Chapter 198


    Chapter 198: Hideaway


    Edrick


    Moana was right about the fact that I needed to tell E the truth about her mother. It was time


    that E knew what her mother was really like, especially after that whole ordeal. But at that


    moment, although I promised Moana that I would tell E about Olivia soon, I had more


    pressing matters to deal with.


    First thing in the morning, I took Moana to the doctor’s office for a full checkup to make sure


    that both she and the baby were healthy. Thankfully, they were. The baby was as healthy as an


    ox; in fact, when Moana was being strangled by Ethan, I remembered seeing her suddenly


    ovee with a burst of light thatunched Ethan backwards. I didn’t know if it was the baby


    or Moana’s own abilities that protected her at that moment, but it didn’t matter. All I knew was


    that that burst of light saved Moana from being strangled to death by Ethan when I was still too


    weak to move.


    However, as the day went on, it quickly came to my attention that the whole ordeal had already


    made its way to the news. Somehow, those damn paparazzi got footage of Ethan being escorted


    into the cop car and Moana’s terrified face. Those clips were already circting various news


    outlets with all sorts of spections on what happened. I didn’t know if I would bother having a


    press conference about it, though. At that moment, I just wanted to get Moana and E away


    from the city.


    Thest time we had gone to the mountain estate, it had gone poorly. My father had sent a hired rogue


    to intimidate us and we had left abruptly as we no longer felt safe there. And I supposed that we could


    easily run into trouble again if we went back, but the city was just too dangerous right now. There was a


    good chance that Moana could shift at any moment now that her wolf had emerged, and I wanted her


    to be out of the city for two reasons: for starters, a wolf shifting for the first time would be dangerous in


    an enclosed space like the penthouse, especially since she didn’t know how to control it yet. And


    secondly, if Moana shifted her scent would permeate throughout the entire city, which would no doubt


    draw all sorts of sick people to us. If I wanted to keep her safe, I needed to get her somewhere where it


    would be unlikely for others to be close enough to pick up her scent.


    And so, that weekend I worked tirelessly to hire an entire team of security guards. I hired over twenty


    new guards, all of whom were the best of the best. They were all Alphas with extensivebat


    experience, and I vetted them thoroughly to make sure that they wouldn’t turn on us if Moana turned. I


    paid them well, too; I didn’t care how much it cost so long as Moana and E were safe.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    On Sunday evening, I finally finished my preparations. All that was left was to tell Moana that we would


    be leaving first thing in the morning. I knew that she wouldn’t take it well.


    “We’re what?” Moana asked, standing up suddenly from the armchair by the window. “Tomorrow?”


    I nodded grimly, trying not to pay any attention to the incredulous look on her face. “I’m sorry,” I said.


    “We’ll be staying until the baby is born. Potentially longer than that if I still think it’s unsafe for you in the


    city.”


    Moana shook her head vigorously and frowned deeply. “We can’t leave!” she pleaded as she stormed


    up to me and grabbed my arm. “What about my teaching job? What about E’s new school? You can’t


    take that from her!”


    Seeing the look on her face made me feel sad. I knew how much she loved that job, but it just wasn’t


    safe in the city. Until she shifted and until the baby was born, I wouldn’t feelfortable bringing them


    back here. And besides, my father was still a threat. He would find out about Moana’s true nature


    eventually, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was the very first person to try to hunt her down.


    He had too much at stake as one of the wealthiest and most corrupt men in the world to let the Golden


    Wolf bring a new era in which humans and werewolves could live in harmony. He had built his entire


    empire off of the backs of underpaid and overworked humans.


    “Moana, I’m really sorry,” I finally said. “I promise we’lle back. I know you love your job, and we’ll


    find a substitute to fill in for you until wee back. You can im it as maternity leave; you can tell


    them that you’re havingplications with the pregnancy. The headmistress will understand and will


    certainly give you the job back once we return.”


    Moana’s eyes were full of pain. She looked as though she was about to say something, but apparently


    decided against it and just walked away. She walked over to the window and looked out, folding her


    arms across her chest.


    “I think we’re safer here.” Her voice was low, so low it was almost a whisper. “This is our home.”


    Her words created a pang in my heart, but the preparations had already been made. The mountain


    estate would be the safest option during that time. I not only needed to make sure that Moana was safe


    until she had the baby, but I also needed to figure out how Moana would continue to be safe as the


    Golden Wolf. Without the help of the Mother Witch, I felt lost and clueless. The Mother Witch knew


    what would need to be done, and I hardly knew anything about the Golden Wolf aside from the fairy


    tales I was told as a kid.


    “I know this is our home,” I finally said, walking up to stand beside her. We looked out the


    window at the bustling city for a few moments. Below us, there was a throng of paparazzi


    waiting outside the penthouse like hungry sharks. They had been camping out there all day and


    would likely be camping out there for several days on end, just hoping for us toe outside


    so they could bombard us with photos and questions. I gestured to them, then looked over at


    Moana. She shot me an angry, but still understanding, look. “Just look at them,” I said. “We


    can’t be here with them out there like that. Imagine what it will be like when they find out that


    you’re the Golden Wolf.”


    Moana chuckled slightly as she watched the mob mill about outside like zombies. “I guess


    you’re right,” she said quietly. “They’re like piranhas.”


    I turned to face her then and took both of her shoulders in my hands. I stared sternly into her


    eyes, hoping that she would see my sense of urgency. “The poachers and bounty hunters will


    be worse,” I whispered, taking note of the way that her green eyes widened. “I’m only doing this


    to keep you safe. I hope you know that.”


    Moana looked up at me for a few moments, chewing the inside of her cheek before she finally


    nodded.


    “I understand,” she replied. “So long as you promise that we’lle home soon.”