Chapter 102
Jane
“Luna, you should really try to rest.” The policemander advises, sitting on the sofa while l pace
back and forth across the living room. “You’re going to exhaust yourself.”
“And you really shouldn’t call me that” | say in return.”Ethan and I aren’t married anymore.”
“Well whatever your title” He amends, “you killing yourself with worry isn’t going to help your pups.”
“Spoken like someone who doesn’t have children.”
I grumble. “And by the way, I didn’t see you showing this kind of concern for the Alpha. Why is he
allowed to race off and hunt down murderers, but I can’t even pace without ‘exhausting myself” I mock,
holding up air quotes.
“I’m sorry.” He concedes, “you’re right, I don’t have pups, and I can’t imagine what you’re going through
right now. I didn’t mean to be patronizing”
“That isn’t helpful either!” I snap, “l don’t know why people think it’sforting to say they can’t imagine
another person’s pain. Just make the effort and practice some empathy, rather than pointing out how
horrible it is to me” It’s not until I hear myself, that I realize how loudly I raised my voice. The
commander is looking sheepish now, and l can’t help but feel guilty for taking out my fear and
frustration on him. “I’m sorry.
“I sigh.”l didn’t mean -“
“It’s okay.” He tells me, raising his palms in concession, “emotions are high right now. Trust me, it’s
nothing new when you’re in this line of work.”
His understanding only makes me feel worse forshing out at him. “Be honest with me,” I request, “in
these cases, how often do you actually find the pups?”
“When the abduction was reported as quickly as it was? And when we know precisely who has them?”
He rifies, “There’s every reason to be optimistic, Jane.”
“You’re not just saying that?”l press.
“I don’t believe in giving people false hope,” He shares, “| learned better many years ago. If l thought
they were done for, l’d be telling you to prepare yourself for the worst.”
C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.
“Thank you.” l exhale, sitting down for the first time since we came upstairs.
Of course, the moment I do, a knock sounds on the front door. I’m on my feet and hallways across the
room before themander can stop me. “Wait! It might be I swing the door open without a second
thought, and reel back when I see Detective Smithers standing on the òther side.
“You!” I snarl,unching myself towards him with a vicious growl. Unfortunately before l cannd a
single blow to the wretched man, arms like iron bars loop around my middle, pulling me back.
“Let me at him!” I order, “he helped her try to murder my baby! He tried to ruin our lives!”
“And he’s also the only person who might be able to lead us to Eve now. He can’t very well do that if
your hands are around his throat, mydy.” Themander scolds, setting me on the ground behind
him.
“We don’t know that for sure” I mutter, “It’s worth testing, at least”
Themander nces over his shoulder, shooting me an exasperated look. “Or, we can ask him why
he’s here.”
“Fine” I bite, looking past him to the disgraced investigator.”What the hell do you want?”
The man sort of detes, but he doesn’t look guilty or ashamed for all he’s done, only resigned. “I’m
sorry – about everything.” He says gravely, “you have no idea how much I regret what’s happened.”
“Bull.” I cut down the lie before he can say another word. “You forget l’m a mother, detective. I know a
real apology from a fake one, and I know when a person is truly sorry versus when they are just trying
to escape consequences.”
“She has a point, Smithers.” Themander points out. “One has to imagine that if you truly felt guilt
for your actions, they would have stopped before you got caught.”
“Fine” The disgruntled ex-cop mutters, “You don’t have to believe me, but whether l’ve repented or not,
I have information to trade.”
“Can I hit him now?” l ask themander, getting angrier by the minute. “You know I truly believed you
were just corrupt-I didn’t think anyone could possibly be so stupid” I inform him. “But if you think it is a
good idea to tell me you have information about my pups, and expect me to give you something for it
without r!pping your head off first, you’re even dumber than l imagined.”
“What information do you have?” Themander speaks over me, throwing out his arm to stop me
from lunging forward again.
“I can lead you to the pups.” The detective offers, but I want immunity.”
“Immunity?” Themander repeats, “from what? Being charged in the kidnapping?”
“From being charged with anything” He corrects. “I want my freedom.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Themander scoffs, “you’vemitted countless felonies. You attacked
the Alpha’s own family.”
I want to tell him that Ethan will kill him sooner than let him walk free, butI have enough sense to keep
my mouth shut. Telling him he’s doomed will hardly convince him to spill his secrets. The fact remains
that this man has information I desperately need, and I will promise to pay any price on earth in order to
extract it from his l!ps.
“And you are running out of time.” The investigator threatens, as if reading my mind. “When I left Eve,
she had your pups locked in a basement and was trying to figure out how to kill them. lt won’t take her
too long to figure it out.”
So what, you left a group of defenseless toddlers to her mercy so you coulde here and bargain
with us, when you could have knocked her out and freed them then and there?” I inquire.
“I couldn’t hurt Eve” He objects, “she’s the mother of my child. I don’t agree with what she’s done, but I
still love her.”
I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear his confession about the paternity of Eve’s pups, until a little
knot unwinds in my chest. I realize now how badly I let Eric get into my head, how thoroughly I let
myself be fooled by the man I thought was my friend.
Still, I don’t have time to think of that now. “I think the words you’re looking for are: I’m a spineless
waste of space too whipped to stand up to a woman half my size.” I suggest.
“Where are they?” Themander adds, “I won’t promise you immunity, but I can promise you things
will be much worse for you if you don’t tell us. If sheys a hand on those pups, it won’t just be
attempted murder of obstruction of justice charges you’re facing.
You’re talking about the Alpha’s pups – how do you think he’ll react if he finds out you could have
helped them and didn’t? If we’re running out of time, so are you.”
The investigator grimaces. “Maybe so, but the decision isn’t up to you.” He argues, gesturing to me.
It’s up to her. How much time are you willing to waste, Jane?”
Themander looks to me for guidance, but| stare straight past him. “You can have your immunity.” I
promise.
“But -” He objects.
“I’m Luna, remember?” l growl pointedly, “what I say, goes.”
Themander blinks at me, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly as my words sink in. I have no
power to promise the detective a single thing, and we both know it. Turning back to his former
investigator, he orders, “Take us to the pups.”
I grab only my cell phone and my keys as the former detective leads us downstairs, and text Ethan as
we walk. I exin the situation as briefly as I can, and tell him to track my phone so he can know our
location.
With any luck he’ll arrive only moments after we do.
The disgraced investigator takes us to a corner of town I’ve never seen before, a sector of the city that
looks like it’s beenpletely left behind. Half the businesses are closed, and everywhere we look
sketchy figures skulk around corners and scuttle out of sight as we draw near. I can’t believe Eve would
deign toe to such a ce, but I suppose she doesn’t have an choices anymore. I simply pray my
pups are safely locked away while she continues to plot.
As we draw nearer, the ex-detective urges us on, it’s just up here”
I speed up my pace until l’m almost running. I can smell Eve now, I can smell my babies, and I leave
the men behind. My heart is pounding in my ears, but when Ie to the doorway where their scent is
strongest, it stopspletely. The door is standing ajar, and it’s dark and silent inside. I know, before l
even go inside that we’re toote. Eve has already moved them… or worse. I’m still standing there
when Ethan arrives a momentter, and when he sees the look on my face,I know I don’t need to say a
word. I simply shake my head, and fall into his arms.
They’re not here.