*Eliza*
The things Lena and Xander told about Jared were confusing. I knew for a fact they were wrong. My mory wasn’t lying. Why would they try to convince otherwise?
As soon as I was well enough, I went back to my house. According to Lena, Jared bought the house, but I didn’t think that was true.
It wasn’t just a house; it was a ho, where I could see myself raising my child and giving them a good life, far away from the Dark Realm and Jared.
He’d never buy anything like that, and I would never want to accept anything like that from him.
The day I got ho, my mom t there. I was glad to see her. I rembered her always telling that Jared was bad news. It had taken a while to figure it out but finally, I’d learned.
“How are you feeling, dear?” she asked as she fixed so soup for lunch.
I sat at the kitchen table, a horrible feeling of despair building in my stomach and I just knew it was because Jared was still hanging around.
He was staying with Xander, and fortunately, they had Hestia to worry about.
“I’m fine, Mom. Just a little... confused.”
“Confused about what?”
She dished up two bowls of soup and joined at the table.
“People keep telling things that I don’t rember happening. It’s like I lived two lives or sothing.”
“Eat your soup,” my mom said, tapping the side of my bowl.
I complied, mulling over everything that had happened recently. Everyone had been telling that the awful Jared I rembered wasn’t the real Jared.
But if that was true, why hadn’t he tried to co to see again? He was staying as far away from as I would expect. He hadn’t done anything to make think he was this “decent” Jared they all talked about.
“Well, if you don’t feel like Jared is a good man, then no one should pressure you into rekindling your relationship.” She smiled across the table at .
I smiled back. Having my mother’s support was helpful. I couldn’t rember her being that friendly and supportive all the ti, but I was glad she was on my side with this one.
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate that. I just wish I knew what everyone was talking about. I don’t know what to believe.”
I finished my soup and my mom started to clean up. She was being so supportive, but I could tell there was sothing else she wanted to say.
“Mom, is sothing bothering you?”
She sighed and turned around, facing . “Honey, I don’t want you to feel like you have to listen to everyone else, especially when it goes against what you believe right now.”
“But...?”
She smiled humorlessly. “But I don’t want you to wake up three years from now and realize you made a mistake. Living with regrets is not sothing I want for you.”
“How could I regret keeping my child away from him, here in the Light Realm? He’s... awful.” I looked at my lap. Even as I said the words, they felt so cruel and harsh.
Was that because I still had feelings for him, after everything he’d done?
My mom ca over and put her hand on my shoulder. She squeezed gently.
“Eliza, I want what is best for you and my grandchild. I might not have always thought Jared is good for you, but he has surprised in the past. He bought you this house, and he has worked really hard to build a relationship with and your father.”
I scoffed and narrowed my eyes. Standing up, I walked away from my mother and crossed my arms.
“Why are you saying these things?”
“Because you know that I wouldn’t lie to you, Eliza. I’ve always been honest, even when you don’t want to hear it.”
My mother’s words hung heavily around . She was right. No matter what, I could count on her being honest, even brutally honest.
“You know, he did save you from becoming a breeder. I’ve heard the stories the kids are telling each other, stories that you told them.”
I shook my head, still struggling to wrap my mind around that. I liked what my mom was saying. I liked what my friends were telling . But my mories just didn’t back it up.
“Hey you two, I’m not interrupting, am I?” Scarlett ca into the kitchen with a wide smile.
“Scarlett! How’d you get here?”
I ran to her and hugged her. She grunted, almost dropping the basket in her hands.
“Um... what do you an? I ca with Archer when Jared sent for him.”
I let Scarlett go and she set the basket on the kitchen table. She sighed and unruffled her shirt.
It was surreal to to see Scarlett there, out of Jared’s village. She’d been held there just like I was, unable to break free or run away. When I’d left to help Lena, I’d regretted not being able to take her with .
“I can’t believe Jared let you co here....”
Scarlett creased her brow. “I didn’t ask for his permission. Besides, Archer told I was needed.”
“Yeah but, you were a prisoner there, just like .”
Scarlett pursed her lips. She looked around at my mother.
“I’ve got to get to the store and do so grocery shopping. You girls will be fine here on your own?”
“We’ll be fine, thank you,” Scarlett nodded.
As soon as we were alone, Scarlett took my hands and squeezed.
“Lena and Archer filled in on what’s been going on. I’m really sorry that all of this has happened to you, Eliza. I know things feel... confusing, but please believe when I say that we all just want to help.”
I nodded, my eyes welling with tears a little. I did know that all my friends and family wanted the best for . It was the only reason I entertained the notion sothing in my mories was wrong at all. But that didn’t change my mories or my feelings.
We sat together in the living room and Scarlett told about my life with Jared.
“He saved you from that awful auction and he let Archer care for after I lost my son. Jared has always been a fair and decent man. I know you don’t rember it that way, but we both owe him a lot.”
“I wish I rembered things that way. If I did, maybe I wouldn’t be so confused.” I sighed and shook my head.
“Look at your left hand. See that moonstone ring you’re wearing? You haven’t taken that off, even after everything.” Scarlett grabbed my hand and held the ring up.
“What about it?” I couldn’t rember where I got the ring but taking it off seed... wrong sohow.
“Jared gave you this ring. It is your engagent ring! The two of you are married and you’re Luna of Midnight Sun, his pack.”
I shook my head. “No... that can’t be right....”
Scarlett chuckled. She hopped off the couch and brought the basket she’d carried in.
“Co on, these are so of your things from your life in Jared’s village. Maybe they’ll trigger a mory.”
She plopped the basket in my lap and sat back down.
I sifted through the items. There was a broken artifact, a certificate of sale from when I was sold, and a gold chain necklace with a locket pendant.
Creasing my brow, I lifted the pendant and held it up to the light. I practically forgot about Scarlett as I opened the locket and listened transfixed as familiar music played.
“That’s my song... I composed it when I was young and....”
As I listened to the song I saw flickers of mories in my mind... Jared sacrificing himself for and our baby, hiking and swimming together in a remote village, snuggling with his wolf all night long.
Gasping, I closed the locket and put the necklace down.
“What is it?” Scarlett’s eyes were wide and hopeful.
“Where did this locket co from?”
“Jared gave it to you. It belonged to his mother, and that song is one of the first clues that the two of you were fated to be together.”
Confusion rolled around in my stomach.
Those mory flashes seed so distant but they felt real. The feelings that ca with them were so strong and powerful.
“Eliza?”
“I think I should talk to Jared.”
Scarlett and Archer were able to arrange a eting with Jared. He ca to the house, which made nervous. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about him being in my ho, in my space.
“Why am I here?” he barked, crossing his arms. His look was hard and unflinching, just like in my mories.
I licked my lips, nervously trying to ignore his attitude as I took in a deep breath and smoothed my hands over my thighs.
“I found sothing, and it brought up so questions for and my mories. Maybe it will do the sa for you.” I pulled the pendant out of my pocket and held it out to Jared.
He sneered. “Why do you have that?” He snatched it from my hand and stuck it in his pocket.
“According to Scarlett and Archer, you gave it to .”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Why would I give you my mother’s necklace? It is the only thing I have of her!”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I’m just starting to think that maybe... our mories aren’t as reliable as we think.”
“Oh, really? And what is it you think you rember?”
I sighed and chewed the inside of my cheek. “Well, I heard the song in the locket. It is one that I wrote when I was a little girl.”
His brow furrowed even more. “When I heard it again I saw mories of us together happy, hiking and swimming together on a private island....”
I trailed off and glanced at Jared. His brow was deeply furrowed and he looked like he was seriously considering what I said.
“Maybe if you listen to it—”
Suddenly, he frowned and shook his head.
“I don’t know what you think you know, but none of that has ever happened. There’s no private island, and I would never trust anyone with this necklace, least of all you!”
I bowed my head, tears stinging my eyes again. My wolf seed unusually somber. This was how Jared always treated . Why was it making so sad right now?
“I’ve said it a hundred tis, but if you need to say it again, I will. So perk up your ears and listen really well, because I do not want to have to repeat myself again!”
I swallowed and stiffened my spine, lifting my eyes to et his and show him that I was listening.
“The only good thing you can do is deliver my child safely. That’s all I want from you, nothing more. I will never want anything more.”
I took his words to heart. There was no love between us.
I scoffed and wrapped my arms around my stomach. “I will deliver my child safely; you don’t need to worry about that.”
“Good. Then once it is born, you can bring it to my village or I can co and get it, the choice is yours.”
My mouth dropped open and I gaped at Jared. He really did an to take my child away....
Anger boiled through and I yanked the moonstone ring off my finger. I threw it at Jared.
Instinctively, he caught it.
“If you think you can take my child from , there are a great many people that will never let that happen, including your brother, the king!”
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