The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 47 – Missing Jane

It takes a moment for Ethan’s words to sink in, especially with him holding me so tenderly. I want to

surrender to the comforting warmth, however when his announcement does sink in, I quickly untangle

myself from his embrace and look up at him in horror.

“Missing? But you said…” I stutter helplessly, searching for any kind of logic in this madness. “You said

Frank wouldn’t take his eyes off her.”

Ethan frowns deeply, gesturing for the guard in question to remove Eve from the room. As the mewling

woman is dragged out, my ex explains, “He was making her lunch – the cameras in the lobby show her

running out on her own.”

The room is positively spinning. I can’t even begin to process this after everything we’ve already been

through lately. My mind whirrs, trying to sort out a plan of action. I need to find Paisley as soon as

possible, I need to make sure she’s safe, but my anger is getting the better of me. More than all my

fear

and despair, I’m completely outraged that this happened right under Ethan’s nose. “How could you!

She was supposed to be safe with you!”

He reaches for me again, looking as if he thinks I can simply be cuddled into submission. “Janey,

please -”

“No! Don’t touch me!” I snap, jerking away from him. “Don’t talk to me – just leave me alone.”

Pushing him away, I spin for the door and storm out, deciding to search for my pup without the Alpha’s

help. What Eve did was unforgivable, but as usual Ethan seems to have a blind spot where she’s

concerned. The idea that he could suspect her of attempting to murder our child, but chose to allow her

to roam free while law enforcement built a case, rather than simply locking her up before she could hurt

anyone else is preposterous. Sure, it might not be legal per se, but I’d rather keep Paisley safe and

have that bitch cash in some of her bad karma than risk something like this happening.

Steam billows from my ears as I wait for the penthouse elevator, but unfortunately it’s too slow. Ethan

catches up to me before the silver car arrives, then halts me before I can make a break for the

staircase. “Hold on a second.” He growis, catching my arm. “Don’t you dare stand there and I act like

I’m not devastated by this. Paisley has been my entire world for the last four years.” His ferocious tone

draws my gaze up, and the pain on his countenance staggers me. “I’m the one who’s been there every

day, watching her grow. I’m the one who’s rocked her to sleep and kissed her boo-boos and agonized

through every last medical procedure.”

LE

As if I haven’t been suffering wishing I was there to do all those things, I think bitterly. As if I haven’t

sacrificed. If it wasn’t for Ethan, I wouldn’t have been forced to separate my family. I wouldn’t have

missed my daughter’s first words, first steps and everything that came before and after. His pain may

be real, but so is mine. “And you’re the one who left her with that psychopath and a clearly negligent

bodyguard!” || accuse fiercely. “Has it occurred to you that the recording we heard is one soundbite

from what has probably been years of abuse?” Hot tears flood my eyes. “That has been happening

right under your nose, Ethan. The responsibility is sure as hell

on Eve’s shoulders – but it’s also on yours.” .

“You think I don’t know that?!” Ethan explodes, his voice breaking. “Do you think I will ever – ever –

forgive myself for not seeing it?”

“Good.” I nod coldly, stepping into the elevator when it finally arrives, “Because you deserve to carry

that with you, Ethan. That and everything else you’ve done or let happen because of that snake. For

your sake and Paisley’s, I only hope she’s too young for this to have done too much damage.”

The doors close before Ethan can answer, but I don’t think I’ll even forget the anguished expression on

his face. He looked as if he’d been kicked in the stomach at least a dozen times: breathless, ill and

aching all at once.

I don’t regret a word.

——–

——-

–

All of my instincts are urging me to begin searching for Paisley immediately, but some unknown force

tells me to stop at home first. My apartment is so close by that it won’t cost me any time, and I think it

will help me to see my other pups. I’ ve become so paranoid with all the attempts against Paisley that

even though I have no reason to fear for her siblings, the mother in me simply can’t help it.

I pause outside the door to try and get myself under control, but all hope for composure disappears

when I hear four little voices inside instead of three. I rush into the apartment, surprised and confused

when I see all four of my children together.

My babysitter is standing in the kitchen looking very confused, and before the kids realize I’m there, I

sidle over to her. All the rage and fear that had been pulsing through my veins a moment ago has

disappeared completely, leaving me feeling somewhat dizzy. “Sadie, what on earth is going on?” || ask

the college-aged nanny.

“Well, about a half hour ago Riley turned up at the front door, saying that she was sorry she’d left but

she was back now.” Sadie answers shakily, “at the time the boys were in their room, so I assumed she

snuck out. But then I went to take them a snack and…” She gestures helplessly at the kids, as if the

sight of them was explanation enough.

“Riley turned up?” I clarify, “or Paisley?”

“No, it was definitely Riley.” Sadie confirms, taking a deep breath. “Jane, I think they switched places.”

Suddenly I realize that Riley had seemed awfully tame the last couple of days, not so altered that I

would have suspected she was her sister instead, but certainly more mellow than usual.

Stumbling into the living room where my pups are playfully wrestling, making the most adorable little

growling noises as they roll around together, I say, “Kids?”

Four little heads pop up in surprise, followed quickly by four sets of feet pitter pattering across the floor.

“Mommy!”

Ryder, Parker and Riley fall into my arms in their usual pattern, my little girl sandwiched between her

brothers. Only Paisley hangs back, looking unsure of herself. Before I can invite her into the embrace,

Riley reaches blindly behind

herself, latching onto her sister’s arm and dragging her in.

Kissing them each in turn, I study their guilty faces. “Okay, who wants to tell me what’s going on?”

Ryder and Parker start to back away as if they plan on letting their sisters explain their scheme, but I

stop them with a single stern look. “Uh-uh, you two stay.”

Though Riley and the boys look abashed but unafraid, sweet Paisley is glancing up at me with wide

eyes, clearly unsure what to expect on her first occasion getting in trouble with me. “Are you mad?”

“I’m extremely glad you’re all right.” I tell her, offering an extra snuggle, “But you all scared the Alpha

and I half to death, and I expect you to be honest with me about what’s happened here over the last

few days.”

“Paisley an’ I switched places at da arcade.” Riley tells me, tucking her proverbial tail between her legs

and staring at the floor. “We were ‘fraid Eve would try to do someting to her.”

“You mean to tell me it’s you on that recording, Riley?” | ask, horrified that my children considered

switching one child for another as being somehow safer, especially when Riley’s more outgoing

personality might have provoked Eve into doing something rash.

She nods, confessing, “we knew she was bad.”

“But sneaky.” Ryder adds, “we had to catch her.”

“Okay,” I breathe, trying to wrap my brain around this dilemma. “This is what’s going to happen. We are

all going to

take Paisley home to her father, and we’re going to do it together because we need to have a little chat

about safety, honesty, and communication.”

“I have to go back to live with Eve?” Paisley asks me sadly.

“No angel,” I promise, petting her soft cheek. “Trust me, Even isn’t going to be living there any more

after today. The way she treated you was absolutely unacceptable, and no one ever deserves to be

bullied like that. It is absolutely not your fault and it never should have happened. I need all of you to

promise me that if anyone ever talks to you that way or tries to hurt you, you will tell me or another

grown up you trust. If you’re worried you’re in danger, you have to tell an adult, please, please don’t try

to handle it on your own.”

I think some of my words sink in, and I’m sure after Ethan and I drill them into their little heads half a

dozen more times, they’ll stick. However at the moment, the pups are exchanging meaningful glances

and making zero effort to move towards the door.

“What?” | ask, “Is there something else you need to tell me?”

The quadruplets seem to silently nominate Parker, who looks me dead in the eye and announces,

“Mommy, we should all live t’gether. We know Paisley’s our sister, and we know Ethan s our Daddy.”