Chapter 147

The stage is set.

I've got to hand it to Bob, he's built a well-oiled network of evil and orchestrated his plan perfectly.

Kadeem will be taken in front of the Council elders. He'll be blamed for everything from Susan's death to the vampire attack. Bob will get to play the hero and declare himself the rightful Alpha. Kadeem will be killed.

It's everything Bob hoped for.

His henchmen arrive in the darkness to haul off me, Jack, and Riley. Jack is coming to, Riley's still holding on, and I'm less noodle-like, but I fake incapacity, forcing one of them to lift me from the ground and half-carry me, supporting my weight.

My last glimpse of Kadeem is as weighty as you would imagine. There's no fear in his eyes, though. I'm starting to feel hints of my inner wolf again and the emotional link between us. What I pick up from him is exactly what he's projecting outwards: calm.

It sets me off. Where's the anger?! The steely determination?! The whirling thoughts as he plans a way out of things?! Fear, sadness- something!

I feel his flicker of amusement just as it sparks in his eyes. He's either seen, or felt, the rush of outrage go through me. Leave it to Kadeem to find that funny.

I have only a second to memorize him before I'm forced away, but in that second, I try to take in every single part of him- the dimples, the dark hair, all the lines of his strong form... All parts of the man I've loved for so long.

And then he's gone.

In the pre-dawn, Jack, Riley, and I are shuffled like contraband through field and trees. Surprisingly, we're not stuffed inside vans and driven to some abandoned warehouse, like I'd pictured - the way I've seen in movies. We trek ahead, like a compass, to Kadeem's cabin.

With each step, my chest constricts tighter, my heart races. What will I find inside? Will the kids still be there, or have they been taken? Are they scared? Hurt? Or worse...? Waves of nausea hit me and I start to break out into a sweat, my hands clammy.

We get to the back door of the cabin. My whole body is trembling now. One of the men barks out a list of rules and the life-and-death consequences of breaking them. The tape around our hands is torn off. The door is pushed open.

Before I see anything, I hear the cabin buzzing with cheerful play. The relief hits so strong, my knees buckle - it's a good thing some stupid lackey is holding me up.

"Ten dollars the Rangers take the Series!" It's Erbao's voice.

Middle of the night, yes, but all five kids are up, as if nothing is wrong.

I hear an unknown male voice laugh in response, and I'm sick again, goosebumps on my arms, ready to heave, body flashing cold.

"Mom!"

The living room is a mess of toys and food. Ezra is constructing a world of Legos. Silas has dragged everything out from a science kit Julia got for him. He's in the white lab coat and peering at plastic test tubes - God knows what’s inside of them.

Milo is laying on the ground, digging his hand through a box of cookies. Lottie has a tea party set up on the coffee table. There are drips of something wet all over the table, some of Milo's cookies on tiny plates, and she's in the middle of daintily handing over a plastic teacup to one of their guards.

I swallow nervously as I recognize them both - Sasha and Gabe - older, but nonetheless malefic. Erbao's in the middle of shaking Gabe's hand to make their bet.

Silas' eyes widen when he sees me, immediately abandoning his science experiment. Ezra drops his Legos. Milo stuffs two entire cookies in his mouth as he dashes over, and I hope to God he doesn't choke. Erbao's face brightens and he rushes past Lottie, who drops the toy teacup. Whatever's inside, it splashes on Sasha's shoe. I see her wince.

They surround me as I'm taken to the couch, where I’ve already been instructed to stick to like glue.

I scan the kids’ faces. Remarkably, they do seem unharmed and innocently unafraid, but I don't quite trust it.

"Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?" I try to hold back the sob in my voice and then I hug them all.

"We're fine, Mom," Ezra says.

"We're having a tea party," Lottie chimes in.

The guilt almost knocks me sideways. I've made a terrible, irreparable mess with my stupid, dangerous decision, leaving my children vulnerable, and Kadeem - well, I can't go there again just now, thinking about what’s happening to him. I force it out of my head.

Jack's shoved onto the other end of the couch. Despite everything, I'm unable to shake the feeling of comfort in his presence. I keep my eyes trained away from him, hating myself for it. Riley is carried in and taken into another room, hopefully for medical aid. Bob promised Kadeem she would be taken care of, and if the quints are any indication, his promise may actually hold true.

Milo speaks through a mouthful of cookies, "Whur Dah?"

He starts to cough. Next to him, Ezra smacks him hard on the back.

"Don't talk with your mouthful," I snap before casting a look of ire at all five of them. "And why aren't you in bed?"

Erbao gives me the most indignant-Kadeem expression. "Mom."

"Where's Daddy," Milo tries again.

I sputter for a second. "Never you mind," I spit out.

"Would you like to see him?"

We glance up to Sasha, holding out her phone. Behind her, one of the henchmen is whispering in Gabe's ear, and on the other side of the room, a second one is walking out the front door. The third, who helped me on the walk over, is nowhere in sight. I'm sure none of them will go far. They'll keep us locked in tight for however long is necessary.

A chorus of "yesses" goes up. Kadeem will get the proof he asked for. Sasha gives the kids a big, fake smile, and starts tapping on her phone screen.

Lottie climbs into my lap. "Mommy, you look sick."

"I'm fine," I try to say, but nothing comes out. I press my head to hers. On the end of the couch, I feel Jack move restlessly, adjusting his posture.

Some background noise from the phone registers in my ears and Lottie shouts, "Daddy," before all their voices begin to compete at once.

"Your friends are Astro fans," Erbao groans.

Friends. What other lies were they told?

"Dad, guess what? I'm working on a science experiment," Silas exclaims.

Ezra is scrambling up to get his Lego project to show him. "Look at this!"

"We're up past bedtime," Milo announces proudly.

"Daddy, I made tea!" Lottie holds up her teapot.

"Wow, that's great," Kadeem starts, but soon gives up and just laughs, unable to get another word in edgewise.

I find myself frozen, unable to look up at Kadeem on the screen. I know that if I do, I'll start to cry, because I can hear the love in his voice for the kids, and it's just - too much.

The sound of muffled conversation on Kadeem’s end breaks in. I look up automatically, feeling an instinctive spike of worry. When I do, Kadeem is glancing off to his side, listening to someone speak.

After he turns back, he watches the kids for a long moment, still in the middle of their ceaseless chatter to him. Then he gently announces, “Hey, I have to go.”

The quints are immediately deflated, all sighs and "Aws."

"I know," he says, making an exaggerated sigh with them, before adding, "Everything okay, Ardal?" There's a protective edge in his voice. It's a voice with an unspoken, "Everything better be."

I meet his eyes. "Y-yes," I manage, mouth dry.

Then the call is cut.