Chapter 170


    Chapter 170: Fishing for Information


    Moana


    “If you don’t mind me asking, what made Edrick suddenly decide to have a public rtionship and


    announce you as E’s biological mother?”


    My eyes widened at Ethan’s sudden question. It was rather unexpected and, despite the gentle and


    curious tone of voice he used and the innocent redness in his soft cheeks, I found his question


    downright creepy. After everything that had happened with Ethan both leading up to and during thest


    party when he kissed me without my consent, I didn’t think for a moment that any sort of question like


    that wasn’t loaded in some way or another. The fact alone that he suddenly showed up at my ce of


    work — and I didn’t even fully know how he knew that I worked here yet — was enough of a cause for


    concern.


    “Um… I mean, I am pregnant with his child,” I responded with a bit of a nervousugh, and gestured at


    my belly — which had grown a bit since Ist saw Ethan and now couldn’t be hidden terribly well under


    my dress. “It was the most logical thing to do, I guess.”


    Ethan nodded slowly, but didn’t answer right away. He then pushed himself up off of the desk he was


    leaning on and walked over to a corkboard that I had on the wall, which disyed some of my students’


    artwork. He studied it carefully, and seemed to be thinking. I noticed that his eyesnded on something


    that E drew, and I knew that he knew that it was her drawing because her name was on it in big,


    crooked letters. He continued staring at it for a few moments, which made me oddly ufortable,


    before he turned back to face me and smiled.


    “Well, I’m d that you two figured something out that works for you,” he said. He paused, licking his


    lips. “It’s just… I don’t know. Edrick was always part of the whole anti-human crowd. So much has


    changed about him recently. I mean, I was already surprised enough when he wanted you to live with


    him and keep the baby, but to announce a public rtionship with a human and to im that you’re


    E’s biological mother—”


    “What’s your point, Ethan?” I asked, feeling myself getting more agitated. Part of me wanted to snap at


    him and tell him that I wasn’t even a human, but I didn’t feelfortable disclosing that information to


    him.


    Ethan shrugged. “Nothing, really. Well… That’s a lie, actually.” He let out a wry chuckle. I folded my


    arms across my chest, trying to make him aware that I was losing patience without outright telling him


    off, but he didn’t seem to notice. “I’m only curious because I thought that there was something special


    about you, Moana. I could sense it on you. Maybe Edrick already knows, or maybe he doesn’t realize it


    — maybe you yourself don’t even realize it — but I just want to say that if you happen to need any help


    figuring out your lineage, or anything like that, I’d be happy to help you out with it.”


    I tried to hide my shock. Was Ethan being truthful, or was he just pulling my leg? Either way, it felt as


    though he was fishing for information, and it filled me with difort.


    “Thanks, but I’m fine,” I replied. “And I’m not sure if you know this, but Kelly did hire Rogues to attack


    me. Edrick had to save me. So if you’re wondering why we suddenly decided to have a public


    rtionship, then maybe it was because that whole terrible ordeal traumatized both of us so much that


    it actually brought us closer and made us realize our feelings for each other. And you can tell Kelly that,


    too.”


    Ethan’s eyes went wide for a moment. I couldn’t tell if he already knew about the ordeal in the Rogue


    district or if that whole experience had been kept a secret, but either way, I didn’t care. At this point, I


    just wanted him out of my ssroom; my lunch break was almost over and I would have a high school


    ssing in soon that I needed to prepare for. Therefore, when Ethan opened his mouth to speak, I


    cut him off.


    “Thank you for the flowers, but I do need to get back to work,” I said, trying to sound at least somewhat


    polite without giving the impression that I was even remotely interested in speaking again.


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    Ethan seemed to get the picture. He nodded slowly and, without a word, turned on his heel and walked


    out of the room.


    Once he was gone, I sank back down into my chair with a sigh and passed my hand over my face.


    Even just that ordeal was enough to exhaust me, and now that it was over I felt deted. I ced my


    hand over my belly and rubbed it gently, soothing both myself and the little werewolf that was inside of


    me.


    “Mina,” I thought, leaning my head back on my chair and staring up at the ceiling, “I know it’s hard, but I


    need you to try to get stronger. I’m tired of having to hide my true nature, and I’m tired of feeling


    helpless when Edrick isn’t around.”


    My wolf didn’t respond, but I knew that she heard me. Whether or not she would be able to heed my


    words was still up for debate; I knew that there was no way to rush her getting stronger and emerging,


    and I really only said it to make myself feel better.


    For the remainder of that day, I couldn’t stop thinking about Ethan’s strange visit. His flowers sat on my


    desk, taunting me in their stupid crystal vase as I wondered if I should tell Edrick that Ethan came and


    asked me all of those questions or if I should just keep it a secret and pretend it never happened. If he


    found out eventually, would he be mad at me or would he understand?


    It wasn’t just that, either. The way that Ethan pried for answers… The way that he stared at E’s


    drawing with such a strange intensity… The way that he somehow knew where I worked when it


    shouldn’t have beenmon knowledge yet. All of it felt strange.


    A visit that, to Ethan, was apparently supposed to be a chance to reconcile, wound up unsettling me


    more than anything. Was he watching me? Was he working with Kelly and Michael? Did I need to be


    worried about myself, the baby, or even E?


    There was no way of knowing just what Ethan was up to, if anything. And I had been through enough


    stress already.


    That was why, by the end of the day, I decided that it was best to just move on and pretend that it never


    happened. It was better for everyone if it was swept under the rug, and when I saw Edrick’s smile as I


    walked to meet him with E, I knew that I had made the right decision.


    After all, I didn’t want the news of his half-brother’s strange and uncalled for visit to make that smile


    fade from his face.