ignoring her wolf’s contribution to the internal debate, which was basically begging she leave Eric and go climb into bed with her ex this very moment.
“I’ll think about it.” Jane confirmed, “just promise me you’ll tell me if this becomes too hard for you.”
“I promise.” Eric vowed, turning to their menus. “Now, what looks good?”
On the other side of town, Petra stood in her bedroom, triumphantly grinning at the test results in her hand. Right there in black and white, was her proof that Ethan was father to all four pups. She was going to show him as soon as he got home, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on Jane’s face when she realized she’d been beat.
A knock sounded at the door, and Petra carefully folded the document back into its envelope and placed it in her desk drawer before going to answer it. She couldn’t be more surprised when she found Eve waiting on the other side, looking very somber indeed.
Petra and Eve had been close friends for years, ever since Eve came to her rescue when Jane abandoned her. However Eve had always been impossibly kind in front of the Alpha’s mother, the elder woman had been shocked and appalled when she received the recording of Eve berating her granddaughter. It defied everything she knew about the woman, but her maternal instincts went into high alert when it came to her family.
“What are you doing here?” Petra demanded, not inviting the younger she-wolf inside.
“I hoped maybe we could talk.” Eve claimed simply, “I owe you such a huge apology for what happened with Paisley.”
“I can’t imagine what you possibly think you could say to me Eve,” Petra informed her coldly, “That recording said everything.”
“Please, just let me explain.” Eve begged, “It’s not what you think.”
Petra doubted Eve could change her mind about the situation, as it was all fairly black and white. Still, she felt their years-long friendship warranted hearing the woman out – it nothing else. “All right.” She sighed. “Come in.”
Eve sidled in with a humble smile, trying to hide the rush of excitement she felt. It was the same rush she’d felt before injecting the poison into Paisley’s IV. She’d found the constant act she had to put up around Ethan’s mother exhausting – it was such a relief to know she’d finally get to make her true feelings about the woman known. It seemed right that their last conversation should be honest, given it would be the last conversation Petra ever had.
The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 64
Ethan
How pathetic is it that I’ve only been away from Jane a few hours, but I already miss her? It didn’t help that the entire way through the kids’ movie, I had nothing but time to think about my lovely mate. Strange as it seems, I just didn’t find a bunch of animated woodland animals frolicking through a silly adventure as compelling as Jane. Still the kids enjoyed it, and my heart swelled in my ch3st the moment that Ryder crawled into my la*p for no other reason than that he wanted to be close to me while we watched.
Now, as we return to the penthouse, I can’t wait to watch them act out the story for their mother. They’re currently debating the best part of the film, but the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end the closer we draw to the apartment building. As we round the corner,| see a blinding array of flashing lights, and police cars flooding the street in front of the entrance.
My first thought is of Jane, and before I can think twice, I scoop two pups up in each arm and race up to the first officer I see. “What happened?”
The woman pales the moment she sees me, “Alpha, I’m so sorry.” She begins, clearly unsure of how to voice her next words.
“Just tell me.”I demand, feeling the pups anxious energy increase as my own spirals out of control.
“It’s your mother.” The officer utters as gently as she can. She glances at the children nervously, “she’s gone, sir.”
Too many feelings bombard me at once. I’m both relieved it’s not my mate, and incapable of processing the shock of hearing my mother is dead. “I.”‘ staring at the woman helplessly, I look down at the children in my arms, whose little faces are turned up at me in confusion. “Is there someone who can take care of them for a little while?”
Five minutes later I’m getting off the elevator, and immediately set eyes on Jane talking to a detective in the hallway. Her head turns my way the moment I step off, and then she’s rushing towards me. Her eyes are red-rimmed, and she looks a bit shell-shocked. “Ethan don’t, you don’t want to go in there.”
“What happened?” I reply, stroking her cheek, “are you okay?”
“I just came home and found her.” Jane murmured, her voice sounding distant.”Please, I’m telling you, you don’t want to see her that way.”
“I have to.” I tell her, setting her aside carefully. “You should go downstairs to the pups.”
“No.” Jane argues, taking hold of my hand. “lf you’re going to do this, I’m going with you.”
Together we walk down the hallway, and though l’ve trekked this stretch of flooring a hundred times before, tonight it seems ten kilometers long. It takes forever for us to finally reach the doorway, and the scent of b***d is so heavy in the air that it clogs all my other senses.
When we finally reach the door, I feel like l’m walking through a dream – a nightmare to be more exact. My mother is lying in the middle of the foyer, surrounded by evidence markers and a pool of crimson. Her eyes are wide and unseeing, and where her throat is supposed to be, there is only a gaping scarlet hole of torn muscle and tissue.
I lead Jane forward, standing over my mother’s prone body with b***d rushing in my ears. None of this seems real. The only thing I can think is that I want to close her eyes. I start to bend down to do so, but Jane stops me. “We can’t touch her.” She cautions, and for the first time I notice that her shoes are bloody on the soles.
She must have walked close enough to confirm Mom was gone before retreating and calling the authorities.
Rising back up, I nod and turn to the investigator behind us. “What do we know?”
“We don’t have to talk about that right now.” Jane interrupts before he can answer, her small hand rubbing my shoulders.
“Yes we do.” I insist. I can’t deal with feelings right now. “Someone killed her in my own home, that means we might all be at risk.”
“Well there was no forced entry, and no signs of a major struggle, which suggests it was probably someone she knew.” The investigator explains. “As you can see her throat was ripped out, but from the looks of it, it was a small paw – so probably a woman.”
“Is there any evidence that Eve has been here?” | demand instantly.
“No sir, and frankly, we don’t know what her motive would be for attacking your mother. They got on well didn’t they?” The man inquires.
“They did, but I warned you less than a week ago that this would happen if she wasn’t caught!” I remind him, feeling my temper begin to slip.
“Sir we have no reason -“
“Okay!” Jane interrupts. “Enough. This is not the time. This has all just happened, you haven’t had time to investigate anything,” she reminded the investigator pointedly. “And you,” she says, turning to me, “are in shock.”
“l am not.” I object. “I simply want to find the person responsible, and every moment counts.”
“I said enough.” Jane repeats in her best Mom voice,before leading me away. “Look at me Ethan.” Raising my eyes to her reluctantly, I see only an outpouring of compassion. “I’m so sorry. I know how much your mother meant to you, and I can only imagine how difficult it is to process all this. The next few days are going to be hard enough to get through without you getting in trouble for attacking that i***t investigator.”
Nodding, l agree and drag a hand through my hair. “I guess… l guess we should pack some bags for us and the pups and find someplace to stay tonight. I presume you can go back to Linda’s for a night or two?” I suggest, “and I’ll get a hotel.”
To my surprise Jane snorts. “If you think we’re leaving you on your own tonight, you are out of your mind.”
“Jane, I’m okay, honestly.” I protest.
“We’ll get a hotel together, and tomorrow I’ll help you make arrangements.” She corrects me, “Now go pack a bag.”
A few hours later I wake to hear Jane tossing and turning in her bed, m0aning in her sleep and crying softly. Rising from my unfamiliar hotel bed, I cross the suite and push open the door to her bedroom, instantly seeing her struggling in the tangles of her bedsheets as if she’s fighting them.
Moving to her side, I shake her awake as gently as I can. “Wake up Janey, it’s only a dream.”
She thrashes around for a few moments more before opening her stunning green eyes. Her wolf glows bright behind them, her panting breath and racing hear gradually slowly as she returns to the present. “It was only a dream.” I repeat, sitting beside her.
Blinking tears out of her eyes, she scrubs a hand over her face. “I can’t stop seeing her.” She admits in a small voice.
I understand better than I can admit, my own dreams were filled with images of my mothers brutalized body, but when I think about it I still feel nothing but a bottomless void -a gaping black hole in my chest. The only feeling I can muster is sympathy for my mate, sympathy I should have felt earlier if I hadn’t been so distracted by the shock of losing my mother.
“Poor baby, I didn’t even think about how upsetting it must have been for you to find her that way.” I purr, wrapping my arms around her.
“This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.” She sniffles.
“l’m supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around.”
Sliding under the covers beside her, I encourage her to lie down with me. “The only thing I can focus on right now is dealing with the threat against our family.”
“Ethan she was your mother.” Jane murmurs, “This time is your chance to say goodbye to her. You can’t waste it on denial and anger.”
“l can’t help it.” | confess, “Every time I think about it, it just doesn’t seem real.”
The soft pitter patter of tiny feet interrupts us, and before I know it four sets of bright eyes are glowing on either side of us. “Daddy, we went to your room but you weren’t there.” Paisley whispers loudly.
They’re already climbing into bed with us, not bothering to wait for permission. “Why were you looking for me, angel?” I ask, even as their little bodies begin forcing their way between Jane and , until I’m cushioned by puppies on all sides.
“Cuz Mommy always lets us sleep with her when we’re sad.” Parker answers, from somewhere around my elbow, “And you seem sad.”
“Thank you my loves.” Jane praises them, cuddling Riley to her ch3st, “This is exactly what he needs.” I can hear the second part of her sentence clear as day in my head, though she didn’t have to say it, even if he doesn’t realize it.
The Luna And Her Quadruplet Pups Chapter 65
Jane
Explaining death to four years olds is almost as difficult as watching Ethan muddle through the next few days in a complete fog, appearing more like a zombie than the man I know so well. Every time I tell the pups,that Petra is gone and won’t be coming back, the message only seems to sink in for a few hours. Soon enough they’re asking me when they’re going to see Petra again, and I have to try to explain the concept of permanence to four precious beings who simply cannot understand it.
Still, watching Ethan is harder. We got through all the planning and preparations for a massive state funeral with great exhaustion and stress, but little emotion on his part. I keep waiting for him to break, to come out of shock and grieve the way he needs to so desperately. It hasn’t happened yet, and I merely pray that he will find the spark he needs before the funeral is over this afternoon.
Most of the day is a series of overly formal ceremonies and traditions, and l’m simply proud that the pups get through hours of being on their feet in stuffy clothing without a tantrum. It’s not until we’re traveling from the graveyard to the memorial service that they finally reach a breaking point, and I call in Linda for some emergency babysitting. I plan on staying with Ethan until the last mourner leaves the service, but I’m on my way back from handing the kids over to my friend when the investigator from the crime scene intercepts me.
It’s the same man who was at the hospital after the attack on Paisley, and I greet him as wármly as I can, assuming he’s here to wish the family his condolences.
Ms. Carrington, can I speak to you for a moment?” He asks, pulling me aside.
“Of course.” I agree, “do you need me to make another statement?”
“Actually I have some questions for you.” He answers, more gruffly than I would have expected. “Can you do me a favor and refresh me on what your relationship is with the Alpha?”
Something inside me tells me that this isn’t just another interview, and suddenly I’m painfully aware that I did commit a few very real crimes when I faked my death and forged a new identity for myself. “Well,” I say, taking a deep breath. “We used to be in a relationship and now share our pups. I’m living with him for the next few months as part of a… I guess you could call it a custody arrangement.”
“And Elise Carrington is your legal name?” The detective presses, “because forgive me for saying so, but you bear a striking resemblance to the Alpha’s ex-wife – his deceased ex-wife.”
Staring at the investigator long and hard, I decide to simply face this head on. “Look, how much trouble am I in here? Ethan and I split on very unfortunate terms and | did what I felt was necessary to protect myself.”
“I’m a homicide investigator” He answers simply, pulling out a notebook and pen. “I don’t care about forged papers and misdemeanors, what I do care about is whether or not you had a motive to kill Mrs. Blackwell”
“Excuse me?” I gape. “I.. are you saying I’m a suspect?”
“Well, you were the last one to see her alive “
“Actually I think you’ll find her killer was the last one to see her alive.” I correct him.
“The last person whom we are aware of, who saw her alive.” He amended, “and you found her body and called in the crime.”
“Which I would not have done if l was guilty of it.” I grit out.
“But you do have a history of aggression towards the deceased, do you not?” He presses. “Mrs. Blackwell and Eve Mechante filed assault charges against Jane Blackwell – and that is you, is it not?”
“That was more than 6 years ago, and those charges were dropped.” I remind him.
“I understand that, ma’am.” He concedes, “but it stands to a history of conflict with the victim. Can you please recount what happened on that occasion for me?
“You know I’m starting to think I need to have a lawyer for this conversation.” I state tightly, already wondering if it’s bad form to call in two favors to Linda in one day.
“Why, do you have something to hide?”The investigator questions, eyeing me very sharply now.
“No, but I do have the right to protect myself from investigative negligence.” I snap. “Why have to zeroed in on me for this? Ethan told you last night that Eve was the one responsible for this.”
“Look Ms. Blackwell, Ms. Carrington – whatever name you won’t to go by today, it’s my job to explore all possibilities here. Now like it or not, this is the way it is: the moment your lawyer comes in here, I cease being able to help you. As long as it’s just you and me talking, you can give me the information I need to eliminate you as a suspect, but I guarantee your lawyer’s going to shut down our conversation like that.” He shares, snapping his fingers.
“‘So I’m just going to tell you how it looks from my end” The increasingly infuriating detective continues.”
I’ve got a woman with a known history of violence towards the deceased. You broke the law to get away from the Blackwell family and are now in some sort of custody battle with the victim’s son. We’ve got Mrs. Blackwell”‘s b***d all over your clothes, which we found in a trash bag in the building’s trash chute late last night, in addition to the fact that you “found the body.” And all this is happening while you have a very convenient scapegoat on the loose, with whom you also have a negative history, but who never had any conflicts with the victim.”
“What was that about my clothes?”I repeat, struggling to wrap my brain around this detail.
“Oh yes, we found the dress you were wearing last night, covered in b***d, in the trash chute.” He announces, offering me a toothy grin.
“What makes you think it’s my dress?”I demand.
“Because it has your name stitched into the dry cleaning tag.” He explains.
I don’t wait for any more information. “This interview is over. If you want to speak to me again, my lawyer is going to be present.”
“That’s fine Ms. Blackwell” He smirks, “by all means, let’s do this the hard way.”
Storming back into the funeral home, my head begins to spin. It doesn’t take an i***t to see that Eve could have pulled any one of my dresses from my closet to plant this so-called evidence, but suddenly it’s becoming a lot clearer what her motive for killing Petra was: the b***h wants to pin it on me so that l’ll be out of the way and she can have Ethan for herself.
I charge back inside to look for Ethan and tell him what just happened, but when I get to the main parlor, I don’t see him anywhere. I follow his scent into the back of the house, and when I catch sight of him, I realize I can’t put this on his shoulders too- at least not now.
He’s seated alone on a bench just outside the back door, slumped over with his head in his hands.
Approaching warily, I rest a hand on his shoulder, Ethan?”
He looks up at me with tears streaming down his rugged cheeks, “She’s gone.” He growls, “She’s really gone.”
Without thinking about it for a moment, I move between his legs and wrap my arms around his burly shoulders, letting him press his face into my bre*ast as his powerful arms come around my body. “l know.”| croon, feeling my own emotions welling up in concert with him. “I know, I’m so sorry.”
The only time I’ve seen Ethan shed a tear was the night of Paisleys’s surgery, but he spent most of that night comforting me. It wasn’t like this. He didn’t even cry at his father’s funeral. He’s always been so stoic and unshakable, like a mountain. But now he’s sobbing into my dress, and I feel helpless to take away his pain. I can only hold him as he pours out his anguish.
And to think, a few nights ago I was telling Eric we needed things to calm down. It seems like every day l stay in this city sends my family spiraling closer to disaster, but I can’t possibly cut the trip short now. Ethan shouldn’t have to bear this tragedy alone. Whatever happened between us in the past – or even between Petra and l – losing your mother is one of the hardest times in anyone’s life. I may not be able to be his wife again, but I can be a friend.
Besides, the way things are going right now, there’s a good chance I won’t be physically able to leave anyway. After all, murder suspects generally aren’t allowed to leave the territory.