Ava

PRESENTLY

I thought he loved me, but I was wrong. Mates were known to love each other and are unable to live without each other. Why was my case different?

With a broken heart and a child growing inside of me, I ran hopelessly. I was sprinting down the path that would take me directly into the human realm.

I vowed to myself that I would take care of myself and be a good mother, all the while keeping Rae in the dark about the existence of our child.

I was at a loss over what to do the next day. How do I get help, and who should I ask? The pain in my chest made me feel miserable and I was hungry.

I was looking for food in a garbage can when I felt a soft hand on my arm and heard a woman's voice.

"Are you hungry, miss?" she said with a twinkle in her eyes, yet there was sadness in her gaze.

I shrank back. Although the woman didn't look dangerous, I had lost all faith in people. I responded to her by nodding my head.

"Come with me. I'll get you something to eat. You shouldn't be searching the trash can, you can get sick."

The woman persisted, and eventually I gave in to her persistence and trusted her. She treated me with so much respect and I got to know that Leila was her name. I felt secure next to someone for the first time.

Leila insisted that we visit the doctor right away after noticing that my tummy continued to swell as the months passed.

Although I was aware that I was pregnant, I had no idea how many children I would be carrying.

"Quadruplets?" I fell back into the chair.

The doctor was talking about how blessed I was to have four lovely babies at once, and I was buried in my own thoughts.

The torment I'd experienced since leaving the pack made having quads seem like a minor thing. I was afraid, though, and I couldn't hide it. I was afraid of how I would care for four infants on my own, so I sobbed while my wolf howled at the full moon.

"You're no longer alone Ava, you have me now," Leila said.

The hardest times I had to face in order to adjust to life as a person were the one thing I would never forget. Leial took me into her home. At the same restaurant where she worked, she got me a job. I was eager to start over somewhere new, somewhere no one would find out about my secret and away from the humiliation of rejection.

It had been seven years since I buried the past in the depths of my memory.

I began to feel more human as I adjusted to my new life.

And I had much more motivation to survive and fight for the quads after they were born.

The quads were running around my bed in a frenzy the moment I had opened my eyes.

My cell vibrated on the other side of the bed. I extended my arm across the bed to grab it.

"I'll be ten minutes late."

It was Leila's message. How could I doubt Leila's devotion to the kids when she had taken on the role of their protector? It made my heart feel warm.

I finally made it to the door and Leila grinned broadly as she stood there and gave me a hug.

"I apologize for the mess, these kids are driving me crazy," I said, feeling down because I was never able to keep the house clean.

"Everything will be in order when you return."

Leila stopped to gather the toys that were strewn all over the house's entryway.

"You know that's not necessary, Cat," I told her. "The kids are a handful already"

She chuckled, "Don't overthink it, Kamara. You know I enjoy spending time with the boys."

As they spoke, the kids hurried towards her like they did every time Leila arrived, and gave her hugs that nearly suffocated her.

"Are you sure that spending the night here won't be a problem?" I asked.

With her arms still around the kids, she said, "That question is getting annoying, Ava. You can leave peacefully to work. I'm good with the kids."

I hugged them all before I left.

"I'll look after my siblings, mom, I promise." Logan hugged me tightly. He always felt responsible and protective of everyone around him, including me. The instinct to protect ran deep in his bones.

It was impossible to look at Logan and not remember Rae. His father's bravery was even more like his own.

Running my hand through the boy's hair, I said, "You're my Alpha, and because you're strong and fearless, you'll guard the entire pack."

At midnight, a knock came at the door.

Leila frowned, looking at the time and wondering if anyone would be there at that hour. She set down the cup and thought about responding as the knocks grew louder.

Her heart was beating fast as she paused halfway, hoping the person would give up and go away. With four children in the house, Leila felt helpless and refused to open the door. She heard footsteps fade away after a while, and then the knocking stopped. Just as her heart began to stop and she made her way quickly to bed, the front door was ripped clean off its hinges and violently hurled across the room, barely missing her.