Chapter 787
Madeline:
For the next few hours, we pretended to be a family.
I didn’t see Nina at all.
She remained in the guest room, though I caught glimpses of the maids leaving with empty trays after bringing her food.
For now, I had decided to avoid her.
I was definitely going to confront her eventually.
If not about Sawyer- well, she had gotten what she deserved.
She had wanted his love. Instead, he had fed on her blood.
Wearing a beautiful purple dress with my hair curled, I attended the dinner with my family.
Baxter had planned something for us, something to help us feel normal again.
A part of me knew something was still missing.
Of course it was. But I had to do this for my children.
Hopefully, Bodhi would be found soon. I still had friends in the werewolf land.
My gaze drifted to Gina, and I couldn’t help but smile.
She was sitting in the back seat, looking as adorable as ever, as though nothing had happened.
Then I turned to the window and wrapped my arms around myself.
We were going home now.
I sat in the passenger seat while Baxter drove.
“What are you thinking about?” Baxter asked.
I slowly turned my head toward him and rested it against the seat, watching him in silence.
“I’ve missed you,” I admitted.
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
I noticed the subtle reaction but continued anyway, wanting to see how far it would go.
“I thought I’d never see you again.”
A small smile tugged at my lips before I looked away.
“Why does it feel like there’s something else on your mind?” he asked, making me smile at the fact that he still knew me so well.
“There’s something wrong,” I commented, keeping my gaze fixed outside instead of looking at him.
“I know,” he replied, making me furrow my brows. “And I promise you, we’ll have Bodhi back in no time.”
The moment he said that, I let out a quiet chuckle.
He slowed the car and turned to look at me.
“Baxter, Lena is awake,” I said, absentmindedly running my fingers along the strap of my bag.
“Oh! do you want wolfsbane or something to keep her quiet? I mean, we wouldn’t want people to find out about your wolf yet.”
The way Baxter spoke felt calculated, almost rehearsed.
He was trying to sound like himself, but something was missing.
“I’m not sure what you’re hiding from me,” I said quietly. “But I’d be very happy if you’d just be honest with me.”
As I spoke, his brows drew together even more.
“I’m not hiding anything from you,” he replied a little too quickly.
“Baxter, come on.”
I turned to check on the children. They had started dozing off, exhausted from the
day.
“Something about your body
language doesn’t feel natural,” I
continued. “I don’t know what’s
wrong, but I’d be very happy if you’d be honest with me sol can help you.”
I finished in a single breath,
watching his hands tighten even et more around the steering evennet
until
his knuckles turned pale Content;
“There’s nothing wrong. It’s just— it’s been too long—- that’s all.”
He never finished the thought.
Instead, he pressed harder on the accelerator and drove the rest of the way home in silence.
I didn’t say another word.
By the time we arrived, the children had already fallen asleep.
I got out of the car before Baxter.
I didn’t need him to open the door for me.
What I needed was for him to open his heart so I could understand what was troubling him.
I reached into the back seat and lifted Gina into my arms while Baxter carried Elara.
One thing was certain.
His love for our children had only grown stronger.
He cared for them with protectiveness, as though he was terrified of losing them
again.
At the same time, I could still feel a quiet resistance whenever it came to me.
We carried our children to the bedroom next to Baxter’s.
He had arranged new rooms for them on the ground floor, refusing to let them out of
his sight.
It was a spacious suite, decorated beautifully.
Right inside Elara and Gina’s room was another spacious bed.
From the way it had been decorated, I could tell it was meant for Bodhi.
Who knew when Bodhi would come back?
Still, Elara and Gina’s room had a spot for him.
We walked inside, and I tucked Gina into the lower bunk before leaning down to kiss
her forehead.
Then I kissed Elara goodnight. Baxter did the same.
As he turned to leave, I opened the closet and took out a fluffy pink blanket and a pillow.
“What are you doing?” he asked, watching me place them on the large couch right beside Bodhi’s little bed.
“I’m tired, so thought I’d just go to
bed
I freshen up.” I replied
as turning to look at him.
“You’re sleeping here?” he asked, unable to hide the offense in his voice.
I turned to face him.
“I am sleeping here, Baxter. I’m not going to act like everything is normal.”
After setting the pillow down, I walked back to gather the things he had moved into his bedroom for me.
Then I carried them out and placed them in Bodhi’s closet for the time being.