Chapter 25
*Sam's POV*
The door swung open making me sit up in bed abruptly. It was time for the reckoning.
He dropped his bag on the floor by the door and made his way up the steps. His boots created echoes through the otherwise silent house making me tremble. Even my wolf that was buried deep inside at this point was curled up and whimpering.
He walked through the door flashing me a smile before he took in the room. I could see his face gradually change with each context clue he found.
Janey wasn't in the room. His eyebrows knitted together.
I made no move to give an explanation. His smile dropped.
My stomach had deflated to half the size. His hands balled into fists.
The breast pump and bottles on the side table. His shoulders hunched as if he was fighting himself to stay calm.
The complete silence instead of a crying baby. His lips curled up into a snarl.
"Where the hell is my son?" His words came out low and calculated. The light in his eyes almost completely dissipated making his whole face turn dark.
I dropped my eyes to my stomach and bunched the blanket in my hands. Tears stung my eyes and quickly began falling onto my lap. I knew they were out of pure fear, but I hoped Henry would only see sorrow. "He didn't make it."
Everything was still for a few seconds. Unsure of his reaction I glanced up through my eyelashes. He was torn between rage and sorrow. His legs seemed to wobble as he made his way to the chair that was normally reserved for Janey.
"What do you mean he didn't make it? He was perfectly healthy this whole time. I felt him."
I took a deep breath and placed my hands on my stomach. It was easier to believe the story I had been instructed to tell him than the truth. Maybe if I just convinced myself that was what really happened it would be best for us all.
"My water broke out of nowhere. The contractions were too sporadic...we didn't think it would happen so soon." The lump in my throat grew larger making my words shake. My baby was gone. "He came out feet first and the cord wrapped around his neck. There was too much damage, and we couldn't save him."
His hand grabbed mine. At first, I thought it was in our mutual grief, but he gripped tighter until I felt claws breaking my skin. "H-Henry...You're hurting m-me." I tried to pull my hand away, but he gripped tighter making a trickle of blood start to drip on my green blanket. "Please...let me go..."
"You didn't answer my question. Where. Is. My. Son." He spat each word out and all grief in his face was gone. There was only anger mixed into the borderline wolf features. His ears were turning into a point and the energy around him vibrated.
"Janey had to take him. There's a certain procedure. His birth and death have to be recorded...and... and..." Henry was standing with my wrist still caught in his hand.
"You had one job. One measly job. To bring me a son." He raised my arm forcing me on my knees on the bed. Searing pain spread through my abdomen, and I used my other hand to hold onto my stomach. My teeth dug into my bottom lip to keep from crying out. "Now not only do I not have a son I don't even have his body to prove it."
Before I could register what was happening a half-clawed hand raked across my face. He released my wrist letting my body flop back onto the bed as I screamed. Both hands moved to my face feeling the skin that was now open in slices. I pulled one hand back to see it completely covered in blood. Grabbing the blanket, I bundled it up applying pressure to try and stop the bleeding. The tears still ran down my face and I fought to catch my breath.
I looked up at him in disbelief. He was the only person I had for help and the only person that wasn't going to give it. His body went completely still. The wolf features were gone, and Henry stood in front of me again. I expected there to be some sort of remorse, but there were no emotions in his face. He just tilted his head to the side and watched me.
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again. He turned and walked to the door standing only pausing in the doorframe.
"You better hope your little friend doesn't come back here." With that he walked into the hallway and out the door.
*Adam's POV*
A banging on the door woke me up way too early. "Harmony is here."
I groaned and threw the blanket off. Josh wouldn't have woken me up unless it was important. At least that's what I chose to believe. Not bothering to change out of the sweats and t-shirt I wore to bed I stumbled downstairs. And plopped down at the table.
Mom still sat on the couch in eerily the same position. If someone told me that she hadn't moved all night, I would believe them. Dad was in the kitchen rinsing out the coffee pot and putting a second one on to brew. Almost everyone had cups of the dark liquid in front of them. I felt like it brought out the dark circles under their eyes. The only one that seemed chirpy and awake was Harmony. Cane sat beside her with his head down on the table.
Josh leaned over his coffee cup and put one hand on his forehead. "For the love of goddess if you don't stop bouncing your leg and shaking the whole damn table."
Harmony cut her eyes over and glared at him. Dad let out a low growl.
"Watch your language in the presence of Luna." Josh nodded his head apologetically at him, but thankfully Harmony stopped.
"It's Fairy Wand!" I glanced to Josh who mirrored my expression of she's lost it.
I moved my attention back to her. She had a huge smile on her face and both hands on the table with her elbows lifted up beside her face. I leaned back slightly terrified of the excitement bordering demonic emotions she was having. Cane on the other hand made no indication that he was going to sit up. I assumed he had been hearing about it all night.
"I'm pretty openminded...after all we are wolf shifters, but I have never seen a fair much less its wand." She rolled her eyes impatiently and pulled a folded picture from her pocket.
The plant grew above the grass and had a cone of small white flowers in the shape of a short wand. They were slim but some curved over gently at the top while others remained straight. It looked like well...a wand of flowers.
"I don't understand."
She huffed and pushed the paper closer to me. "Do I have to spell it out?" At this point Dad was standing behind Cane looking at the picture. He still held the coffee pot in his hand that was dripping with water. Cane jumped up when a few droplets landed on the back of his neck.
Josh grabbed the picture holding it close to his face. He was the one that looked over the paper and responded in an impatient voice, "That would be helpful."
"It's how he is masking his scent. The aroma is almost undetectable. It has medicinal properties to help with fertility, menstruation, and stomach cramps. My mom used to give it to me in middle school. While it doesn't have a smell it masks the smell of other things. I don't know if he is consuming it or just rolling around in a field of it, but that's how he is doing it."
At this I stood up and Dad snatched the picture out of Josh's hands. "I've seen these before..." He turned the picture sideways giving me enough time to cut him off.
"If you can smell it Harmony...does that mean you can track him?"
"I think so."
Dad threw his hands up and put the empty coffee pot on the counter. "Whoa now. We need to slow down. Harmony, we appreciate all you're doing, but I can't have you going out and tracking without the knowledge of your pack. If something were to happen to you or Cane it would be disastrous for us all."
"But yesterday- "
"Shouldn't have happened." He cut her off and looked/glared at me. "We have to through proper channels." She nodded and crossed her arms in defeat.
Josh drummed his fingers on the table. For a minute. "Didn't Lily's Dad say he would give us 10 of his men for the search?"
"He's right. Granted that's been over six months ago, but we never took him up on it. Maybe you could try and work something out?"
He nodded and picked up the coffee pot from the table.
Mom stood up from the couch and walked over to us. She must have gotten up at some point because instead of a bundle of sunshines she now held a mint green bundle with a tiny leg sticking out. I reached up and scratched the foot. His toes wrapped around my finger making Mom giggle.
I pulled my hand back and glanced at Dad who was glancing at the both of us worriedly. He stepped forward slowly as if he was trying to pet a scared deer. "Everleigh it's time. Why don't I hold him while you go get dressed?"
Her eyes widened and she gripped on to the bundle tighter. "Can't we just wait one more day. Rory is doing so well. He's eating and sleeping..."
"Rory? He's not a puppy that you can name and take in. He's someone's baby that still has afterbirth on him. We need to get him to a hospital and make a police report. What if the mother is in trouble? Or her baby was kidnapped?"
She nodded reluctantly handing the infant over.