Chapter 17

Half an hour went past before Theo came out, I stepped out the car to meet him “How are they?” he looked worried

“Amy’s unconscious, but she’ll live.”

“You look like my daddy,” Sonia’s small voice came from behind me and then I had an idea.

“Theo, see if she’ll talk to you. If she feels safe she may talk,” he nodded.

“Hey sweetie how you feeling?” I stepped away from the car. Sonia didn’t trust me so possibly wouldn’t talk with me earwigging. Damian trusted Theo, therefore I did.

Damian came out, blood staining his shirt, he walked past me to one of the cars. I watched as he opened the boot and changed his clothes before turning back to me, “Sorry that took so long, how are the girls?”

“Theo’s talking to Sonia, the girl we found. She seemed to warm to Theo more than me, told him he looked like her dad. Amy’s unconscious still,” I explained quickly. Damian nodded,

“Their dad died five years ago, they were a rogue family. Seems like dad was trying to find a pack. The pack killed him on sight and took the girls for...” he gulped “Their pleasure.”

I felt bile rising in my throat, “But Sonia would have only been-”

“Age doesn’t seem to matter to them. Let’s say their sorry excuse for an Alpha has lost a few appendages.” Damian’s jaw tightened as he looked to the car where a girlish giggle floated out

“Can’t we take them home? Just for a bit?” I leant into Damian as the giggles warmed me, after all she’d been through Sonia was giggling.

Damian shook his head stiffly, “The Fae won’t allow it. Even if they’re not immortal they’ll kill them on sight. There are a few packs that will accept them and treat them well. I’m thinking Midnight Bane pack. They’re not as close as the others but they’re incredibly loyal to me,” I looked down sadly. The girls needed safety and they would be safe under Damian’s watchful eye. I didn’t really understand why the Fae had such a problem with bringing in new pack members.

Gradually Damian’s men started filing out of the house, I didn’t know what they had been doing, and I didn’t think I wanted to. Many had blood spatters on them, others wore looks of disgust. I peeked into the car to see Sonia fast asleep curled up on Theo’s lap. “Sweet kid,” he commented up to me. I smiled back to him. “Any movement from Amy?”

“Not heard anything.” I moved around to the boot, Amy was in the same position. I decided to sit with her until we were ready to go. Damian had just gone back inside to address those left in the pack.

I caught Gregor, “We can’t travel with her in the boot.”

“I agree, Luna. Theo budge up, I’ll put her in with you,” I smiled as I saw Theo’s frame edge to the far side of the car. Gregor gently picked Amy up, cradling her in his arms as if she were his own daughter. He carefully placed her in back seats next to Theo, both men had expressions of adoration and sadness. It hit me that these men had been robbed of the ability to have children. They would never be able to call their little girl princess and kiss her grazed knee. They would never be able to be her first shoulder to cry on. I sniffed, turning from the scene. It was still a bit of a sore subject.

“Luna,” Gregor’s voice floated behind me, I turned back to face them, “If it’s OK, can I drive them to the pack?”

“Of course Gregor, I’m sure that will be fine,” he smiled.

“Thank you Luna… she reminds me of my daughter,” I had to do a double-take to him,

“But… we can’t have...”

“No, before Nicos turned me, my daughter was twelve. She died two years after I was turned.” I reached out to his arm, “I’m sorry,” he shrugged

“Was a long time ago Luna,” he squeezed my hand that was on his forearm and turned around.

I blinked away tears as I approached the car. Damian would be out in a second and I wanted to get out of that place as fast as I could. Just as I climbed into the car Damian was heading towards me, “Gregor’s driving the girls, Theo’s been held hostage by Sonia.”

“Are they OK with that?” he looked back to the car, Gregor was sat in the driving seat looking towards the back seats “Yes, I think they’re both very paternal,” Damian’s eyes tore from the car back to me.

“Yes… they are,” his jaw hardening, “They both had girls when they were turned… I always told Nicos; single, no strings people… but he didn’t listen with those two.” I dropped my gaze, it seemed to be a touchy subject for everyone. Being here and finding such horrific abuse had put everyone on edge.

“We’ll pass through some human roads on the way, I’ll get someone to run into a cafe to get food,” Damian walked away from the car, going down the line obviously relaying the same message. The man Damian had asked to interview people slid into the driver’s seat of our car “Daniel isn’t it?”

“Yes, Luna,”

“Heard we’ll stop for food?”

“Yes, Luna,” man of many words obviously. Damian slid into the seat next to me and the car lurched forward. I moved to Damian who happily opened his arms for me.

“That was horrible.”

“Yes, my love… It’s never been that bad before. Most of our interventions are Alpha’s becoming tyrannical or... packs fighting over land. Yes some rapes… but not of two girls… never such horrendous abuse,” I looked up to him and wiped the single tear running down his cheek

“You were the Big Bad Alpha today.” He gave me a rueful smile

“I’ll remind you you said that,” he chuckled softly before pulling me closer into his side. “Thank you for making me do something… I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for you.”

“I just had a feeling,” I shrugged against him.

“You obviously have good feelings,” he planted a warm kiss to my temple before I shifted to rest my head on his lap. “How far till Midnight Bane?”

“Six hours or so, I’ll wake you when we get food.” I nodded and closed my eyes.