A Cold Wind Blows (Forgotten series, #3)

Chapter 17

A week and a half later

"He was teaching us about pack safety!" Graham's voice was bubbling over with excitement and I nodded along with him even though I was growing more agitated. Thorn's scent was on Graham. I didn't like it, I hadn't liked it for the past week on him and I hadn't liked it for the past week and a half on Lander. However I had told Azrael to mind his own territory and I could do nothing during school because the boys were in his territory. I had to put up with it. "So when something happens we are supposed to get to the fort and go with Miss Thorn to the basement. Then the warriors protect the compound and we are all safe!" He bounced up and down in place and I shushed him gently.

"Your brothers and Nina are sleeping." Eli and Caden had tired each other out and I had put them down for naps. It meant for a nice quiet spell for me.

"Sorry. Its just that he is really cool and I really like him! When I went over to play at Clary's a few days ago, he let us play in the office with him before he took us to the kitchen to bake cookies!" Graham wiggled in excitement.

"You have told me this before, Graham." I had heard the story numerous times but it didn't stop him from his little bit of hero worship. I didn't begrudge him for it, he needed a person he could look up to and I was happy it wasn't me. He needed a better hero than me.

"Why don't you bake cookies?" He looked up at me and I glanced at him.

"I am terrible baker." I could cook meals but I could not bake anything. It all burned. I was used to it and accepted it. I just wasn't the baking type.

"Why?" He looked utterly confused and I didn't blame him. A large, fearsome Alpha was able to bake cookies with him and his friend but the small female that took over as his mother, could not.

"I do not know." I finished up the dishes and he pursed his lips as I moved around his chair to grab a banana from the fruit bowl.

"Okay. You are good at other things so its okay." He gave me a wide smile and I grabbed a knife, peeling the banana quickly before cutting it into a bowl. "You give good hugs and you read good." He grabbed the bowl and started eating the banana. I ran my hand through his hair as he jumped off the stool.

"Its you read well." I placed the knife in the sink and washed my hand. I had an urge to go for a run. We had been cooped up in the house for too long, we needed to run, to stretch out our legs and run until we felt like we would collapse.

"Okay. When will Lander come home?" Graham looked at me and I took a piece of banana from his bowl before eating it. I wasn't happy about it but Caeda had alerted me to the fact that Aiden had wanted Lander to stay back after school to help him catch up on his physical training. His training was important so despite my anxiety at letting him stay away, I forced it off and pushed it away.

"When he is done." I had no clue how long he would be out for and it agitated me. I could hear shifting from the bedroom and a small cough.

"Mama?" Eli's voice was croaky and tired as he called out. I patted Graham's head before gently pushing him towards the living room and moving down the hallway. "Mama!" Eli's voice was slightly panicky and I moved through the door and into the room. He was sitting up in his small bed, rubbing his eyes, giving shuddering breaths as though upset. He reached for me as I drew closer and I picked him up.

"Mama, Iz scared." His voice shuddered and his face was sticky with tears and I ignored the name. He had started calling me that when he woke up from bad dreams. I figured he forgot I wasn't actually his mother.

"There is nothing to fear, Eli." There would be nothing in this world he could fear. My wolf and I would make sure of it. We were his protectors and nothing would harm him.