12 years agoElara.(Vanessa's mom) The smell of fresh dough still lingered in the air that night. I remember it vividly, the warmth of the oven, the soft giggle of my little girl as she dusted flour across her tiny nose, and the way her dark curls bounced every time she moved.That was our world small, peaceful, filled with laughter that, for a moment, made me forget how dangerous things had become in our family.“Don’t put too much sugar, Mama!” Vanessa warned, her little hands planted on her hips. “You always make it too sweet.”I laughed softly. “That’s because I love sweet things,” I said, brushing my hand over her hair. “And because I love you.”She smiled up at me, her eyes full of light. The same light I would later search for in the ashes.The day had started like any other, but beneath the surface, something was terribly wrong. I could feel it, the air was heavy, too still. My husband, Alpha Roderick, had left early that morning, claiming he had urgent business at the counci
Last Updated : 2025-10-30 Read more