The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

“I suppose I deserve that.” Ethan admitted, letting her go.

“Ethan,” Jane sighed, slumping onto the edge of the bed in defeat. “Eve has gotten away with everything

she’s ever done. She’s going to get away with this too.”

“No she isn’t.” Ethan vowed.

“Ethan, if they arrest me, what will happen to the pups?” Jane fretted, speaking her fears aloud even

though she wasn’t sure she could actually trust him.

“They’re not going to arrest you, Jane.” Ethan growled, “I promise, I won’t let that happen.”

Even as he comforted her, Jane couldn’t stop hearing Eric’ s accusations about the Alpha echoing in her

mind: If you’re blamed for the murder, then Ethan will have the perfect ex cuse to hurt you all over again.

He’ll make you think he’s on your side by protecting you from prison, all the while making

you his slave again. He’ll get everything he wants the pups together.

T

you and

“I’m going to take care of everything, of you and the pups.” Ethan vowed, making the knot of fear writhing

in Jane’s chest constrict even more tightly. “You have my word.”

Outside the door, the pups listened with their keen ears pressing to the wood, their puzzle completely

abandoned in the other room. They didn’t really understand everything that was happening, but they

understood Petra hadn’t just gone away on her own, and they knew the word “arrest” was very bad.

More than anything else, their sensitive instincts were picking up every ounce of Jane’s fear and

sadness, as well as all of Ethan’s tension and anger.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Eric.” Jane was saying now, “I’m just so anxious about all this aggression

between you. It’s not good for the pups.”

―

“It’s okay.” Ethan answered, “And I know, I’m worried too – about all this. Kids are like sponges, they

sense something wrong no matter how hard we try to shield them from it.” The sound of soft movements

inside was punctuated by a heavy exhale from Jane, and a few smacks in quick succession like Ethan

was pressing a series of kisses to her skin. “Come on. Baby.” He encouraged a moment later, “Let me

finish dinner.

Why don’t you go have a nice long bath and try to relax.”

As the sounds of their parents drew further away into the master bath, the pups dashed back down the

hall to talk about what they’d discovered. “What was the mean man saying ’bout

ev… ev.. evdence? Parker asked.

Riley scanned the kitchen, seeing her mother’s phone abandoned on the counter. She dashed over and

grabbed the device, returning to the living area and typing a very badly spelled version of the word into

google. Luckily auto-correct. saved her, and a moment later the definition was staring up at

her from the screen. “It means proof of a crime.”

“Try googling Granny now.” Paisley suggested “They’re not telling us ‘nything. I don’t undstand how she

just went away.”

“It says she was murdered.” Riley reads in a horrified tone.

“Murdered?” Parker murmured, “like on those grown up TV

shows?”

“It means when someone kills someone else.” Riley ex plained, reading the second definition off the

screen.

“And they think Mommy did it.” Ryder summarized. “They think Mommy killed Granny.”

“That’s why Mommy’s so upset.” Parker frowned, “murdr ers on TV go to jail.”

“They were talking ’bout Eve.” Riley reminded them. “I bet she’s the one who did it, and she’s fwaming

Mommy.”

“We have to stop her.” Parker decided, “we stopped her once already, we can do it ‘gain.”

it?”

“You’re right.” Ryder agreed, “but how’re we going to do

“We can go to the police and tell them she didn’t do it.” Parker suggested.

“They won’t b’lieve us.” Riley stated promptly, shaking her head. “Grown ups never b’lieve anything they

can’t see with their eyes.”

“So we need proof.” Parker nodded, “but it won’t be easy

to get.’

While Riley, Ryder and Parker murmured amongst them selves, overcome with worry, Paisley sat back

on her heels.

She knew Jane was innocent just as much as the others, but as they began discussing ideas to try and

help her somehow, Paisley could only feel overwhelmed. Everything in her life was changing so much so

fast. A month ago she was awaiting surgery with no clue she had a mother or siblings; now they were all

there, her grandmother was gone, her greatest tor mentor had disappeared after trying to kill her multiple

times, and everyone around her was constantly scared and angry.

There was also one question she simply couldn’t get out of her young mind. She loved being with her

Mommy and the other pups so much but why hadn’t they been together all along? Why were Mommy

and Daddy playing hide ‘n’ seek all that time instead of staying together like all her friends par ents? Why

did Mommy leave her and keep the others? Didn’t she want her?

—

So when she heard the bedroom door open again and Ethan walking back down the hall, she jumped up

to meet him. Paisley ran right up to him with her arms raised over her head, and Ethan instantly scooped

her up the same way he’d done a thousand times before. His mother used to scold him for car rying

Paisley all the time, convinced he would spoil the little girl. However, now more than ever, he was

determined to show her and soak up as much affection as he could in these precious years when she

wanted to be with him constantly. Besides he figured that if a child had to be spoiled with some thing it

should be love, rather than material items.

“What’s up buttercup?” He asked with a smile.

“Daddy I has to ask you a question.” She announced, her little face scrunched up in a frown exactly like

the one Jane had been sporting a few minutes before. “A serious question.”

“Okay.” Ethan agreed, putting on his listening face. “Is ev erything okay?”

Taking a deep breath, Paisley gazed up into her Father’s loving face, and finally voiced the question that

had been

haunting her from the very first day she met Jane outside Eve s atelier. “Did Mommy leave cuz she didn’t

want me?”