Eden pov
"I'm so sorry, we were hungry," Lunaire says when I seat the three of them at the table after making them dinner. "Thanks, Eden."
In all these years in the human world, I've always felt I don't like children at all, but I think I do. Even though they came like vile thieves to steal my food, they may actually be good kids. The poor things are dirty, as if they've been lost for days, and they seem to be eager to eat the dishes too.
I feel tenderness for them, but I don't know what to do with them. I don't have enough monev for myself, let alone to feed three more people.
"Where is vour mother?" I ask them.
The three little ones stop eating and look at each other.
-She died?
They don't nod, but they don't shake their heads either. This ambiguous response frustrates me, but I decide to wait a few seconds for them to process the question.
As I wait, some possible answers come to mind.
Raisa died, and they have wandered the world.
Raisa survived, but kicked them out of her life for having werewolf blood in her veins.
The third, the most horrible, is the one Dean says.
Our mother passed away and her father kicked us out of his mansion two weeks ago. Wait, what? And how did they find me?
"Mom always told us about you,' Riven, Dean's identical twin, explains. "She knew where you live."
-But she died when she had them, how is it possible that...
"No, she outlived us," Lunaire says. "She was the best mom in the world, but she went to heaven"
A gasp of horror escapes my lips. Now it makes sense that Leif was still alive when Raisa supposedly died. However, now that they confirm that he has indeed died...
Q
-Leif, he must be.
"What's wrong?" Dean asks. "Are you going to die too?"
I take my hand off my heart and shake my head, though I'm hot exactly sure I'll survive this shock. What if Leif has already kicked the bucket? Who's going to take care of these children? I don't have the money for lawyers, and I don't know how legal it is to keep them.
-I think I'll have to leave them in an orphanage. I can't do it...
"We have money!" the three shout, running toward me.
What? What do you mean they have money?
Riven pulls something out of her small backpack and hands it to me. It's a check made out to me for an outrageously large amount. My eyes pop out, and I feel like fainting again. What is it...? Our grandfather said to give it to you so you could take care of us.
-Our grandfather said to give it to you so you could take care of us.
A knot forms in my stomach. This is, without a doubt, the solution to all my problems, but I feel too bad about taking advantage of her vulnerability.
"I can't accept this, I'm sorry," I said, handing it back to him. "It's...
-Mom told us that you would take care of her someday.
"That was when I was within my capabilities, I explain to Lunaire. "I don't think I am now..
"
The three of them are pouting, making my heart clench. Maybe they're just trying to manipulate me with their cute faces, but they really do seem tired, not just physically but mentally as well
I've never identified so much with someone in my entire life.
-You can stay here tonight, and tomorrow we'll see what's next. Could you at least grant me that?
library
"Yes, Aunt Eden, Lunaire says, as her siblings smile and nod.
"I do like wolf children," I think fondly.
While they clean up in my tiny bathroom, I desperately search for clean clothes they can wear. I'm not a big person when I'm human, but I don't think the kids would be happy
wearing oversized pink pajamas.
Luckily, I discover they have some clothes in their little backpacks, so I'll be spared all that drama and just have to wash what they take off now.
I also find a photograph in Lunaire's backpack. In it, Raisa is in a wheelchair, surrounded by her three babies. Despite her smile, her expression shows immense pain. She's endured too much, it's agony.
I can't keep holding a grudge against him. That would be very mean of me.
"Mommy could never walk, my niece explains, the first to come out of the bathroom.
"Grandpa always yelled at us that we were the ones who broke his back."
"You miserable old man," I mutter. "I'm sorry I went through your things, but I wanted to
find.."
-It doesn't matter. You're looking after us now, and you can do it. Mom also checked our backpacks.
Her eyes fill with tears. I have the urge to go over to her and sit her on my lap to comfort her, but I hold back. I know what Leif was like as a child, and he barely tolerated physical contact when he was sad.