Damien’s POV
The rain hamred down on all of us.
I couldn’t move. Couldn’t process what I was seeing.
Adrian and Lily. Standing there in the pouring rain. Soaked to the bone. Both of them crying.
They’d followed us out here.
"What are you doing out here?" The words exploded out of . "You’re supposed to be inside!"
But neither of them moved. Lily’s pigtails dripped water. Adrian’s glasses were completely fogged up.
They just stood there. Staring at Sera. At their mother.
I moved fast. Crossed the lawn in three strides. Grabbed them both and pulled them against my chest.
"Are you insane?" My voice ca out harsher than I ant. "It’s pouring! You could get sick!"
"We had to!" Lily’s small voice cut through my panic. "We had to co!"
"Had to?" I pulled back slightly. Looked down at her tear-streaked face. "Lily, what are you..."
"You were fighting!" Adrian’s voice cracked. "You and Mom were fighting and we thought...we thought she was leaving again!"
The words hit like a physical blow.
"We didn’t an to make her mad," Lily whispered. She was shaking. From cold or fear or both. "We just wanted to know why she left. We didn’t an to..."
"Baby girl, you didn’t..."
"Is Mama leaving because we were bad?" Her eyes locked onto mine. Devastated. "Did we make her run away?"
My chest cracked open.
"No." I pulled them both tighter. "No, sweetheart. You didn’t do anything wrong."
"Then why did she leave?" Adrian’s voice was small now. Broken. "Why doesn’t she want us?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it. What the hell was I supposed to say to that?
Then Sera moved.
I heard her footsteps on the wet grass. Felt her presence beside .
"Babies." Her voice was raw. Destroyed. "Oh God, my babies."
She dropped to her knees right there in the rain. Water streaming down her face. Whether it was rain or tears, I couldn’t tell anymore.
"I’m so sorry." The words ca out strangled. "I’m so, so sorry."
Lily pulled away from slightly. Turned to look at Sera.
"Did we make you mad?" Her voice was so small. "We didn’t an to. We just wanted to ask why."
"You didn’t make mad." Sera reached out. Her hands trembling. "You could never make mad. I’m not..." Her voice broke. "I’m not angry at you, baby. Not at all."
"Then why did you leave?" Adrian stayed pressed against my side. But his eyes were fixed on Sera. "Why didn’t you want to be our mom anymore?"
"I always wanted to be your mom." Tears stread down Sera’s face. Mixing with the rain. "I never stopped wanting that. Not for one second."
Sera looked at . Then back at the kids. Her face doing sothing complicated.
"From ." The words ca out barely above a whisper. "I was protecting you from ."
Silence fell. Just the sound of rain hamring down on all of us.
"I don’t understand," Lily said finally.
"I lost sothing." Sera pressed her hands against her chest. "Sothing very important. My wolf is gone. She’s been gone for three years."
Lily’s eyes went wide behind his foggy glasses. "Your wolf left?"
"Yes." Sera nodded. Tears streaming harder now. "And I thought without her, I couldn’t be a good mother. I thought you’d be ashad of . That having a human mother would make you feel..."
She couldn’t finish. Just sat there in the rain. Crying. Breaking apart in front of our children.
Lily pulled away from completely. Took a small step toward Sera.
"But why would we be ashad?" Her voice was confused. Genuinely confused. "You’re still our mama."
"I can’t protect you." Sera’s voice was agonized. "Without my wolf, I can’t fight. Can’t defend you. Can’t do all the things a proper wolf mother should..."
"I don’t care about that stuff." Lily took another step. Closer now. "I just want you to be here."
Sera looked up. Her eyes t Lily’s. Both of them crying.
"You an that?" Sera’s voice broke on the words.
"Yeah." Lily nodded. "I don’t care if you have a wolf or not. I just want my mama."
Lily moved fast. Closed the distance between them and reached up.
Her small hand touched Sera’s face. Wiped at the tears streaming down her mother’s cheeks.
"Don’t cry, Mama." Lily’s voice was so gentle. So impossibly gentle for a three-year-old.
"I’m sorry." Sera grabbed Lily’s hand. Held it against her face. "I’m so sorry, baby. I should never have left. I should neverâ€""
"But you’re here now," Lily said. "Right? You’re not leaving again?"
Sera shook her head violently. "No. No, I’m not leaving. I promise. I’m staying. I’m staying right here with you."
"Really?" Hope blood across Lily’s face. "You really promise?"
"I promise." Sera pulled Lily into her arms. Held her tight. "I promise, baby. I’m not going anywhere."
Lily wrapped her small arms around Sera’s neck. Buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. Started crying all over again.
I looked at Adrian. He was still pressed against my side. Still watching. His face doing sothing complicated.
"Adrian?" I said quietly. "You okay, buddy?"
He didn’t answer. Just stood there. Staring at Sera holding Lily. His jaw working like he was trying not to cry.
Then his face crumpled.
"I missed you," he whispered. "I missed you so much."
Sera’s head snapped up. Her eyes found Adrian.
"Co here." She held out one arm. Still holding Lily with the other. "Please, baby. Co here."
Adrian hesitated. Just for a second.
Then he moved.
Pushed away from and ran to Sera. Crashed into her arms so hard all three of them nearly fell over.
They clung to each other. All three of them crying. The rain pouring down on them like the sky was crying too.
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