Chapter 45
Jade
Alice and I leaned back at the table and watched all of the children eat their food. Most of the pack families ate at their own homes unless Alice announced she was cooking for everyone. Tonight, it was just the witch children and a few wolf pups that had attached themselves to the group. I was honestly surprised by how well they all got along.
“Have you seen Rafe today?” Usually, he would pop in to check on me or pretend like he just happened to be in the area. I hadn’t seen him since the previous night.
Alice frowned. “No, but I got a message from him saying that we needed to talk tonight.”
“Do you know what it’s about?”
Alice shook her head. “I have no idea.”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek while I thought about what it could be. “Would you like me to make sure all the kids are in bed so you can go talk to him?”
Surprise flickered across Alice’s face. “You would really do that for me?”
“Of course, just call meDen Mother.”We laughed together and I shooed her with my hands. “I’m serious.”
“Thank you!”
The kids all took baths and were tucked into bed by the time Alice made it back to the manor. I was sitting on the front porch reading a book about the history of witches when she walked up the front steps. I smiled at her but her face was void of color.
“Is everything okay?” I asked as I placed a bookmark in the center of the book and stood up.
She nodded. “Yes, kind of. Rafe would like you to go to his house tonight.”
I blinked and nodded my head.
“How were the kids?”
I smiled. “I don’t know how the hell you manage to take care of them like this every night.”
She shrugged. “You do what you gotta do, I guess. I would hope if the tables were turned, someone would take care of my children like this.”
Rafe was waiting for me on his front porch when I finally walked up. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders at his cool look. “Are you okay?”
He shrugged his shoulders in a similar fashion to his mother. “I really don’t know.”
“What happened?” I asked then backtracked. “You don’t have to tell me, actually. If this is something between you and your mother. I’m here for emotional support only. That’s why you wanted me, right?”
Rafe’s frown deepened. “No, I want you here because I have things I need to tell you. You are an important person in my life and you deserve the knowledge I have shared with others.”
No pressure. “Okay, what’s up?”
He held his phone out to me and confusion washed over me until I saw the pictures on the screen. They were pictures of letters. I skimmed over them quickly and the world seemed to drop from beneath my feet. I clutched the phone to my chest as my heart pounded. “Where did this come from?”
“I don’t know how it was possible. Yes, I punched the wall. What are the odds? But they were my father’s. My mother confirmed his handwriting.”
“Does this mean what I think it means?” Reluctantly I handed his phone back. This could change everything, right?
Rafe looked up at the stars. “I really don’t know, Jade. This has been a long game played by Damian. What if he already knows?”
“Then we do our best anyway.”
“Does this change our plan?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. This might be what we need in order to change things. Let him come and then shock him with the truth. If he wants to turn around and leave, great. If not, we continue to be prepared for what’s to come.” I slid my fingers against his. “We win.”
