Chapter 435

Her words caught me by surprise, not because they were true, but because she felt they were. “Oh, baby,” I cupped her face. “Just because you are a shaman, and you see more than you should, doesn’t mean I have to add any more on to ruin your childhood. You are a kid, and I want you to stay that way until you are older.”

She pouted. “But why?”

I crouched down so I could be level with her. “Being old isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. We have bills and responsibilities. But most of all, we worry. We worry about what is going to happen, what our actions will do, and what we can’t help. That’s not fun.” I tugged on her pigtails. “I want you to be a kid. When all of this is over, you are going to be going to school with the other kids. You will get to play, and just grow up at your own pace. Don’t rush it, okay?”

She watched me for a minute and then nodded. “Okay.”

I smiled and kissed her head. “Good.” I stood up and walked out of the room. Carly caught up to me and slipped her tiny hand into mine, and we ended up walking down the stairs together. “Okay, I’ll be back in a little while and then we will get started on the box of paperwork.”

“Are you looking for something?” Her voice was soft, but eager.

“I don’t honestly know. Maybe?” I chuckled as she looked at me with her tiny, pinched brows. “I guess we will find out together.”

I winked at her and then stopped with Toya and Wendy. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Toya smiled as she washed the dishes. “How are you feeling?”

“Yeah, your mom caught us up.” Wendy came over and rubbed my back. “It’s a lot.”

I huffed out a breath. “Yeah.” I shook my head. “But I have bigger things to focus on.” I leaned in to Wendy. “Today when I come back, I have to work on paperwork, and Carly is going to help. But when she goes to bed, I want to talk about the plan.”

“Plan?” Toya perked up. “Are we moving on soon?”

I nodded. “We are.” I sighed. “But I want to talk to my dad first.”

Wendy nodded. “Makes sense.” She turned away, but then looked at me over my shoulder. “Where are you going?”

“Back to the apartment building.” I walked to the door. “My father…he used magic to keep stuff from me. Said it was for the best.”

Toya scoffed. “All dads think they know best, but mostly they are just too afraid of their kids growing up.”

I rolled my eyes. “That sounds…exactly right.” I huffed out another laugh and then I headed to the back door. “I’m just going to run there and back.” My two friends nodded. “Tell my mom when she comes down to where I went.”

Toya smirked. “She’s been up. She’s outside right now, texting your father.” Toya wiggled her eyebrows, and I wanted to vomit.

“Gross.” My best friends laughed as I walked outside to see my mother in shorts and a t-shirt with her phone in her hands. She looked like any normal twenty-something year old woman, and not the fifty-something she actually was. A smirk hit her lips, and I grimaced. “Mom, ew.”

Her head snapped up, and she blushed as she slid her phone onto the table. “Baby, I didn’t hear you.” The tips of her ears turned pink as she looked away.

I laughed. “Do you hear yourself? You are a wolf who didn’t hear me coming. Tell daddy I said hi.” I shook my head as I looked down at her.

Her ears turned a brighter red. “Oh shush. He just said something…funny.” She couldn’t even meet my eyes.

I held up my hand. “I can honestly say, I do not want to know.” She laughed as I pushed away from her. Her face was alight in a way I hadn’t seen in years. “You look happy.” Her face stilled for a moment.

Then she smiled bigger than before. “I am happy.” She looked down at the table and touched her phone. “Soon I’ll be able to see my mate again. And we can get back to the life the goddess has given to us.” She sat back, then looked at me. “I spent so many years hurt and angry that he betrayed us. But sitting here knowing I was the one that did, and he is still willing to accept me, puts things into perspective a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will never say stay in an abusive or hurtful relationship, but I will say this: forgiveness, whether it is for the other person, or just for yourself, is more important than holding on to the pain and anger.” Her eyes were soft. “Even if you never mate with Rowan, forgiving him… and yourself, costs nothing and will save you so much wasted time.”