Jane“You’re lying!” The sales woman immediately argues. “Elise Carrington is one of the wealthiest women in the world. She would never set a foot outside in such drab clothes.”Glancing down at my jeans and fitted black top, I press my hand to my cheek in faux shock, “How strange!” I exclaim, “I was sure I’d worn my ball gown today. I always try to be as uncomfortable as possible when I fly.”The women’s faces scrunch up in confusion. Clearly they don’t understand sarcasm. “I was traveling today.” I drawl derisively, “I’m rich, not crazy.”“What you are, is a liar!” The indignant she-wolf accuses, turning towards her colleague with the phone. “Call security right now.”“As I said, I know what my perfumes smell like, and this is a fake - as is the one you’re wearing.” I add calmly"That's not possible!” She objects swiftly. “My boyfriend bought this for me last year, and he spent thousands of dollars." She eagerly called the security guard over, "Get this liar out of here!""Suit your
Riley doesn’t own a dress like that, and even if she did, she’s with Linda and her brothers across town. It can only mean one thing. Paisley. Paisley is every bit as perfect as I always imagined. Linda has helped me keep up with everything happening in my daughter’s life over the years, sending plenty of photos illustrating how much she’s grown, but nothing compares to seeing her in the flesh. I can scarcely believe this is real. Only, Paisley doesn’t look quite like she did in the last pictures I received. She’s pale and thin, her heart condition is clearly costing her dearly, sapping her strength and energy. My heart aches for my young daughter, and my pain deepens when Paisley gazes up at me with wide eyes, her plump lower lip quivering. “I can’t find my Daddy.” Kneeling down to her eye level, I graze my knuckles across her soft cheek. “Don’t worry, little one. We’ll find your Daddy.” My daughter leans forward and wraps her tiny arms around my neck without hesitation, hugging
Ethan All the air in my lungs leaves in a great whoosh. “What did you say?” Paisley looks up at me with wide, green eyes the exact shade of her mother’s. My daughter inherited my bronze skin and dark hair, but she’s Jane’s perfect miniature in every other way. Sometimes the resemblance is so great it actually hurts to look at her. Maybe that’s why I imagined she said she was with her Mommy. I was thinking about Jane, so I conjured the words in my head. Except when Paisley answers me, she repeats the same impossible phrase. “I met Mommy today. She found me and bought me pancakes. She shrugs innocently. “And then she gave me to Ms Linda to bring home.” Linda. I think, the name ringing a bell in the back of my mind. Wasn’t that the name of Jane’s maid of honor at our wedding? When I don’t answer, Paisley slides her hand into my pocket, retrieving my wallet. She flips the leather pouch open, pointing to the picture in the main photo slot. Jane’s beautiful face smiles up at us from the
Jane “She was so perfect.” I moan, taking a sip of wine while Linda listens sympathetically. “I wanted to run away with her then and there.” “It’s a good thing you didn’t.” My friend advises. We’re out on her front porch, enjoying a late afternoon cocktail and discussing the shocking events of the day. “It was risky enough just spending time with her. If you took her, Ethan would hunt you to the ends of the earth.” “I’m going to have to figure out a way to take her eventually. She belongs with me, with her siblings.” I insist, feeling positively overwhelmed after everything that’s happened over the last few days. “We’ll figure it out.” Linda assures me. “For now we should just be thankful he didn’t figure out you’re alive.” “What if he did?” I ask anxiously. “Honey, you have to trust the death certificate the coroner forged for us was enough.” Linda reminds me, “We covered our bases. You’re safe.” “There’s no such thing as safe when it comes to alphas.” I remind her. “That kind
The waitress recounts her transaction with Jane’s lookalike as my eyes stay locked on the screen. Fuck. Why won’t it load faster! “She was beautiful, and very friendly. I wish all customers were like her.” She gushes, “She bought a box of cookies and asked if she could use the service exit, because she parked in the side street. The young woman glances back and forth between her manager and me, uncertainty painting her features. “Was that wrong?” “No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” I assure her, trying to keep my voice gentle even though her decision has actually inconvenienced me greatly. If only she’d said no! The blonde would have been forced to walk out the front, right past me. “Have you ever seen her before?” Unfortunately the waitress is too young to have been working here when Jane and I were married, but maybe she’s seen her on other occasions. “I’m sorry, no.” She replies. “I think she was from out of town.” “Why do you say that?” I question sharply. “Well, she said she
“What?” I prompt, trying to remember how to breathe. My wolf is in a frenzy, positively trembling with fear. “He seemed different.” Linda shares, “He looked like he was really suffering, like he was desperate for you to be alive. It truly seemed like he cared about you… I think maybe he’s changed.” Where fear consumed me moments before, now anger floods my senses. Linda and I never fight, but I can’t believe her audacity. She knows better than anyone what Ethan put me through, and now it seems like she’s forgetting it, simply because he put on a good show as the grieving widower. “Linda, if he’s sad I’m gone, it’s for one reason and one reason only.” I snap, “Because he misses having a personal sex toy. He misses having a mindless omega whose body he can control, who can’t deny him even if they wanted to.” I open my mouth to continue, but Linda holds up a staying hand. “Please hear me out, Jane. If not for you, then for the other pups.” She beseeches, sounding truly distressed. “Yo
Ethan Following the direction of Paisley’s pointing finger, I scan the crowded courtyard for my daughter’s look alike. Despite my best efforts, I don’t see anyone fitting her description. I believe Paisley saw a child who resembled her, but it seems like she’s gone now. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I don’t see her.” Paisley drags her expectant gaze from my face, looking back across the mall. Her little face scrunches up in disappointment when she too fails to find the child in question. “Daddy, I swear. She looked exactly like me! Maybe she’s my sister!” Chuckling warmly, I tug my pup towards the theater entrance. “I know you want a sister, my love, but your mommy only gave birth to you.” “No, daddy, that was my sister.” She insists stubbornly. “I decided!” This is not the first time my daughter has invented an imaginary sibling or invisible friend to play with, after all, don’t all children at this age? I know it’s no use arguing, and I don’t want to stifle her creativity. Instead I s
“No one, my love.” Jane lied, pulling out her phone to text Linda. Linda arrived soon and they went to a more secluded restaurant. Jane felt relieved to have her friend near but the real relief was that Riley let the question go. Still, her heart ached knowing how poor Paisley must be feeling. Her little voice echoed in Jane's head, crying out for Jane and her sister. Jane wished she could go back and sweep the little girl away this instant, but she knew it was impossible. She had to be patient. She had to wait until the time was right. -- “I’m sure it was our Daddy.” Riley insists, relating the strange events in the restaurant to her brothers. “The little girl who looked like me said I was her sister, and the man looked just like you - only growned up!” “But how do we find him?” Parker questions, working the problem over in his mind. “We could ask Auntie Linda?” Ryder suggests, “I bet she knows.” “Mommy won’t like it.” Riley cautions, “She didn’t wanna tell me ‘bout Daddy at a