When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 48

ARTEMISIA

"It's lovely to see that you are getting along again."

I've just stumbled back onto the gravel path after tearing myself out of his arms with the last resolve I could find, as Celeste comments on our encounter happily.

I don't want to let the rumour spread about how fucked up it really is, so I just force a smile. "Thank you. He is a good mate, I hate that we left such a bad impression on the pack as a couple."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about this. We were all glad he met his match." She giggles cutely as she adds, "You are both so hot-blooded, it must be really nice."

She blushes, making me look at her incredulously.

It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?!

"Erm... It is, to be honest," I agree with her, making her giggle.

Oh, Goddess.

My heart gets a little blow at my thought that it is all a lie, and that I would actually like to have a drama-free relationship with him.

As I sigh, my gaze falls on Astrid walking in front of the pups, and Emma sleeping in her arms.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask Celeste, lowering my voice slightly.

"Sure," she answers, nodding happily.

Taking a deep breath, I decide to just go with it, as I probably wouldn't get the answer elsewhere. "Why is Emma so affectionate towards Fynn? Is there any reason why she is so comfortable around him? I guess that she was so affectionate towards me so quickly because she smelled his scent on me."

"Ah, that's..." She starts, stopping abruptly as she has her gaze fixated in front of her.

A lump forms in my throat and suddenly, I'm not sure that I want to hear the answer to it.

My thoughts start running wildly, wanting to tell her that she should forget what I said, but I keep my mouth closed.

Because it doesn't matter how much more my heart will break, I have to know.

"Emma was kidnapped with her mother and held hostage in another pack territory for days. Her mother was wolfless, so it took the Alpha and his men days to find them. When they finally did, he wanted to do everything the right way, and instead of just crossing the borders and risking a war between packs, he appealed to the Alpha on the other territory and relied on him to take action. But he seemed to just want to waste time, and Alpha Blackwood couldn't prove it well enough in order to attack them without getting penalised by the council. So, he had to wait as well. Fynn had already been stripped of his Beta title back then, and he said that he didn't have anything to lose."

She sighs, still avoiding my gaze, and I'm actually glad about it as she would just see my shocked expression.

I'm sorry... What?!, the little voice inside my head screams while Cassy snickers.

'What a loser.'

"What did he do?" I ask feebly, my voice barely audible.

A small smile appears on her lips as she continues with her tale, answering my question. "He crossed the borders. Took down a few guarding posts, and got Emma out of the enemy's territory." "Oh, my Goddess!" I breathe out, putting a hand on my chest.

"He returned with her, but also brought back the bad news about her mother already being gone... Apparently, they had tortured her to death, and also poor little Emma was already covered in scars." She puts a hand on her lips, taking a deep breath while her eyes well up with tears.

"Why do such a thing?" I ask, being totally appalled.

"From the rumours that I heard, they wanted to kidnap pack members to weaken the Alpha, and they started with her because they knew she was wolfless, and would have been easy to start with." "I can't believe this. Who did this?"

She just shrugs, shaking her head. "The Alpha never disclosed this information to prevent what Fynn then did, and kept it secret until now to keep pack members and Emma's father from taking revenge." Shaking my head, I feel like a tentacle wrapping around my heart. "This is just awful."

She nods, agreeing with me before we fall silent.

The gravel scrunches underneath our shoes, and I listen to the little children blabbering happily as we continue to walk along the river.

"To answer your question... She

must have felt safe with him as he

held her close as he ran back bringing her home. In the beginning, it was hard for any other to get. through to her. But he got her to eat and made sure she took her medicine. So, I really believe you when you say that he is a good

mate, I don't care what all the others

say."

***

It seems like ages have passed as we finally return to the daycare, and I am exhausted to no extent.

"Maybe I can ask Fynn if he would let the pups visit the stables one of these days. Like for a little excursion," I say as I'm saying goodbye to Astrid and Celeste.

I have already gone through a round of goodbyes, cuddles, and smooches from the pups, and my heart nearly couldn't take it to leave them all back there.

I even got a hug from Emma, who smiled brightly as I wrapped my coloured foulard around her neck, hoping it would have enough of Fynn's scent still clinging to it to make her happy. "That would be awesome! Thank you, Missy."

Waving at them, I start walking back to the pack house after rejecting them to call a driver.

I really need some time to myself, and a walk is the best way to go.

After about half an hour of walking through colourful fields of flowers and stone paths next to the calming sounds of the river, and passing pack members taking a stroll who greet me lovingly, making me feel guilty about not knowing them, I reach a junction.

Instead of proceeding right ahead to reach the pack house, I decide to turn left and go into town.

Texting Cayden to inform him that I would dine in town, and text Lisa to ask if she would like to go out.

I'm surprised as she responds right away, telling me that she would reach me for dinner in town.

I would never have thought she would be free so spontaneously, and I feel happy as it seems as if I have been welcomed to the pack through and through by everyone. We will just ignore the idiot.

Sitting in a little bistro, I order a chai tea latte from a waitress who seems to be overly excited about having me.

I sip on the deliciously steamy beverage while watching the people on the busy town square.

Lisa joins me just a few minutes later as she apparently lives just around the corner. I feel a bit nervous as I want to ask her about what Daisy told me.

But in the end, we just keep babbling about random stuff and I totally forget to address it. Even if my mates are acting strangely, I feel like I'm slowly coming home.

I can do it, I encourage myself. I just have to focus on all the love I get.

As I finally arrive home after we lost

time and got kicked out by the owner of the bistro - even if I think that he had us sitting around longer as he would have usually closed before he came to us with an

apologetic expression - I am ready

to go to bed happily.

I am actually convinced that it was a good thing I didn't ask about Daisy's strange words, as what Celeste told me is already a lot to stomach.

I'm already climbing the first set of stairs as a growl makes me halt in my tracks.

"Where the fuck have you been?"