Protector | Sequel to Protected

Memories

I ran up to the secret room, threw myself down on the bed, and cried my eyes out.

Right after I found somewhere where I belonged, a place that I loved, it was ripped away from me. We were happy here. All of us were. We had the garden, where Farkle and Riley were married. The tree house, where we had the alcohol and desserts party where Josh got a raging hangover, and I had a Del Fuego for the first time. The forest, where I had ridden Lucas before I was changed. And the house, where Farkle was turned, where I was turned, where I had the quintuplets.

We had so many memories here, so many amazing times. I loved Lucas, Riley loved Farkle, Zay and Josh, best friends. 

I had dreaded moving here, to this little freckle in the state, where you could drive ten minutes from one end of the town to the other. And I hated it when we first got here. I missed the raging buzz of the city, the constant footsteps outside my window, the car horns, the constant danger and having to watch your back. But, without realizing it, I had grown to love this place. Grown to love the sun and the sky, and the stars that you could see at night. Grown to love the space, and the corn fields, and the quiet. 

And, obviously, I met my own personal miracle here: Lucas. If I had never moved here, I never would have met him. I never would have fallen in love with him, never would have met the Pack, or learned about werewolves, or become a werewolf. The most amazing things in my life happened to me here. I never would've had Connor and Mason and Isabella and Scarlet here. Without Lucas, I never would've even thought about motherhood. And, if I had, I would've cringed away from the very thought. Never would I have ever thought I would have the strength or the will to have quintuplets.

I loved it here, and I loved the people here.

I kept my head buried in the pillow as I heard the door click open. I even kept it buried as I felt Lucas wrap his arms around me.

"Maya," he said. Then I raised my head.

"I'm sorry. I know you're upset, but we can't endanger the kids, or Riley. We have to leave," he said soothingly.

"Where are we going?" I croaked.

"West Virginia," he answered promptly. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Why West Virginia?" I asked.

He looked uncomfortable, "Um... well... I mean... the country, you know. We're wolves, we need the country."

"You're lying," I said. It wasn't an accusation, it was a fact.

I saw the ghost of a smile around his lips, "You always have known when I was lying. Let it be, okay? It's a surprise."

I squinted at him.

"Fine," I finally said. Inside, I was screaming to ask what it was, what was it, I had to know. I've always hated surprises. I hate suspense, I just need to know what it was.

But I managed to keep my curiosity under wraps. Lucas kissed me on my forehead, then stood up to leave.

"I have to go help with the kids. Riley went to the store, so Farkle and Zay are stuck with them. Farkle isn't the best with children," he said, chuckling.

I nodded and managed a small smile.

"You're okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I nodded vigorously, "I'm fine."

Lucas nodded and left. A few minutes later, after I had wiped my eyes and most of the redness and swelling had gone down, so did I.