Chapter 29
The damage has already been done.
Silence hung in the air as both of them chose not to speak.
Lauren had no intention to speak after that. Her head was pounding. Her mind was reeling
as frequent as they
She should be out of this trauma after years of battling it. She’s never had it for almost a year now. Her attacks were no longer as free used to since she had the twins
But after encountering those bloodsuckers again, those ugly memories came back, haunting her even in her waking hours.
The rest of the car ride became silent
Lauren would just turn her head inside the car whenever she felt the twins move. She kept her attention on them, before she went back to watching the lands they were passing by.
Declan continued clenching his fists to control whatever emotions that were eating him up.
He knew he hurt her. He knew he had to make up for so many things. It pained him, seeing how Lauren had curled inside her own shell, not wanting to seek anyone’s–his help anymore.
It pained him how he could see how much he had hurt her.
The ride had finally stopped. Yuan was quick to arrive by the door before Lauren could even react. She didn’t even know the Beta was just following behind them
“Alpha,” he bowed as he opened the door.
“Take the twins immediately to Glory. Send some troops to search deeper into the woods to see whether someone was able to rail behind us.” Declan commanded.
Yes, Alpha.”
Yuan quickly moved and took Damon from the car. Dahlia woke up, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
“Come here, honey.”
“Where are we, Mommy?” Dahlia sleepily asked, yawing once again. Tiredness was all over the child’s eyes. Remnants of fear still lurked around her innocent blue eyes as she took in their new environment.
Lauren carried her and took her out of the car. She couldn’t help looking around, assaulted by thousands of memories she had in the place. Black Ridges Pack had always been wealthy and huge. But they were now more civilized and wider. So many others were added to the pack Some huge houses were added, four storey buildings that she hadn’t seen when she was still here. The distant woods were also cleared a bit to extend the pack grounds.
Lauren’s eyes lingered on the ivory–colored walls of the parkhouse. It was the center of all the civilization inside the pack. The Ivanov packhouse Lauren started walking inside the Black Ridges Pack, feeling nostalgic and bittersweet. She never thought the day would come that she’d be back. Nor has she ever unagined shir’d ever come back this way.
People watched as she took several steps inside the pack grounds. With how many werewolves have been added in Black Ridges Pack through the years, barely anyour knew her. The ones who knew her watched her with curiosity, some with smiles, but most with nonchalance.
the
Until to this day, they had no idea who she was to their park before. Harely anyone even knew she was the daughter of the late Louis Willams, th Alpha of their neighboring pack before.
As Lauren looked down, avoiding the looks she was getting. Declan suddenly snatched the now sleeping Dahla into his arms.
“I take her. You also need to get checked. You haven’t had any proper sleep.”
Lauren booked at Declan. The look of genuine conce
concern and care in his cold face made her remember the moment when she desperately wanted Jain by her side. When she was scared, alone and helpless. But whatever she did, he never came.
As af taken tover by suppressed emotions, all the anger she had bottled inside her spilled
“I don’t need you to take care of my daughter for me I managed to do that all by myself for years”
Slur grabbed Dialdia away from berlari. for a moment, her expression became gentle when Dahlia stirred in her sleep before it because that sinc
and expressionleu fare again.
Chapter 29
Declan let go of his daughter, not wanting her to wake up, and also seeing how mad Lauren had gotten–but he knew it wasn’t all of a sudden
He knew bring back in Black Ridges must have pushed all the had memories she had in her mind. He knew she was just holding hack on him.
He denched has fois as Lauren started walking away.
“Let me take care of our children, Lavern. Let me take care of you. Again”
Thour words stopped Lauren from walking. She turned to him.
Declan saw this as an opportunity to continue. So he spoke and walked cloter
“Let me make it up to you. Please allow me to take care of you. Chur family. I need his words were cut
“I need my children to be safe. I only agreed to come here for the promise of having better care for them. That’s the only thing I need.” Her eyes were cold as he met his. Declan almost shivered at its intensity
“I don’t need you to take care of me. I don’t need you back in my life. I’ve managed to be fine alone, not asking for your help or anyone’s
Her words were curt. Her words were simple, but they cut through his heart like sharp swords of silver that would take much more time to heal.
Declan stood there as Lauren marched away from his spot. He watched as Yuan led her towards another healer in their pack. His Beta’s eyes lingered on him for a bit, hearing how cold she dismissed him.
Declan felt heartbroken.
Lauren shook her head at the healer when she asked to check her. Yuan had told the healer about Lauren’s state, and she observed how weak her stature looked. Her eyes were tired, and her hands were shaking a bit
But Lauren couldn’t care less about herself. All she wanted was for her Damon to be awake now.
She just wanted Damon to be safe and she knew she would be okay if he was healthy again.
With her insistence, Yuan decided to let the healer check Dahlia instead. Eager for confirmatory information that her daughter was perfectly fine, Lauren let her, letting go of her little child as they all walked inside the infirmary.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I heard the screams.” Yuan hesitated telling the last part as his eyes lingered on the patch on Lauren’s shoulder. After seeing she was batten by a vampire, he couldn’t stop worrying about her.
But Lauren shook her head. She couldn’t stop fixating over her children’s welfare. It was as if her own lifeline and wellness depended on them.
“I’m okay. I just need my twins to be safe,”
“Hut Lauren, you also need to be checked. But she once again shook her head.
“I’m alright, Yuan. Can’t you see? I am standing in front of you. My son is the one who needs all the care you can provide. Not me.”
Her chest was getting heavier by the second, Claire said before they left Rocky Mountains that Damon’s state was stable, that they only need to be careful and closely monitor him for whatever might happen. That the worst part of his state was done.
But after being conscious of her surroundings after she dissociated going through that nightmare again, seeing how Declan was so worried about her, taking care of her and having that brief conversation with him, Lauren’s heart could barely take it.
But she held it in. Not allowing herself to break.
Not now when her children needed her the most.
“Lauren, you have to liten. You, of all people, have had the biggest injury from that light. Claire may have said your system is clear from the venom, but we need to get a second opinion. You’re shaking. You’re paler than usual. You also have wounds and bruises from the fight. You need to
“No!” Lauren bursted. “I don’t need any of your concert Stop wasting your effort and time on me and instead get to my children and check then! Can’t you see that I’m 1–fine-
“Lauren!” Yuan rushed to her side when her knees suddenly wobbled and she collapsed on the ground. Her body opposing her own words Declan, who had been listening, moved like the wind to join them. Yuan took a step back, seeing how his Alpha had gotten all protective of her. Yuan couldn’t mistake the look of conorm and passion in those blue eyes.
“Let good mr.” Slar started pushing him away. But Declan held her.
“You need, Lauren. You hrad
need to take care of yourself first before you can take care of our children.” Declan told her gently as she shook her
Chapter 29
Lauren could feel how weak her body had gotten. Since lunch time, she’s never eaten anything. Since she woke up from that attack, she’s never had any red. She only got a time of peace for a few hours before her panic attack assaulted her and drained her.
Her body was beyond tired. Her mind was exhausted. Her emotional control is hanging by a thread. And yet. Lauren couldn’t let herself rest. Her chukhen need her
“No. My children need me. Let me go.”
“Declan’s right”
A new voice suddenly rang around the corridors of the infirmary, making all three of them turn towards it.
Lauren’s breath had stopped as her eyes widened in shock.
“My dear, you’ve done so well in protecting your children. But for now, you need to rest”
“H–Harry” she mumbled, surprised upon the arrival of the man she treated as her own father.
Just like the last time she saw him. Harry had the same warmth and safety in his presence. He was the only person that didn’t change in Lauren’s eyes. He was still the father she saw him as.
And it was everything she yearned for.
The older man nodded and smiled gently. His gentle blue eyes gave warmth to her shivering heart.
Harry cupped her cheek and gestured for a hug.
And that did it Tears sprang up to her eyes, falling so vigorously to her cheeks as if she was finally allowed to be vulnerable and weak. She threw herself at the man.
“It’s okay. I’m here, dear one.” Harry whispered beside her ear as he hugged her tight. “You can rest for now.”
“B–But who’s going to take care of my children?” she sobbed, her mind filled with the worries she had since she was left to take care of herself alone live years ago.
“I–I have no one. W–Who’s gonna take care of my children if I don’t! E–everyone has left m–me. no one wants me. N–not even my husband…”
