The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 116

Finding the room was not an issue, and Laura came in a few minutes later with a pink nightgown.

"You can wear this, and use the shower if you want, the towels are in the cupboard under the sink."

"Thank you." I managed.

"Mama?" The little girl was standing in the doorway, "My toast fell on the floor." My heart clenched at the sound of her voice, and tried to not imagine what my own daughter's voice would've sounded like, "I picked it up after six seconds. Can I still eat it?"

"What did your father say?"

"He told me to ask you." I squeezed my eyes closed as the tears started to fall.

"You know what, sweetheart? I think you can. Now, I'll be back down in a minute."

"Ok!" I heard her run back down the hall, and thump down the stairs. I felt a hand on my arm.

"Do you have children?"

"No." Laura scoffed.

"Liar." I whipped around to face her.

"I do not have children, plural. I had one child. And she died before she took her first breath in this world. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. Now." Laura gasped and I heard her move to leave.

"Wait." She turned back to face me, but didn't say a word, "You can't tell anyone I told you that."

"Why? Clearly it's hurting you."

"Because they don't know. And I want it to stay that way. Well, Bruce knows, but he doesn't need to have to deal with my problems too."

"Isn't that what teammates are for?" It was my turn to scoff.

"I doubt they see me as a teammate."

"Then why don't we go see what they have to say about that."

"No. I've told you too much already. Please go, and please don't tell them." Laura left without another word, closing the door behind her.

I barely felt the cold shower water run down my back as I scrubbed my skin, trying to get not only the physical grime from the last few days off, but the emotional instability. I tried to force the sound of his voice away for good, but the more I tried, the louder it became, laughing, taunting me until it was all I heard.

I am your father now.

Wrong move, Shifter.

You have just doomed your entire race.

I will never stop hunting you!

So I soundproofed the room, covered my ears, and screamed until the only thing I heard was the ringing.

When I finally merged from the bathroom after tears as numerous as the drops of water on my skin, I wrapped myself in a towel and emerged to find Steve standing with his back to me.

"What did you say to Laura that upset her so much?"

"She didn't tell you all?"

"She told us that you think we don't see you as a part of the team."

"Well I certainly feel that way."

"She also said you're keeping a big secret, but wouldn't tell us what."

"What did you see?"

"Excuse me?"

"In your vision. What did you see?"