Chapter 165
Claire’s POV
50%
65 vouchers
Thad gone from having the second worst day of my life to one of the best. As I walked into the room where the children were being held, I felt like I was walking on air. They turned and saw me. They dropped what they were doing and rushed to
ine.
“Mommy!”
I fell to my knees and embraced them, thrilled at the reunion. We held onto each other and some tears were shed.
Gideon stayed close but also out of it. He watched from the doorway, smiling softly but not interfering.
I didn’t think I could be happier than I was at this moment.
“We’ll have to go back to my pack house to gather the kids‘ thing” Gideon said, after a long moment where the kids and I simply hugged. To the children, he added, “You’ll be going home. Nova. And Leo, you’ll get to spend another week with Claire before you come back to our pack house.”
Excitement filled the children’s eyes. Nova started crying as she hung onto her mother. Leo rushed to me and hugged me
- 100.
“Thank you, Daddy!”
We drove separately to the pack house. When we arrived, the children ran on ahead to pack their things. Gideon and I stood in the foyer, not really looking at each other.
The mood was awkward, our truce not enough to smooth everything that had ruffled between us.
I thought about trying to say something, but what was there left to say? I didn’t fully understand his change of heart, but I didn’t want to ask any questions when it as all working out so well for me.
I didn’t want to push things and risk breaking them. It was better for now, to just sit in the silence.
I cleared her throat. “I’d better go check on Nova. She’ll need help packing.”
Gideon nodded. “I’ll check on Leo.”
As we went our separate ways, I sighed with a bit of relief, though I felt guilty for it. Gideon had been kind to me today. I was grateful.
Maybe I was still in shock, not fully recovered from the switch from my low to this new high. For now, it felt best to avoid it.
I went to Nova’s room and found her throwing everything from her drawers into a big suitcase. It would make sense for her to keep some clothes here, as she would return for one week a month. But she was acting as if she wanted to leave forever.
I remembered what Gideon said about Nova hating him.
“Nova,” I said. “You don’t have to take everything. Leave some clothes for next time.”
“I’m not coming back,” she said assuredly.
“One week a month,” I said.
“No,” she snapped. Her back was to me, but I could hear the hurt in her voice. I moved closer and put my hand on her shoulder. She stopped packing then, but didn’t look up at me. Not yet.
173
20:37 Fri, Feb 6
Chapter 165
“Gideon says you hate him,” I said gently, hoping she would open up about it.
“I do hate him,” she said.
“He’s your father.”
“He tried to take me from you.“
50%
I was quiet a moment. I could understand. Gideon had been cruel in his decision to separate us, but… I hadn’t been making the best choices either. And that Gideon apologized and was allowing us to meet now counted for something.
“Keep in mind that it was only because of Gideon’s kindness that you are coming home with me now. The court would have sided with him, but he wanted us to all be together,” I
Said.
Nova’s shoulders slumped. She was quiet a moment before she said, “I don’t want to hate him. But that was mean.”
“It was. But he said sorry.”
“Not to me.”
I would have to speak to Gideon about this. If he apologized, maybe things could be repaired. Nova didn’t really hate him. She was just hurt.
“Come on,” I said and helped her pack.
Later, after her bags were packed, we went outside where Leo and Gideon were already standing near the car. The trunk was open, with the children’s bags being packed into the back.
Nova looked at her dad, while Gideon clearly pretended not to notice.
“Goodbye,” she told him, which surprised all of us.
Gideon at last looked at her. He smiled. “Goodbye, Nova.”
Gideon looked to me then, and as he did, my heart jumped. I ignored it though.
“Goodbye, Gideon,” I said.
“Goodbye, Claire.”
In the car, I spoke to the children, “Things will be a bit different than they’ve been before. We Nova. We don’t live in the pack house anymore.”
Nova was surprised. “What about Uncle Ivan?”
I draped my arm around her, hoping to offer comfort in case she needed it. “We broke up.”
Her eyes went even wider, though she didn’t seem upset. Just surprised.
our own house now,
Leo, meanwhile, made a poor attempt to hide his growing grin. Does this mean you are getting back together with Daddy?”
“No,” I said quickly. “Your father and I both love you very much, but we will not be together again.”
I told him the words with seriousness, but he didn’t seem to be listening to them. His grin only grew wider, like he was plotting something. It was going to take time to convince him, apparently,
For now, I decided to let things go. After all, I had my children with me. Any misunderstandings were nothing compared to the joy I felt from that.
20:37 Fri, Feb 6
Chapter 165
Gideon’s POV
50%
Alone again, I returned to my office. After making sure that the pack work was finished, I started to research some old records. On my computer, as Alpha, I had remote access to most pack files. Today, I was interested in when Claire had first arrived at the pack.
She had been an orphan, but she had been left behind by Daniel who was the brother of the former Luna Queen. He had even signed forms after he had decided to leave her. Daniel notoriously had no mate. A note in the file from my father indicated that he assumed Claire was simply a wayward child Daniel took in and then abandoned.
He had never been the most responsible sort. After this incident, he had moved to a pack along the coast. I’d heard he’d passed away a few years back, after having drank himself to death.
I lifted one of the photos I had of the former Luna Queen, and I wondered.
The similarities between her and Claire were too much. And if Daniel had been the one to bring her here…
Did the Alpha King and his former Luna Queen ever have children?
I called in Xavier, then proposed that same question.
“If they did, it should be in the werewolf registrar,” Xavier reminded me. “A child of an Alpha and a Luna would be well and publically documented.”
He was right. I went to the appropriate source on the computer, then looked up the approximate years.
There had been a few babies birthed around that time.
Wait.
“Here,” I said, pointing to the screen. “The Alpha King and former Luna Queen did have a child. A daughter.” The list showed
did.” a birth year and a death year. “She must have died at the same time the Luna Queen
Xavier and I shared a knowing look.
What if that child hadn’t died?
Could that little girl have been Claire?
AD
