Elena’s POV
Marcus’s stare bore into like he had uncovered so hidden truth. The intensity in his eyes suggested he believed he had caught in a lie. But werewolf pregnancies only lasted a few months, which ant his suspicions held no weight.
"He’s young," I stated firmly.
"We were together years ago," Marcus countered.
"Yes, we were. After that, I went to Damien’s territory because we had been friends and he offered sanctuary. That’s when I discovered he was my second chance mate, and we’ve been together ever since. I didn’t conceive until after we bonded." The explanation rolled off my tongue smoothly, without a trace of doubt.
I had rehearsed this response countless tis before Skye arrived with the children. The crucial detail was ensuring Marcus never learned Caleb’s actual birth date. Both Damien and Skye had agreed to maintain this deception. As long as we kept Caleb away from Marcus, the secret would remain safe. They had given their word that Marcus would never be left alone with my son.
"You’re completely certain that Caleb isn’t my blood?" Marcus pressed.
"That’s exactly what I’m telling you. He belongs to and Damien." The statent wasn’t entirely false since Damien had legally adopted Caleb as an infant.
"Fine. I needed to hear it directly from you," he conceded.
"You’re hardly in a position to interrogate right now," I shot back.
"I understand what others believe about ..."
"You’re a cold-blooded killer," I interrupted harshly.
"And I know that people have sent you here to strip of this pack’s leadership," he continued.
"Wrong. People have sent here to end your life. Consider yourself fortunate that I’m not following their wishes." I turned on my heel and walked away.
I went to the dining room and Damien was watching , looking to make sure that I was alright. I gave him a subtle nod, and the kitchen staff began serving lunch to everyone.
Following our al, we spent additional ti with my mother before exhaustion overtook her again. Then we took the children on a tour around the pack grounds.
The territory appeared abandoned, with very few pack mbers visible. Those who were present regarded with strange expressions. Their intentions remained unclear to .
Initially, I assud their stares resulted from my return and my obviously improved appearance since leaving. However, I was beginning to suspect they had been expecting my arrival.
Given Tessa and Julian’s peculiar behavior, such rumors circulating throughout the pack wouldn’t surprise .
Our walk eventually led us toward the forest. We were simply conversing and enjoying ti with the children. I wasn’t paying particular attention to our destination until I lifted my head and found myself staring directly ahead.
My feet stopped moving, causing both Damien and Caleb to look at as I gazed at the overgrown trailer nestled among the trees.
"That can’t be..." Damien began.
"That’s where my mother and I used to live," I whispered.
"It appears completely abandoned," Damien observed.
"I don’t think anyone has occupied it since Marcus forced my mother into the packhouse," I replied.
I instructed the others to remain at a safe distance while I approached the trailer alone. The front door resisted my attempts to open it due to thick weeds and overgrown bushes blocking the entrance. I had to apply significant force, practically destroying the deteriorated door in the process.
Stepping inside the living space, my eyes imdiately found the couch against the far wall. The sa furniture remained in its original position, complete with my old blanket and pillow arranged exactly as I had left them years earlier.
Vegetation had begun growing inside the trailer, but I continued down the hallway toward my mother’s forr bedroom. There sat the bed I would rather burn than see again.
Opening the wardrobe revealed both my clothes and my mother’s garnts still hanging inside, untouched by ti.
This trailer had beco a frozen monunt to our past, delivering a reality check I desperately didn’t need.
I walked through the entire space before returning to where Damien and the children waited outside.
We returned to the packhouse, and Damien respected my silence about the trailer. He understood I wasn’t ready to discuss what I had witnessed, which suited perfectly.
Back at the packhouse, we entertained the children briefly before visiting my mother again. We even brought our dinner to her room, eating together while the nurse supervised. The dical professional clearly disapproved but remained silent, which was wise since I would have gladly told her exactly where she could go.
I intended to maximize every mont with my mother while I still could. No nurse would prevent from doing so.
After dinner, we bathed the children and prepared them for bed. Briar’s portable cot was positioned beside our bed, while Caleb’s rollaway bed occupied the nearby space.
Once both children were sleeping, Damien and I headed for the shower. Despite our intentions to be quick, we failed miserably in that regard.
Eventually erging from the bathroom, we dressed and Damien settled into bed. I left the room and headed downstairs toward the kitchen for a drink when an unusual sound echoed from the basent.
This wasn’t the dungeon area but rather a separate room beneath the house. I waited silently for a mont, hearing nothing more, and assud my mind was playing tricks on .
However, as I approached the refrigerator, the sound repeated itself.
Setting my cup on the counter, I walked to the basent door. Opening it slowly, I began descending the stairs.
At the bottom, I located a faulty light switch that provided minimal illumination. The basent was cluttered with items piled everywhere, so appearing to have been abandoned for decades. Clearly, no one had cleaned this space in years.
I navigated around several stacks of belongings before noticing sothing gleaming in the corner. Moving past additional piles of debris, I spotted the top of a cage positioned beneath a covered window.
As I approached, the dimly lit space suddenly erupted in movent. A hairless, pale creature with razor-sharp teeth covering its mouth lunged at the cage bars, startling so violently that I stumbled backward into a tower of boxes. I grabbed the wall to steady myself.
"What the hell are you?" I gasped in complete shock.
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