The lost mate
Chapter 25: A mother’s precaution

Chapter 25: A mother’s precaution

Annie stood in the small, cosy bathroom, gently combing through Ryan’s soft, dark hair. The little boy squirmed in her grasp, his boundless energy making it difficult for him to sit still. He giggled as she worked.

"Mommy, what’s that?" Ryan asked, pointing to the small vial of potion in her hand.

Annie smiled softly, her heart clenching with both love and a pang of worry. "This, sweetheart, is just a little something to help you at school," she explained, trying to keep her tone light. "It’s like a special spray that makes you smell like everyone else."

Ryan’s eyes widened with intrigue. "Like magic?"

"Something like that," Annie said with a chuckle, carefully spraying the potion over his clothes and hair. "It’s to keep you safe, my love. You remember how we talked about keeping secrets, right?"

Ryan nodded solemnly, his little face growing serious. "Like our secret hideout?"

"Exactly," Annie replied, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "This is our secret too. You’re special, Ryan, but we have to make sure no one else knows just how special you are, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Ryan agreed, his voice full of trust and innocence. He had no idea of the dangerous world that existed beyond his small, happy life, and Annie was determined to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Wolf children, like Ryan, grew up just like normal human kids until they reached puberty, at which point their wolf would awaken. But any werewolf could tell that Ryan was one of them, and that posed a significant risk. The solution she used was a simple yet effective means to mask his scent, to make him blend in with the other children at school.

"All done," Annie said, smiling as she straightened his collar and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "You look very handsome, mister."

Ryan beamed at her, his grin wide and infectious. "Thanks, Mommy!"

Just then, there was a familiar sound of Emily’s cheerful voice calling out, "Good morning, Annie! Is my little buddy ready for school?"

Ryan’s face lit up with excitement, and he wriggled free from Annie’s grasp. "Auntie Emily’s here!" he exclaimed, dashing out of the bathroom.

Annie followed him, her heart swelling with gratitude as she saw Emily crouching down to greet Ryan with a big hug.

"Good morning, Emily," Annie greeted, a warm smile on her face despite the anxiety simmering beneath the surface.

"Morning, Annie," Emily replied, rising to her feet with Ryan clinging to her leg. "Ready for another fun day at school, Ryan?"

Ryan nodded enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes! Are we going to the park after?"

Emily chuckled. "We’ll see how the day goes, buddy. Maybe if you’re extra good."

Annie knelt down and hugged Ryan tightly.

"Be good for Auntie Emily, okay? And remember what we talked about."

"I will, Mommy," Ryan promised, his small arms wrapping around her neck.

Annie kissed his cheek, holding him close for just a moment longer before letting him go. "I love you, Ryan."

"Love you too, Mommy," he replied, his voice bright and carefree as he skipped towards the door.

Annie watched as they left, her heart heavy with a mix of love, fear, and determination. She couldn’t keep Ryan locked away forever, but she could do everything in her power to protect him. As the door closed behind them, she took a deep breath, trying to steady the turmoil inside her.

Damien had thrown everything into chaos, but she couldn’t let it consume her. She had a plan.

Annie pushed open the door to the café. She had barely slept the night before. But as she stepped into the familiar space of the café, her thoughts came to a screeching halt.

The first thing that hit her was the overwhelming scent—roses, lilies, daisies, and who knew what else, all mixed together in a heady perfume. She blinked, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. The café was filled with flowers, every surface covered in vibrant blooms. Vases lined the countertops, the tables, even the windowsills, spilling over with more flowers than she could count.

"What the...?" Annie muttered under her breath, her eyes widening as she took in the sight.

Heather popped up from behind the counter.

"Well, well, look who’s here! What do you think of the new décor?"

Annie could only stare in disbelief. "Heather, what is all this?"

Heather leant in conspiratorially. "There were a hoard of delivery boys who kept bringing in flowers. couldn’t turn them away, so I decided to make the café into a floral wonderland for the day."

Annie’s heart sank. There was only one person who would have done this. Damien Montefort.

**************************************************

Detective Fred Monroe was just about to unwrap his sandwich when the door to his office swung open with a loud creak. His junior, Officer Stevens, burst in, his face flushed with urgency. Fred sighed, putting down his lunch with a resigned look. He could already tell that his meal was about to be interrupted.

"Sir, we’ve got something," Stevens said, his breath coming in quick bursts. "Workers at the Cedar Creek Marsh development site found a car—an old one—buried deep in the mud. They’re draining the marsh for that new housing project, and it turned up. There’s a body inside."

Fred’s eyebrows shot up, his hunger forgotten in an instant. Crescent Valley was a small town, quiet for the most part.

"Any ID on the car or the body?" Fred asked, already reaching for his coat.

Stevens shook his head. "Not yet, sir. The car’s pretty rusted out, and the body—well, it’s been in there a long time. Couldn’t tell much from a first look."

Fred stood up, the chair scraping against the wooden floor. "Get the forensics team out there. I want the car towed back here and the body taken straight to the mortuary. Let’s find out what we’re dealing with."

Stevens nodded, already halfway out the door to relay the orders.

Fred grabbed his hat, feeling the familiar thrill of a mystery unfolding. The marsh had been untouched for decades, left to nature until the recent push for development. If there was a car down there and a body with it, then someone had gone to a lot of trouble to keep it hidden. And for how long?