Chapter 07. Once Again

BELLADONNA

“Emerie Scarlett.”

I spoke into the phone, ignoring Noah’s arched eyebrows and his subtle confused look.

“You guys better give me some good news,” I added, gripping the phone tighter.

“It’s been over twenty-four hours since we sent out the amber alert, but we still haven’t found any clues,” the officer’s fake sympathetic voice made me regret answering the call.

“Seriously? That's all you can do?” I snapped. All I heard was a sigh from the other end. I glanced at Noah again, he was listening too, even though he was pretending not to.

“Look, Ms. Scarlett, without any lead, we can't do anything either. Even the SVU unit has gotten involved, but they're tied up with a more urgent case.”

My eyebrows twitched. My hands gripped the edge of the counter. Damn corrupt bastards. Just because they had a more high-profile case to show off, they were now ignoring my children?

Ryder was right. These human cops were completely useless. And I had taken a huge risk by revealing my identity to the public by contacting them.

“We'll contact you if there are any updates, ” the officer added as I seethed with anger.

Without saying a word, I ended the call and placed my phone on the countertop, letting out a long, weary sigh.

“I was wrong to expect help from those human officers, ” I admitted to Noah with a heavy heart.

He gave me a worried look. “They don't know anything about our world. The resources they have aren't enough.”

I clutched my hair, nearly crying again. But I didn't want to break down here.

“So, Emerie Scarlett, huh?” Noah asked teasingly to break the uncomfortable silence in the kitchen. “That's why we couldn't find you. You've got this whole new personality.”

“And a new life. Until Ryder came back and ruined it.” I scoffed.

Noah shook his head. “In my opinion, this was fate. What if you lost your children without meeting the alpha? I can’t imagine it. What do you think you could have done?”

My tongue was tied. I couldn’t argue anymore. Noah leaned back, silent for a moment. His cheerfulness turned into a cold seriousness.

“You’re not safe here anymore,” he said again, this time without his bubbly smile. “In the Ambersky pack, you can get proper protection. You’re too exposed here.”

I crossed my arms, looking away. “The problem is, I don't know if I'm ready to go back there,” I muttered bitterly. “It's been ten years.”

It'd been a long time since I'd given up my life as a pack member. Now as a rogue, I'd also learned to suppress my own wolf powers. I couldn't remember the last time I'd heard her voice in my mind.

There was a price to pay for protecting my identity.

The front door opened. Ryder stood in the doorway, but he wasn’t alone. Behind him, Mrs. Cooper stepped slowly through the door.

“Noah, need to talk. Outside.” Ryder spoke curtly before turning around.

“That’s my cue.” Noah rose from his chair, smiled gently at me, and followed his Alpha out.

I watched Mrs. Cooper approach. Usually, I would greet her as usual. But now I just stood silently in the kitchen.

“Emerie,” Mrs. Cooper called in her characteristically warm tone. The eyes behind her glasses conveyed the gentleness and wisdom I often admired.

“Please, take a seat,” I murmured faintly.

We sat at the dining table in silence. Mrs. Cooper coughed. When I offered her a drink, she just shook her head.

“Honestly, I don't know how to face you.” She began, “I can't stop thinking about Mary, Iris, and Andy.”

My chest tightened. She reached out to hold my hand. Tears welled up in my eyes.

“I understand that you don't want to hear this right now.” He looked at me with guilt. “I'm sorry, Emerie. I shouldn't have let strangers take them. I'm sorry for my old brain not thinking straight.”

Oh, Goddess. Her apology pierced my heart. It wasn't her fault, and I was ashamed that I had secretly blamed her negligence last night.

“I know it doesn’t help. I know saying ‘sorry’ doesn’t bring them back. But from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. I failed you.”

I squeezed her hand. “Don’t beat yourself up over this, Mrs. Cooper. I’m far more to blame for not being a good mother.”

Mrs. Cooper shook her head. “No, don’t say that to yourself. You’re a wonderful mother to them.”

We shared our sadness here. Her grip on my hand grounded me better than Noah's words. Mrs. Cooper never turned her back on me whenever I needed help. She was very precious to me.

“I assume you know that fine gentleman?” asked Mrs. Cooper, smiling softly as she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. She gestured toward the front door.

I gave her a wry smile. “Why did you think that?”

“Because he seems to care so much about you,” she explained. A spark of honesty shone in her eyes. “He doesn’t say much, but when he talks, he’s always asking about you and your children.”

She explained that, as it turned out, while I was talking to Noah, Ryder had knocked on her apartment door. He spent about twenty minutes listening to her talk about everything she knew about my life.

The skeptical part of me doubted it, believing Ryder was just being polite. But the small voice I often ignored whispered something else.

That Ryder still cared about me.

“I appreciate your opinion, Mrs. Cooper.” I gave her a forced smile. “Yes, I know him. He offered to help. But I don't trust him anymore. Not like I used to.”

She looked at me as if she could see right through me. “I don't know your history, and I understand that there's more to it than meets the eye.”

She nodded. Before I could deny it, she continued, “Sure, Emerie. You don’t have to trust him. But let him help you. Let anyone help you. Because what matters right now is getting those children home. Safe. That’s the only thing that matters, right?”

My hands clenched on the table. This wasn’t any of her business, but because of her kind heart, she was willing to persuade me like this. And Ryder did tend to have that effect, making people trust him easily.

“Yeah… you’re right,” I said, so Mrs. Cooper would stop worrying about me.

But she would, when she later found out that I wouldn't be living here anymore. She was the only neighbor I knew during my time on the run. It would be selfish of me to suddenly go radio silent.

I helped her stand up from the chair, then opened the front door.

“Oh... Mrs. Cooper?”

She looked up. “Yes?”

"I think this was the last time we talked. Because they’re asking me to go back to my old city.” My voice trembled with uncertainty. And Mrs. Cooper noticed it.

“Aren’t you excited?”

I shook my head. This time, more honest. “Not really. I’m still preparing myself.”

“You’re a good person, Emerie. I believe goodness will come to you soon.” She stroked my cheek with warmth.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cooper.”

I watched her leave my apartment. She paused briefly to chat with Noah and Ryder in the hallway, who treated her with great respect.

I hugged myself, my nails digging into my upper arms. My eyes didn’t leave Ryder. The pain that had been throbbing in my chest slowly faded, replaced by a feeling I wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

I had often imagined this moment. What I would say, do, decide, when I finally met Ryder again. But when it actually happened, I was too blinded by panic and anger over the situation.

I took a shaky breath. My mind was a little clearer.

Let’s set aside these silly feelings and Ryder. I’d use every resource he had to bring my triplets back into my arms.

Even if that meant I had to be obedient and improvise.

I turned and went inside. With determination, I stuffed all my clothes into the suitcase. When Ryder and Noah came back to my apartment, I was waiting.

“I’m ready.”