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Chapter 5 - Eli
I was excited and nervous when I set out to pick up Lilac351 this morning. I drove for 5 hours, thinking about what she might look like and how I would greet her. Would I hug her? Kiss her on the cheek? But never did I think I would be standing on the other side of the door staring at the one I let get away. She's beautiful. Her silky brown hair is tied in a ponytail with a few strands loose to frame her face. Her chocolate-brown eyes still make me stop.
I remember the first time I saw her. The peace talks took place in summer at the Twilight Meadows pack house, mainly because we had more space than the Clearwater pack. It was later in the evening, and the talks were put on hold until the next day. Our Alpha wasn’t making any progress in the meetings; neither wanted to budge, and the council representative was getting frustrated. I participated in the meetings because of my influence in the area and my money. Running a successful construction company and real estate agency put me in a very comfortable financial situation. So, after the talks, I needed a run; being cooped up in a house all day had put my wolf on edge. Instead of heading to the back of the pack house where food was being served and people were congregating by the fire, I shucked my clothes and headed into the woods. A few miles from the pack house, there is a large lake. I figured I would run there and get a drink, maybe even go for a swim, seeing as it was hotter than Hades out that day. But I didn’t expect to see the most gorgeous woman ever to exist. My wolf immediately knew she was our true mate. I shifted and came out of the woods. Being a shifter herself, she heard me as I exited. She turned around, and those stunning chocolate-brown eyes bore right into mine. The attraction was undeniable; my wolf was going nuts but all I could do was stand stock still and mutter ‘mate’ under my breath. I slowly walked over to her; the lake reflected the moon perfectly giving her an otherworldly glow, like an angel. I knew this was who Seluna had for me, and we made love under the moon that very night.
But the woman I saw then is not the woman I see now. She is still the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen, but she looks…tired and shocked. I never thought I would find my true mate here in this city, let alone find out I have a daughter. This is my family. Quinn is shaking in my arms, and I hold her tight, hoping the pressure helps her return from her vision. I knew she had this ability, but I’ve never seen someone go wholly rigid, a grey film covering their eyes. It feels like it takes forever for her to return to me, but I’m sure it's only a minute. When she tells me what she saw, my wolf and I decide we'll have to take out Jake to protect our family. Quinn is insane if she thinks I will let her and Maddie run off.
“No, you will come with me. I’m Alpha of the Twilight Meadows pack now; I will protect you, Quinn. You and our daughter.”
“It’s better if we run. Maybe Jake won’t be able to find us. I’ll go further this time.”
I cup her cheek and turn her head slightly to look at me, because I need her to understand. Her eyes are red from crying, and her lip shakes as she tries to take deep breaths.
“Breathe for me, lilac.” She’s startled at the nickname, but I can’t help it. Though I may not have known her back then, I have gotten to know her now.
“My biggest regret is letting you go. I won’t do it again, and certainly won’t let Jake Griswold get to you. If you run, you will always be running. Looking over your shoulder, wondering if he will find you. I have a lot of power and strength now. I’m Alpha of the Twilight Meadows pack. I can protect you and Maddie. Please let me protect you.”
I see the moment she gives up the fight. She falls into my chest, heaving out a breath. Just above a whisper, she says, “OK.”
“Mommy! Mommy! Pee! Pee!”
Quinn bolts upright and runs over to Maddie.
“Do you have to pee, baby!? OK, let’s get you to the bathroom.”
I straighten up as Quinn rushes Maddie off to the bathroom. Maddie…I have a daughter. She looks so much like my family. She looks so much like my mom. Everyone thought I looked like her; Dad always grumbled about how much we looked alike and acted similarly. I’m still hurt, though, that I missed so much of her life, time I will never get back. I’ll make it up to her. I’ll be the dad she deserves. Quinn returns with a happy Maddie holding her hand.
“I did it! I did it!”
I move over to where Maddie stands and kneel down to reach her level.
“Did you go pee like a big girl?”
“Yay!!”
“Good job! I’m so proud of you!” I stick my hand out to give her a high five, and she hits it happily. I look up to see Quinn watching us, and I see the apprehension in her eyes. She needs to tell Maddie I’m her dad…but I won’t force her hand. I want Maddie to know, but she doesn’t know me. I’m just some random person who has shown up. Standing to my full height, I nod to myself because I will find a way to prove I am who Quinn needs, and I will be the dad Maddie deserves.
“OK, girls, let’s get loaded up.”
The boxes Quinn asks me to load are light and far too few. A tightness in my chest remains as I put Maddie’s pack and play into the back of the SUV. She shouldn’t have had to struggle like this. I could have taken care of both of them. I understand that maybe she thought I wasn’t interested in her, which is untrue, but I deserved to know about Maddie. I need to look forward, I have them both now, and I won’t let this opportunity go. After Maddie’s car seat is strapped into the back seat and Quinn buckled in, I take off from the city. It’s a chilly autumn day, so the heat is on, and rock music plays quietly in the background. Quinn hasn’t said much to me since we left her apartment; she’s keeping her distance from me and avoiding eye contact. My curiosity gets the better of me, and I start asking questions.
“Why did you pick here?”
She waited a while before answering. I wasn’t even sure she would answer me.
“It was as far as I could go. My wolf ran as far as she could before the area got too populated. Then I found a bus station. I couldn’t get farther because it’s pricey, but I made it work. I didn’t have much stashed away while in the pack because I ‘worked’ for the pack, and Jake is a stingy bastard. He was likely trying to make it impossible for me to do anything or go anywhere, hoping I would choose him as a mate willingly.”
A growl gets stuck in my throat because he would do something underhanded to force a pack member to do what he wanted. I cough out the growl because I don’t want to scare Maddie. Quinn looks at me and smirks.
“Nice save, but she has heard me growl many times; even Paige has done it. Once, when we were over visiting Paige, Maddie had snuck into her bedroom and pulled out her drawers from her bedside table…where she kept her toys. Needless to say, Paige freaked out a little bit, but Maddie didn’t budge; she doesn’t scare so easily.” Quinn snorts at that and shows me a small smile.
“Paige. That must be your best friend.”
She rests her head on the headrest and looks out the front window.
“Yeh. She and I met at the grocery store I used to work at. After she graduated, she left the store and got a job at the hospital as a physiotherapist. She has been there for me and Maddie since the beginning. She was even there when Maddie was born…so I wouldn’t be alone.”
That rips my heart, knowing she had to go through all that alone, even if Paige was around. I squeeze the steering wheel slightly harder to redirect my sadness and frustration.
