Chapter 111
Faith’s Pov…
+25 Points
I felt very giddy in the kitchen today because I was making lunch for my daughter for the first
time.
I was making grilled cheese sandwiches and a huge pot of creamy tomato soup. It was simple, easy food, but I was just excited.
I usually don’t allow Marco past the kitchen island when I’m cooking because his help usually ends up leaving me with more of a mess. But today, I couldn’t say no.
Isabella was with him when he begged to help. I was so excited about this bonding time and I would have to put up with my naughty son if it meant Isabella smiled.
“Okay, guys,” I said, tying Isabella’s small apron for her. “Marco, you can tear the bread for the croutons. Isabella, you can stir the soup slowly. Don’t splash.”
Marco immediately forgot his task and tried to put a whole block of cheese in the blender. “I can make cheese dust!” he insisted, his nose already smudged with flour.
“No cheese dust today, sweetie,” I laughed, pulling the plug just in time.
But even Marco’s usual chaos felt sweet. Isabella was so focused, standing on a stool and slowly rotating the wooden spoon in the thick, red soup. The way the light caught her hair, the serious, careful look on her face it was almost too much.
I was genuinely seeing myself in her and I still see pieces of Alice when I look at her and it’s because all of us in the pack are still under the effect of the black magic that Alice is using except for Astor but mannerism and my heart would never lie to me because she’s just like a
mini me.
This was my daughter. The joy was so huge and consuming that my eyes started to sting. I had to look away, focusing hard on buttering the bread slices fast so the kids wouldn’t see the tears I was fighting.
Don’t cry. you have her back and everything is going to be okay.
We worked as a team. Isabella was quiet but helpful, following every instruction exactly. Marco was loud but loving, constantly bumping into me for a quick hug. We finished the food and the three of us carried the trays into the dining room.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The warmth from the kitchen vanished, replaced by a biting coldness that came straight from my mother–in–law, Ovelia.
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Astor, Sander, Ovelia, Isabella, Marco, and I sat down. The silence was thick enough to choke on. Ovelia was staring at me hard. It wasn’t just a look; it was a physical blow, a stare full of judgment and anger. I focused on making sure Marco didn’t drop his soup.
Astor, sensing the danger, tried to break the tension. “How was the trip, Mom and Dad? Did you guys visit many packs?”
“Fine,” Ovelia clipped out, her eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the heat rising on my cheeks. If we weren’t in front of the children, I might have thrown my spoon across the table.
“Did you see people you know?” Astor asked, trying again.
“Many,” Ovelia answered, picking at her sandwich crust as if it personally offended her.
I wanted to snap. I wanted to tell her to eat her food or leave my house. But I couldn’t. I held my tongue for Marco and Isabella. They didn’t need to see the war between me and their grandmother.
Astor cleared his throat. He looked at me with a serious expression. “Faith, since Mom and Dad are here, and everything is settled down we should schedule the Mating Ceremony right away.”
A mixture of panic and relief shot through me.
Now? I thought. We were barely keeping our heads above water with everything going on. Maybe now wasn’t the time.
But then I looked at Ovelia, who was giving me the deepest ‘stink eye‘ yet.
Yes. Now is exactly the time.
I needed that ceremony. I needed to finally become the official Luna, not just the Luna ‘by name.‘ Ovelia felt she had the confidence and the right to disrespect me like this. when I’m officially crowned she will have to bow.
“That sounds wonderful, Astor,” I said, putting a little too much sweetness into my voice, just for Ovelia’s benefit.
She slammed her fork down. It made a loud clink that startled Marco. “Darling, maybe you should wait,” she said, her voice dripping with fake concern. ” Faith has been back on leave for a couple of days and we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
She taunting me.
Astor looked straight at his mother, his eyes turning cold. “We’ve been close to this ceremony so many times. Something always comes up. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
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His firmness shut Ovelia up instantly. She pressed her lips into a thin, white line and went back to picking at her food.
The rest of the meal was awkward and silent. We rushed through the last bites. I stood up quickly. “Alright, kids. Let’s get these dishes cleared.”
Marco and Isabella followed me to the kitchen. The kitchen felt like that safe harbor again, away from the dining room. We scraped the plates and loaded the dishwasher.
“Thank you both for helping,” I said, putting my arms around them.
Isabella pulled back slightly, looking serious. “I have to go home now,” she said softly. “My mother will probably be looking for me.”
The words hit me like a physical punch to the stomach. My mother. She meant the woman who stole her, the woman keeping her from her real mother.
I nodded, gripping the counter edge because my knees felt weak. “Of course, sweetie.”
It hurt. It hurt so badly to hear her call someone else her mother. I bent down to hug her goodbye, inhaling the scent of tomato soup and soap on her hair.
Just as I pulled away, my phone started ringing loudly on the counter.
It was Kyle.
My blood ran cold. I knew what he was going to say. I knew what he wanted. I didn’t want to answer, but I couldn’t let him think I was onto him. I had to continue acting like the desperate,
clueless mother.
I took a deep breath, trying to slow my pounding heart, and pressed answer.
“Hello?” I tried to sound weak and out of breath.
“Faith,” Kyle’s voice was low and mocking. “You are getting very comfortable. Too comfortable for a woman who claims she is desperate to find her lost child.”
My teeth ground together so hard my jaw ached. I wanted to scream that I found her, that she was standing right next to me, saying goodbye.
“I–I’m just mentally and emotionally tired, Kyle,” I lied, keeping my voice shaky.
“A truly loving mother wouldn’t be mentally tired of doing whatever it takes to get her child
back Faith. She would be tireless,” he sneered. “I guess you don’t love her as much as you claim.”
Rage boiled in my chest, hot and violent.
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“I can’t do what you asked me to do,” I choked out, trying to keep my voice low. I couldn’t even voice it out loud because he asked of the unimaginable.
“Oh, you can’t?” he sounded amused. “Well, you don’t have much time to decide now that the old wolf is back.”
The old wolf. Kyle knew he was here. He knew everything.
“You have a couple of hours, Faith. You know what you have to do to get your daughter back,” Kyle continued, his voice hardening into steel. “You choose. Your father–in–law, or your daughter. You cannot have both.”
He hung up.
I stood there, staring at the phone, trembling. The decision was impossible. My mind was screaming, but my body felt frozen in ice.
A hand landed softly on my shoulder. I jumped halfway out of my skin.
Astor.
I hadn’t heard him come in. He must have entered the kitchen while I was distracted by the terror of Kyle’s call. He gently guided Marco and Isabella out of the kitchen.
He looked at me in question and I told him something that I have been reluctant to tell him since he got back.
” he wants me to kill your father.”
