LOGINI couldn't move. I couldn't say anything. I just stared at him, my mouth slightly agape.He smiled slyly, clearly enjoying the sight of me in this state of utter confusion. He looked almost pleased with himself, like finding me after all these years was some sort of game he'd finally won.I shook off my initial shock, forcing myself to calm down. I wasn't going to let this monster have the same control over me again. Not after four years of surviving him. Not after everything I'd gone through to build a life away from Westrose, away from the pack, away from him.Besides, I had something more than myself to protect now."Fuck off."He let out a laugh, like I'd just told him the funniest joke in the world. A few patrons turned to look at us. I immediately put on a polite smile, silently reassuring them that everything was fine. After a moment, they returned to their books, laptops, and conversations.I wasn't fine, though. Not even close.I stared at him, meeting his eyes with my arms c
After Sammie had freshened up, we both headed back to the café.He had changed into a comfortable pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and his hair was still slightly damp from his bath. He had also insisted on bringing his toy train along, despite my telling him that he could play with it when we got home.Apparently, that was a negotiation I wasn't going to win.He sat beside me, moving the little train along the seat and making occasional noises to imitate its engine. I watched him for a moment, smiling at how easily he entertained himself.Then he spoke.“A man came to me today.”The words came out of nowhere.I turned my head towards him. “What?”“A man came to me today,” he repeated, still playing with his train. “He said he was your friend.”My smile disappeared.I felt my heart speed up, and suddenly, the air inside the car seemed too thick. I loosened my grip on the steering wheel and tried to keep my expression neutral.“What man?” I asked.I didn't want to sound alarmed.“He said
“Mommy!”I barely had time to turn before a small body came rushing towards me. Sammie threw his arms around my legs, nearly knocking me off balance. His hair was a mess, his schoolbag hung loosely from one shoulder, and his face was covered in the kind of excitement only a child could manage.I laughed and bent down to pick him up.“There's my little pup. How was school today?”“Good!” he answered immediately, wrapping his arms around my neck.“Really? What did you learn?”“Mrs Howard taught us how to spell our names.”“Oh, that's nice. Let's hear it.”He straightened in my arms, looking very pleased with himself. “S. A. M. M. E.”I stared at him for a moment before laughing.“Almost, baby. You forgot the I.”His expression changed. He looked genuinely offended by the discovery that his name had another letter hiding in it.“I'll get it next time,” he announced.“I know you will.”He nodded seriously, his brows furrowing in concentration, then he rested his head against my shoulder.
That night, while having dinner, I broke the news to Walter."I'm pregnant."He froze for a moment, then pushed his chair back and stood. Without saying anything, he walked over and pulled me into a hug.I hugged him back.After a few seconds, he sat down again.David had suggested an abortion earlier.I didn't want that.Something inside me wanted to keep the baby. Maybe it was the part of me that missed home. Maybe it was because this baby was the only thing I had left that connected me to my old life. Or maybe there was another reason I couldn't explain yet.Whatever it was, I didn't want to let go.Walter nodded slowly when I told him."Well, we're gonna figure this out, lass. It's gonna be okay."I nodded.Now I had another problem.I had to tell them I was leaving without exposing my past.They had been kind to me. Kinder than most people had ever been.I didn't want to drag them into my mess.After dinner, we all gathered in the living room. I sat on the floor while Walter and
I woke up the next morning with a headache. Not the kind that came from staying up too late or forgetting to drink water. This one felt like someone had spent the entire night tightening a band around my skull. I lay there staring at the ceiling, exhausted. The dream from last night wouldn't leave me alone. Magnus. The cloaked figures. The blood. That thing being pulled from my stomach.I rubbed my face and forced myself out of bed.Downstairs, I found David sitting in the living room with his newspaper spread across his lap. He had reading glasses perched low on his nose, making him look like one of those serious human intellectuals from the books I had been reading. Walter was nowhere in sight."Morning," David said without looking up."Morning.""How'd you sleep?"I paused. "Fine."He lowered the newspaper slightly and looked at me. I knew immediately that he didn't believe me.I walked toward the kitchen before he could ask anything else."Vee."I stopped."We need to talk about
All through the day, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease.It was there when I woke up. It followed me while I brushed my teeth. It sat beside me during breakfast, and somehow, it managed to follow me all the way to work.I tried as much as possible to ignore the pit in my stomach. I told myself it was probably nothing. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe the panic attack from yesterday had left me a little shaken.Or maybe I was finally losing my mind.I tried reading, but I kept reading the same line over and over again without actually processing a single word. I'd read a sentence, read it again, then realize I had no idea what I'd just read.I sighed and closed the book. Maybe I should just go home."David wants you to take out the trash," Rebecca said from nowhere.I jumped so hard I sent my book flying across the room."Fuck. You scared me.""Someone's jumpy today." She said it with a mischievous smile."Burger off.""Tsk. Whatever. Just take out the trash.""You take it out. I'm bu







