Preston squares up to him. “This proves that you are nothing but an ignorant little kid, just like I thought you were. If she were to become your Luna, do you seriously think she or Aiden would trust you after what you have done?”
I hear snapping, a crack, and an almighty roar, and I do not understand what is happening. Then right before my eyes the man-child Ellis transforms into a menacing, snarling sandy blonde… wolf?
I must have fainted because when I come back to, a dark grey wolf holds the sandy blonde wolf by the scruff of his neck.
A wave of ease fills my heart and I find that confusing seeing as I have just witnessed two people transform into wolves right in front of me. However, calm replaces fear, a comfortable and soothing calm that I have never felt before.
A familiar voice penetrates my senses. “Would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on down here?”
The passionate, emerald, green eyes of Aiden Goldrick locks with mine and I see his alarm. This is a shock to him too.
“Who dared to mistreat my mate?” He barely whispers his question and yet the hairs on my arms all stand on end and I shiver of fear runs down my spine.
“Gamma Ellis had her bound down here, Alpha,” Amber the redhead tells him. “He said he was returning your property.”
The gut-wrenching roar emanating from Aiden makes my toes curl in fright. Oh my word, how did I ever think of him as kind and genteel? He is terrifying. Everyone else in the room apart from me is on their knees with their heads bowed.
“Beta Preston, imprison him… away from Eva.” He remembers my name. He called me his mate and remembers my name and he seems indignant on my behalf. I cannot believe he actually remembers me.
Aiden walks towards my cell. “Eva, I am so sorry.” He holds out a hand to me, but I back up; I am scared and I am not sure who to trust.
“Please, I won’t tell a soul, please just let me go back to my baby.” A scowl darkens Aiden’s face. Maybe I should just agree with everything he says so I can leave.
“You call your husband ‘baby’?”
The change of questioning throws me but I answer firmly.
“No, I call my daughter my baby. I don’t give a shit if I never see my husband again, but if anything has happened to my baby, I will bring the lot of you down. I promise you that right now.”
*** Summer ***
Oooo, it smells good, like strawberries and pancakes. But the lady keeps looking at me and smiling and I do not want to smile yet.
I miss my mummy; my mummy smiles a lot and sings songs, and we have fun. I miss my dollies and my teddy bears but mostly I miss mummy.
My jammies are all wrong and my bed was too big and there is no light. Mummy always leaves a light for me so the monsters cannot get me, but the lady says, “Shush and time for sleeps.” She didn’t do story time either.
The lady puts the pancake in front of me, but she doesn't cut it like mummy does. “Don’t cry sweetheart, we are going to take good care of you.”
“I want my mummy”.
*** Aiden ***
As I try to approach Eva, she backs up away from me as much as the cuffs allow her. She looks badly beaten and my heart feels hollow at the sight of her injuries. How will I ever get her to agree to be mine now? She will never want to see me again after this and I do not blame her.
"I just want to release you and get you back to where you belong. Back to your baby. I am so sorry; I will ensure Ellis is stripped of every accolade for this and he will face trial for bringing you harm and upset."
Tears form in her eyes and I want nothing more than to take her in my arms and comfort her and apologise for bringing this agony into her life.
I order everyone else out, although I know Amber and Preston will hover about until I give them the all clear. Amber places the keys to the cuffs in my hands and taps me encouragingly on my shoulder as she leaves. Preston follows her, his clothes are all torn from shifting.
"Eva, I am going to walk towards you, I am going to unlock the cuffs, ok?" She gives me a small nod, so I approach her. Her scent overwhelms my senses and Roman, although angry at her current presentation, is in raptures that we are here alone with our mate.
I unlock one cuff and it pains me to see her beautiful porcelain skin marred by angry red welts and without thinking, I kiss her wrist. Her breath catches in her throat and her eyes are as wide as dinner plates.
"Will you ever forgive me for this, Eva? Will you ever be able to look past this?"
I unlock the second cuff and kiss the red marks on the second wrist too and when I look back into her eyes it pleases me to see her pupils have dilated.
"I know you have a lot of questions, and I know your priority right now is with your child not with me, but I need to know, Eva. I need to know if this...us... is this ever a possibility?"
She takes a deep breath and opens her mouth but then closes it again. "I know this wasn't you, you didn't bring me here. And you are right, my priority is with my child; my priority will always be my child. I guess what I am saying is until I have my daughter safe and sound, I cannot even think about anything else. Not you, not me, not us. Just Summer."
I nod my acceptance of her explanation. "Tell me how I can help you."
'I just need to get my daughter. You can release me, let me go so I can go to her. I promise whatever I have witnessed here will never leave my lips."
I link Preston and ask him to arrange for my car to be brought around to the front of the pack.
I have a mission. I have to make Eva happy, and the source of that happiness is a little girl called Summer.