Life After the Storm

As we head up to his house, it's just like before. Nothing has changed. All the people gawking at me and whispering. What they all must think, but I don't care. The compassion that I've had most of my life is gone. I figure it's better to feel nothing than to feel anything.

In the distance I see a little boy running to me, as my eyes clear I see it's Jayden. He has done nothing wrong, but I'm afraid to show weakness. Knowing Jayden is probably the biggest weakness I have even though everything that has happened is not his fault he is innocent, So why would I not acknowledge him? He is the little shine of light that is in my darkness. I squat down as he runs into my arms, I hug him as tight as I can and pick him up. “Lilly, I have missed you so much, I'm so happy that you are okay.”

Then the words come out of my month without me realizing, “Oh Jayden, I have missed you so much too.”

As I'm gripping on to him tighter, I watch as a woman walks towards us. “Now Jayden, you know that you can't run off like that.”

As she goes to take him out of my arms, “what do you think you're doing, get your fucking hands off of him.”

“Excuse me,” she says to me as she looks at Ivan with an irritated look. That I just want to smack off of her fucking face. I just pretend that she and Ivan aren't there and give all my attention to Jayden.

He then whispers in my ear, “Lilly, she's not very nice. She makes me do things that I don't want to do, but daddy says I have to listen to her.”

As anger overcomes me, I then hear Jaydens sweet little voice which helps me to calm myself. “Lilly, your eyes have changed color, they are so beautiful.”

I feel so much power running through my veins, I do not know what to do with all of it. I try to calm myself as I look at Jayden. It helps me I can feel my body relax as I look at him. He smiles, “Yes my eyes change color isn't that cool.”

He giggles at me as I begin to tickle his belly “Lilly, stop please Lilly,” As I continue to tickle him.

give him a threatening stare to warn him not to

look and says, “Lilly, it's time to go.”

missed him so much. “Jayden, I have to go for now, but

“Lilly,

promise cross my heart.” I then kiss his cheek and put him

“I love you, Lilly.”

“I love you

angry with a child because of him loving me. Or maybe it's actually me loving him that angers him the most. Jayden has touched me somewhere in my

I take my arm out of his grip. “I know how to

to happen or what he is going to make me do. I don't want him to touch me and I don't want to touch him.  I don't want to play these games, but I'm not sure if there is another way. I was all for hurting

make people feel better. Now it's like I want to heal Ivan from all his pain that he has suffered. But what about the pain that he has made me suffer? I cringe, looking

another slap across my face. I look at him with disappointment, not understanding why he thinks he needs to be so rough. “Really Lilly, you are ignoring me. You

“what do you want me to say Ivan you have

sleeping with other wolves and I needed to mark

you did was

your legs to anybody that would fuck you, so who