Into The Darkness [#2]

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

JAYSON

"Blake. The twins need you," I sighed for the thousandth time. Ellie had been gone for nine days now and Blake had done nothing besides look hopelessly out of the window.

Luca was in charge of the pack running and, being honest, he was doing a damn good job given that he doesn't have any Alpha blood in his system. Jackson had been discharged from the hospital four days ago and was milling about the house as he tried to think of ways to get Ellie back from wherever the hell it was she had been taken to. And I was on babysitting duty since Luca was busy with the pack and Blake was falling apart without his mate for support.

I didn't really mind spending time with the kids. I was quickly falling in love with all four of them and I loved spending time with them. Especially Luca's boys — Daniel always wanted to do something new each time he saw me and Michael had stopped hiding behind his book when he was around me and had actually started engaging in conversations with me.

He had actually been a great help with the twins too. They were technically cousins, so it made sense, but Michael loved spending time with the both of them anyway and considered it bonding time while they were still too young to complain about everything.

"Uncle Blake," I looked behind to see Michael standing behind me. He was just as worried about Blake as I was and he had told me that he didn't want Blake to die and he didn't want Ellie to die either — they were his family and he didn't want to lose any more family than he had already lost.

He knew that Luca wasn't his real father because he had heard Charlotte arguing with someone more than once about it. And he also admitted that, as much as he loved his mother, he could never forgive her for the things he had done to Luca which is the reason he would always call Luca 'dad' and he would love him like he knew nothing.

"How is he?" Jackson asked quietly as he joined us in the room.

"He's not sleeping. He's refusing to eat. He won't even spend time with the twins," I sighed. I walked over to the window where Blake was sitting and sat down beside him with a hand on his shoulder. But his eyes didn't move from the forest outside the window, the same forest Ellie willingly walked into nine days ago.

"Auntie Ellie will come home. I know she will," Michael whispered to Blake as he sat in his lap and wrapped his arms around Blake's neck. I wasn't expecting anything to happen so I was surprised when Blake actually moved and made the effort to hug Michael back.

"He's right. Luca and I haven't stopped working on the places Bradley couldn't have taken her. We will find her," Jackson spoke reassuringly. I had missed this kid while he had been coped up in hospital and it was actually a relief to have him back. Even if he was still wary of my reasons for being here and still wasn't sure whether or not I could be trusted.

"Please Uncle Blake. I don't want something to happen to you," I heard Michael sob into Blake's shoulder and I am sure that's the first time I've ever seen or heard Michael cry. He didn't even cry when he told me how much he was missing Ellie and how much he hoped she would come home because he really wanted to get to know her.

"You don't even have to speak to us if you don't want to. Just coming out of your room will work for us," I chuckled lightly. Blake looked with me and, though his eyes were telling me a totally different story, there was a smile on his face as he punched me in the arm.

"Elliot is baking cookies. You have to try them Blake because, I am telling you now, you will never think of cookies the same again," Jackson laughed from beside me.

"He's right. I stole seven of her cookies yesterday. But don't tell dad because he told me I could only have one," Michael laughed slightly as he looked up at Blake. It was like his instincts to be a father suddenly kicked back in as he wiped the tears away from Michael's eyes and smiled down at his nephew with love in his eyes.