Chapter 197
Chapter 197
“Did they….” The thought sickened me, “Did they touch her?”
“I don’t think so, not in that way at least.” Damien tells me. “I have asked as gently as I can in several ways. The most I think they did was watch her crawl around like a dog, lapping water from a bowl. Throwing food at her. Made her sleep in the cold. Though she did have a few bruises.”
“Her parents?”
“There were no other Wolves there. Everyone Salem killed was human.” He sighs, “She was likely there for years. She’s six and she has spent most of her life chained up. Honestly, I’m surprised she isn’t more feral.”
I was six when all my problems started. Imagine being younger and not even understanding what is happening to you.
“You brought her here because of me.” I mutter, looking at the sleeping pup in his arms
“Yes.” He doesn’t even hesitate with his answer
“What about Salem? He will come right back here.” Raven mutters
“I figured she would be safer surrounded by Wolves and Lycans than humans. At least this way, she has a chance of learning who she is. Can you imagine her being with humans and then suddenly unable to control her shift.”
His response takes me right back to Devon. I shake the thought away because who knows how much of what he told me was actually true..
“Okay.” I mutter.
“Thank you, Neah, you won’t regret it.”
Damiens eyes drift to Raven. She hadn’t said a lot. “Dane, do you mind holding Dottie so I can spend some time with my mate. We have things to discuss.”
“She’s your responsibility Damien.” Dane warns him
“He will.” I interrupt.
Dane glances at me and rolls his crimson eyes as he holds his arms out to Damien. Dorothy snuggles into Dane and something about him holding her makes my heart explode.
He looks alarmed as he stares at me. “Are you okay?”
I smile at him and nod. Maybe everything will be alright.
****
Dane sets Dorothy up on a small fold out bed in our bedroom. Damien and Raven are still busy and it is getting late.
He had missed another pack run, deciding not to go after tonights antics.
Dorothy is still asleep when he lowered her onto the bed. He tucks the blanket up around her and makes sure the little teddy bear is with her too. I don’t know how long I had been asleep before the whimpering started. I sit up, flicking on the bedside light. Dane is already getting out of bed to check on Dorothy. He wasn’t particularly happy as he had to wear shorts to bed.
She lashes out as he tries to reassure her, her fingers catching his face. Small scratches disappear from his cheek as quickly as they appeared. Making my way over, Dane tells me to stand back.
“She’s not aware it’s you.” I mutter, seeing how tightly her eyes are closed. Beads of sweat hover along her hair line. She starts to cry, repeatedly calling out for ‘Daddy’.
“Dorothy,” I speak softly. “Dorothy, it’s Neah, you are safe.”
“Daddy!” She screams at the top of her lungs and our bedroom door is nearly knocked down by Damien.
Her cries settle into quiet sobs as he pulls her into his arms, muttering softly to her.
“Say what you want, Damien, but you’ve just become a Dad.” Dane smirks at him.
****
Raven paces my room, she was starting to move little better and the limp wasn’t so obvious. “What am I supposed to do Neah? He was gone for a month and he brought another woman back with him.”
“A kid.” I mutter. It was far too early for me to be dealing with this.
“I’m not ready to be a mother. I thought he would come back and we would have the best sex session to date but no, he brings someone else back.” “Again, it’s a six year old.”
“I can’t compete with that.”
“I don’t think he is expecting you to compete. You are his mate.”
“She calls him Daddy.”
“I am aware.”
“It’s fucking insane.”
“It’s not. Not really. He saved her from a terrifying scenario. One that could probably get ten times worse as she got older. He protected her, like a father should.” Not like my father.
“I’m jealous of a six year old!” She groans, settling on the big chair by the window.
“Pretty much. At the end of the day, she is more like you than Damien. She will need help guiding her and understanding that she is a Wolf. Damien won’t be able to do all of that. Just let her settle in. Give her time.”
She nods her head, “Look at you being all understanding.”
“I know what it’s like to fear each day.”