***Natalia***
Rionna’s face pales when she turns to face me, a young woman standing at her side attempting to comfort her.
Something is very wrong here, Devina whispers.
"Where is Kota?" I ask, dread settling in the pit of my stomach.
"Where is my baby?"
"I- I ," Rionna stammers, tears clinging to her eyes as she looks around the play center frantically.
"I was just reading a magazine..." she whimpers.
"And then-" I follow her gaze, not seeing Kota anywhere in the playcenter.
"Where is my baby?" I repeat, handing my things to Celina and storming through the play center.
"Kota? Kota, ¢ donde estas? Dakota!"
Rionna follows close behind me, tears streaming down her face as I search for my pup.My lungs feel as though they are collapsing, every breath I take labored and almost too painful to take.I hold my breath as I search the area, refusing to breathe until I know my baby is safe.
A lump forms in my throat, trapping in the scream I want to release so desperately that it scratches and claws at my soul.
After a thorough search, I turn to Rionna, hoping this is all just a sick joke she’s playing.
"Where is he, Ri?" I ask her calmly, growing irritated when she opens her mouth but says nothing.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I shake her violently.
"Where is my baby?!"
"I-I’m so sorry!" she cries, collapsing on her knees and begging for forgiveness.
"I was just reading my magazine when this-this man came up to me and-"
"Aman?!" I snap.
"What man?!"
"I don’t know." Rionna shakes her head.
"He was tall...blue eyes," she says, gesturing to her eyes.
"H-his hair, it was light but not blonde."
A chill crawls up my spine as she describes the man she had spoke to.
"H-He asked me which kid was mine and then I woke up all alone” Rionna explains.
"I started searching for Kota and ....Oh Goddess! I’m so sorry!"
She sobs, taking my hands in hers and squeezing them for comfort.
"I don’t...I don’t know what happened! I don’t know! I looked away for just a moment, it was just a moment-"
She weeps uncontrollably, Agnes doing her best to soothe her.
Meanwhile, something inside me is breaking, shattering into a million pieces as I try to take a breath and find myself unable to inhale even an ounce of air.My chest tightens and it hurts.It hurts to breathe.
All the sounds of the world, Rionna’s sobs, the laughter of the children playing in the background, the questions Celina asks the other adults in the room...
suddenly go quiet, and all I hear is the sound of my own beating heart.
Ba dump...
Ba dump...
Ba dump..
Dakota...
It means friend and for many weeks after I left Silver Crest, Kota was my only friend.
After he was born, Kota became my only source of happiness and my daily reminder to keep moving forward.I could not just collapse because I had a little someone depending on me to be strong and brave.I had to work, I had to forget, I had to build my walls nice and tall so no one would ever hurt us again.
But now, as the world around me continues moving forward, my world...my small beautiful little world is gone.
All the pent up frustration I’ve held in for so long has finally reached its limit.It starts with the tears rolling down my cheeks and a burning in my throat.
My face flushes with anguish and Celina tries to calm me down.
"Breathe, Talia, breathe!" she says cupping my cheeks.
gasp, unable to fill my
"I can’t breathe!"
shhh." she soothes, smoothing
through my body, a calming sensation spreading down my
breath
it," she whispers as we breathe
in and
when I finally manage
a healer,"
baby back.So this man," she
he give a name? Talia, do you recognize the
reply,
the only man that would have any interest in
said you would know where to find him,"
"That’s all I remember."
do you?"
for a
I check the caller ID before answering, my blood
help him take
if that bastard hurts my baby, if that bastard harms a hair on Kota’s head, I will hunt you down! I will skin
you are going to tell me exactly what you know about Christian and his plans.I want to know
Jordan replies, the sound of his
snap,
not! I
California because I found your plane tickets and a phone number from the area.Christian doesn’t trust me anymore.He had me followed
with myself for not
Oi, mon cheri, Micah and Nikki," Micah shouts into the
been watching Jordan like a blind
you?"
about 2 hours north of San Francisco,"
the pack called?- The Blood
going to Patrick's pack," Celina
them to meet us
River Moon," I instruct
there in 20
our own thoughts. I lower down the window, my fears slowly suffocating
guilt overwhelming me as I watch her fidget with
Rionna looked shocked as I rest my head
begin to trickle down my cheeks, she wraps me up in her embrace and
I whimper, the thought
and I fear they may not have the patience for
set the world
house, a car already parked in
step out of the car with Nikki and Micah and
of them greet Celina after she introduces herself as Princess
he sees me but I
he
Surprise b***h, Devina snickers.
a
did this- when did this happen?" His eyes
"You're marked?"
my personal life!" I snap, unwilling to let him
he does not argue with me.I
them aiding Jordan in finding me, I am not angry with them.It is in their nature to help
know, this
Moon pack house and we settle in the
y-you look
a glass of water is handed to him by an
my son?" I ask, getting
looks stunned by the question, but it's a valid fear
would Christian want our son if not to kill him? Surely Vanessa has produced an heir or two by now?
son because I can assure you,
at Silver Crest.He already has a home.He has a family.He has a father.So for f***s sake, give me back my pup and leave us alone!" I demand, rising to my feet and slamming my fist against
leaning forward and
stare back at
"What?"
and Christian have not been doing too well,"
tells me she’s awake but it seems Christian is not interested
audacity that he has to even
tingle of satisfaction tickles my soul to know Christian and Vanessa
his former pack and my pup
four years, growing more desperate with every passing day," Jordan explains, his face
out of control.He’s killed dozens of our
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XZfjp86BUOytkVnPkLzXHE33LyaGOcWz8lqtFAb5qC2YWCqlbRd+BkZsjZaBpsNCJz4H681En184zvlxL7Y2L4/e/axoIteKoPHNA2zkDAIcxkaST+ozqI1cLnT6UuTBwchG9+TXdDPlNbgBuQ71HNReyInUi+if084QcSSAQVvzf6fKsMnS2DUixCclAWMFo222ONwRq954RDMyi70g6/gb7l0AaIGfGmdkE77coZigDGX/2IAFwQDHC875ZzvoQ03t/7LMM+b7hXbLMzZbMNiBRKcgH9EToNR0AMkVYf0hC9F5z3mgJKwqMYbaLvT/0ZZy/c40S56mFRDblB4dtq0vcH8I2sa0dFJwzWsQGUqgE/m6izArjOyAfX5zQ8qxC9uU4vkg1Ubd0CnN9st6CdJbLlQbvGhT+RUl/sH6dRH+AMhn6dJkVjCGCBgnoYiZGMXbm1NRaugKwPqXtC+d92hFReThJ1AOqJP8WULBjZhRNEunrmREvNH/VqCZE512eBxEtTW7tH3IkBURJgmMo+uYdZYhRAO+fmSZFMDs3yLUxD3/6O3IcF7jWtkPYOaAcfdvorz/XgyCaWsb1+3IPjsuKBFpYq0s8p8bTnQjeFYJot+hfWga7i0ypTSexFQO4yF5bInX4yRv3vnDiTdlKpjaa8y6rTn42IL7V640/6n/JJ9QI/XIJyTqKj1spUlDgwfpsSf5aJ7lMivRjG+syTnDFOciKZnbvnAwxlQ6eZhWCF9KKxtS+xXKsicUSvKdbORPi2YdgV0qkv9YrROjixrqehl7YWuBWRnU5K060n6zoEE97bhpDsyLNpBvMgdECn8PCsMpC0iYO4Zwn6KVK20ZZvrN6gV8NscGEO3WrwrSSPd3oDNUqwPZgqo6eMiahpG7Jz542ALhPTBn2pXRsicbzPgaDa+E1xPTm8NckJPJUksY/NvEaavmYE+1FvyFkSOqN5fbNYMQPrY2Z57Gqvq0sApbDIGtO7Q0PE0fY0kOnDRxN+bF0g6AmUE2VITSH1U9WU12WQtjUsEQOtCu+OjWsDmrmjen/Jf9nK5M4EgWpQadiiNPhC6sJuRaS6cKhj5mGsYq94nMlR8sTRdA+4ae2hE6fgYoGnW4ub/zZ5L/x2CkPQFFZ4IoBdwHZGCaVVPioa9+wWGJnvstShrSTGagTRKLEAopAG+EQv30YHFuhF3FWcLq0VjkHskFVZLnT0BevC6LNJ6eNiotBx4xhQrqF4Vg/cjSBl1KJoKuCvufdG6fMkwinYXgp9eNRJYW8qUQvaYgjOFwMbzpI+GMqQlDEFbbdDsiDKhB51sE0muHzFLz8Qob6NdMGzn5IPD0q3kW3fyVxzUPCnj3vYAhabOMJfyyDMy3JQduMwpFTo0pcL3ueMYzqepaO18Kn2zXh+reHFZ88hdN93aId5XjgsD5joHX1I65NODrzbGzNfGuqPlIDYOqyddF++SCU2u2osOJMP9d1yTRFio6AevWFeGr3b1OF2m6qe6LwtLFV2nfmsFqLwlU16YPJTzCrkTT6tVb7ji7kW1mDOZrlDFHbu95/mFI6w6Gxro/UsrCthTTQ8gb18muOR2c8AWWarzODigMSdBYjE/2mInq1bRgWyAhcfhQ9dHBqk/r6FaD4oY7Ij38B6lr8huym59PoeXo2HZB8TCD9Nmf0Q3g5zlT0AP4TBmu7J1OaCIrpqM2KyOaaD1k+scY9uTvllUck1nhqkLnySj5cilEMF/VU+4JPU416p+zQo3IcAfBt5Y5fvPKEcbAE7twhPLTFsOoW6ZEvXLkvdzqmdLKp1VX8a4/6ByXLf7cvMYYh4yj6mmxTSDhq3HPjuMo4X0pn81LDPJgHMOONecRIUt/+2RcFtYKG5DdHnG4rDuu1KzUgyIDL6pdLUxkeL+lU8rGUBK2wHE4JBlYt/d9ulpGnSYqdZOMryMZjn2Q+609kYIzIkqFPr42vo7yURGfR63TtMk2tbqLH1Y2FZMRWr9bAuYp+MFuyRnHjzM=
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