I opened the letter in my hands, and a wave of raw pain hit me in the chest. Carl’s neat handwriting met me.
Amy,
I know right this minute I am laying on the cold earth after doing everything to save my little girl. I know you just spent an hour taking care of her, and for that, I am eternally grateful. But if you allow her to stay awake, she will hurt herself. I’ve seen it. So I beg you to put her to sleep.
Use your magic, and put her to sleep every night for the next few months. She is a child, but she is my child, and I know her. She is an old soul in a tiny body and she sees more than you think she does. But she doesn’t see the entire picture yet, and if you allow her to, she will put herself in danger. And with it, the world.
I looked up from the letter to see Toya standing close. “What’s wrong?” She came closer.
“He wants me to put her to sleep. For the next few months.
Toya took the letter and read it. “He’s seen it.” She handed me back the letter. “I can’t blame the child. She’s grieving. When I thought my parents were lost, I was going to do something reckless. But you saved me.”
I stared at her. “You never told me.”
She raised her shoulder. “I hadn’t actually got that far into my plan. Just that I didn’t want to stay here if I lost everyone and everything like she has.” She played with her family ring on her finger. “But my loss wasn’t real, her isn’t. Even if she doesn’t understand fully in her mind, she knows she lost her father…her everything.” Toya nodded towards the letter. “Listen to him. Put her to sleep.” I nodded and turned back to the letter.
I hate to ask this of you, knowing you are already doing so much for me, raising my daughter. But can you bury me here near the cabin? So that Carly can visit me and know that I am still here with her. That I will hear her prayers, and walk next to her on her hard days. I know in my heart she will know, and you will help her remember me, but I need this. For my soul to be at peace.
I picked a nice spot behind the cabin. On the edge of the woods, under the big oak. We spent many days there, having picnics, watching the sunset over the cabin. She said it was her favourite place here, and I want to be a part of that still.
I built rooms for your friends; I know they will help while you have your position in your pack. Take the position Vince is offering you. I won’t speak about that anymore than I already have. But you need to take the position. The commute will be easier than you think.
I furrowed my brow at that. How is that even possible?
Check that stone of yours. You will figure it out.
The man was as cryptic as my grandmother.
Lastly, a few things. Carly has a box of letters in her room, and there is another in here for her. I wrote them for her big milestones, so she knows I’m with her. Tell her about me. About her mom. I left videos, and more letters to you about us. You can show her when she is older if you like. I want her to know where she came from. The love we had when we made her. I want her to know how much I loved her mother, how her coming into my life swept me off my feet. Our love was a flash in the pan, compared to my life, but it was bright and deep. Meeting her inother was the second brightest moment in my long life, but Carly has always been the first.
Having her in my arms, even as I lost the love of my life, was still the brightest spot in a life that was filled with darkness. I have lived a long life, longer than most even know, and until I met these two women, I had never known warmth. She deserves to know about it.
Chapter 281
+25 BONUS
Her wolf will be different from any you have seen before, but I think you and yours will understand being different. Don’t let her feel self conscious about her wolf, she might, and I don’t want her to feel out of place. She has her own path to walk, but she needs you to walk it with her until she’s capable of walking it alone.
Most importantly, I need you to make me a promise. Love her. Love her as if she came from you. Love her as I love her, even when you get your mate, even when you have your own pups, love her…for me.
Meeting you was the third bright spot, Amy, because I knew I could trust my baby in your hands.
Thank you.
