EthanI feel like a terrible parent. I shouldn’t be able to find any happiness when my pups are in trouble, but hearing Jane say she loves me fills me with euphoria. I truly never believed I’d hear those words from her again – even if she felt them, I doubted she’d ever trust me enough to voice them. The guilt is almost as powerful as the pleasure, but then again, when everything else is too painful to bear, I suppose we have to find happiness anywhere we can.This settles it. I’d hoped to slowly win Jane over once we got the pups back, but now the only thing between us and our future together is bringing our babies home. As soon as we find the pups we can start fresh, they way things always should have been. I can give her everything I failed to in the past, and we can be a happy family at long last.I’m still kissing her, drinking her in and thinking that I’ll never get enough. She’s still crying too, but her tears don’t worry me so much now. I know they’re cathartic tears, her love
Jane“This is going to work, Jane.” Ethan promises. “We’re going to get to them first.”I’m having a hard time believing it. I want it to be true, but every near miss we experience sends me deeper and deeper into depression. I can’t live without my babies, I can’t survive this constant worry. I’m beginning to associate hope only with pain and disappointment. It doesn’t feel safe to hope anymore – I think it only invites heartbreak. After all, if I don’t hope, at least I won’t be surprised when my worst fears are proven to be real.The depression and woe makes me want to give up. To curl into a little ball and never get out of bed. Of course, I don’t have a bed to languish in, and if we stop moving we risk missing the pups or worse, being caught by the King. We drove through the night to reach the capital, resuming our disguises and trying to locate Eric. There hasn’t been any word from him, and knowing that Anita has the pups in her grasps doesn’t make me optimistic about his chances.
JaneI haven’t spoken to Ethan through the entire car ride to the capital. In fact, I was feeling so petty after he forced me to promise to leave him behind if the worst should happen, that I refused to sit next to him. Instead I climbed into the back seat and cuddled up to Linda, even knowing that I would be more likely to get car sick this way.I’ve felt Ethan’s eyes on me throughout the trip, watching me with the sharp focus of a worried mate, and it’s taken all of my willpower not to cave and speak to him – or perhaps more likely, crawl into his lap and cry. However thus far I’ve been able to hold out – letting him feel the depth of my anger and betrayal over his high-handed demand.After many hours on the road, we’ve finally arrived. Ethan parked the car outside of a small bed and breakfast, and Linda and I waited while he went inside to check for vacancies.“How are you doing?” My friend asks, squeezing my hand.“I don’t know.” I answer honestly. “I’m really beside myself Linda.
3rd Person“Can I see her photo again?” Linda asked Ethan, feeling more anxious the closer they drew to King Aimon’s palace.He offered her his phone, where Anita’s photo was plastered across the screen. “Text it to yourself. We have no idea how she’s going to try and smuggle them in, so keep your eyes sharp. They might not be visible at all.”“Just look for a bitch in leather.” Jane suggested fiercely. She’d memorized every inch of Anita’s photo on their journey, but she had a feeling the woman’s clothing would call more attention than anything else.“Okay.” Linda nodded, sending off a message so that her own phone binged in notification. “And if I see her?”“Call us, and don’t let her out of your sight.” Ethan instructed.“What if she goes past the palace gates, we can’t exactly walk inside.” Linda murmured.“We have to play it by ear.” Ethan frowned. “If we can catch her before she gets that close, we will.”“And if not?” Jane asked, wringing her hands.“Then we’ll find a way to sn
EthanI think I’m going crazy.This waiting is interminable. I’m worried about my pups, worried about my mate – furious at the Goddess for doing this to us. I might understand if I was the only one who was suffering – I’ve certainly been no saint in the past. But Jane and the children don’t deserve this.I’ve been staring at my phone, waiting for Jane to respond to my last message, when I hear the first explosions.The fireworks! I thought, knowing this could only mean one thing. They were coming from Jane’s gate, which means she must have sight of the pups. I jump up from the table where I’ve been losing at chess for the last few hours, forgetting my pretense of being an old man as I take off in her direction.The elderly man scattered throughout the little park look up at me in shock, but I don’t have time for excuses or explanations. If Jane has eyes on the pup, she needs me. I’m painfully aware of how desperate she’s become, not that I blame her. I was praying that Anita would com
JaneI dream of Ethan.I dream of our last night together, before he made me promise him anything – when we were just two people in love, sharing our passion in the most natural way. The vision is surreal and wonderful at once, and my hazy thoughts are reluctant to return to reality. I keep myself trapped in the dream, only for it to change, transforming into a nightmare where I’m all alone, and running towards a finish line I won’t ever reach.No, I think, fighting the visions assailing my slumbering mind. Go back, don’t take Ethan from me now, I only just got him back.I’m still tossing and turning, fighting the twists and turns of my mind, when a new sound reaches my ears. “Why hasn’ she woked up yets?” A little voice asks.“I dunno, maybe she just really needs a nap.” Another replies.“But what if ‘Nita really hurted her?” The third voice is barely more than a whisper, and the next thing I know, I’m hurtling back into consciousness.My pups! I surge up into a sitting position, sca
JaneI’ve never met a King before.I’m not sure what I expected – a fancy throne? An old man in a crown and fur lined cape? A golden scepter? King Aimon doesn’t fulfill any of these expectations. Instead I find a middle aged man in simple clothing, seated in a private parlor in the Palace’s East Wing. The pups and I are herded inside by his guards, but I stop in the doorway, not wanting to move any closer to our captor.The room is set up as if a tea party is about to be held, with a steaming china kettle and an array of snacks on silver trays. Normally I would have my hands full having to hold the pups back from all the cakes and sweets, but they’re all cowering safely behind me, not trusting this strange situation.The King rises to his feet as the door closes behind us.“Well I can certainly see why you turned my feckless son’s head.” Aimon says by way of greeting. The words aren’t a compliment – he says them entirely without feeling or emotion, and his face is an expressionless mas
EthanI only stop long enough to tie up the guards I fought, swipe their uniforms and pick up Linda. I can’t stop picturing Jane being loaded into the back of that van, the ruthless way Anita fought her, the frightened cries of my pups. The images play over and over again in my mind, driving me half mad with fear, fury and self-loathing.I’m so angry with myself for letting Jane come along on this trip. This is precisely why I shouldn’t have given in to my wolf. I never should have split us up either, but I didn’t know what else to do given the gate situation. Goddess, I hope she’s alright. I’ll do anything, give anything, for her and the pups to be home safe again. As usual my prayers are met only with silence, but I can only hope the Goddess is too busy looking after my family to respond at the moment. I don’t know how I’m going to get them back: I have no idea where they’re being kept in the palace, but for once I might actually be able to track them in this rain-soaked kingdom.“