cast no shadow. (the lost boys).

Chapter Ten: The Family We Chose

We spent another ten minutes searching for the boys, but the boardwalk was so crowded it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I glanced at my watch—it was late, at least for a human. Laddie must be exhausted and in need of a proper place to sleep. I decided to wait by the spot where the boys usually parked their bikes, hoping they would show up.

"I'm not sure where they are, little one," I said to Laddie as we leaned against a railing near the bikes. "But they should be here soon. Those are their bikes over there. Would you be scared to ride one?"

"You said I have nothing to be scared of when I'm with you, so no. I'm not scared," he replied with a shy smile. How could anyone not find this child endearing? I helped him onto the railing, holding his legs to keep him steady as we waited.

After what felt like an eternity, Paul appeared, looking visibly relieved.

"Oh thank fuck, there you are," Paul said loudly.

"Paul, watch your language," I scolded.

"What? Why? You don't usually c—oh," he stopped himself when he noticed Laddie. "Hey little man," Paul greeted him with a puzzled look.

"Hi," Laddie responded timidly.

"Where are the others?" I asked Paul, who was now staring at Laddie with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

"Uh, right..." Paul drawled, turning to indicate the direction.

Dwayne, Marko, and David arrived, and Dwayne was the first to notice Laddie, who was clutching my arm nervously. I could sense his apprehension.

"Who's this?" Dwayne asked.

"This is Laddie. He doesn't have a home, and he can stay with us, right?" I explained, giving Laddie a sympathetic look.

"Lizzie..." David began, his tone suggesting he was about to refuse.

"Please, David, he's just a little boy," I pleaded.

"We can't just take in a kid, Lizzie. It's dangerous for all of us. What would we tell Max?" David countered, while the others remained silent.

"Since when do you care about Max's opinion?" I shot back, my frustration evident.

"Let's not do this here—" David started.

"No," I interrupted. "We can't leave a child out here by himself. Are you insane? Wait, don't answer that."

"You have to understand, we don't have the time or stability to look after a child," David said, trying to reason with me. Though he might have had a point, I wasn't backing down easily.

"Okay, motor-mouth, let's take a vote," I challenged. "Paul, what do you think?"

Paul looked torn, glancing nervously between David and me. "Uh, well..."

"Yeah, me too. I agree, one hundred percent," I said sarcastically. "Marko?"

Marko looked like a deer caught in headlights, unsure of which side to take. He turned to Dwayne for support, but Dwayne pretended not to notice.

"Unbelievable," I muttered. I helped Laddie down from the railing and started walking toward the video store with Laddie's hand in mine.

"Lizzie, where are you going?" Paul called after me.

Ignoring him, I quickened my pace. Paul caught up with a concerned look, but I just shook my head and continued walking.

I entered Max's video store, where he was standing behind the counter. The boys were watching from outside, curiosity written all over their faces.

"Elizabeth," Max greeted with a nod. "Is everything alright?"

"No, Max. It's not," I admitted.

"What's the matter?" he asked, giving me his full attention.

"I need to tell you something I should have told you a long time ago," I said, feeling nervous. "And I think we should go somewhere private to talk."

"Uh oh," I heard Paul mumble as he followed us inside.

Max gave me a curious look but agreed. He led me to a small office at the back of the store. I sat on a black leather couch, while Max remained standing with his arms folded.

I was anxious about revealing the truth. Max had been more of a father figure to me than my own had ever been, and I feared disappointing him. What if he didn't want me to be mated to his boys?

"Well, I didn't plan on telling you this so soon, but..." I began, struggling to keep my composure. "I'm mated to your boys. All four of them."

Max looked stunned, but his expression quickly softened into a smile.

"What?" I asked, my nerves getting the better of me.

"This is great," Max said, clapping his hands together.

"It is?" I asked, bewildered.

"Of course! I've always wanted a girl in our little family. Plus, you're one of the most powerful vampires in the world. Why wouldn't it be great?" Max replied enthusiastically.

"I guess that's true. So, you're not mad?" I asked, trying to grasp the situation.

"Not at all! This is good news!" Max assured.

"Oh, good," I said with a relieved smile. "I was worried I wouldn't be good enough or that I'd be a bad influence. You may not believe it, but I can be scarier than the boys."

"I don't doubt that for a second," Max laughed. "Who is the child?"

I had almost forgotten about Laddie in my rush to explain everything.

"His name's Laddie. He ran away from home because his parents were awful to him. He has nowhere else to go, and I couldn't just leave him out there," I explained. "I took him to the boys, but David won't let him stay with us. The others didn't speak up; they were too afraid to oppose him."

"Huh, that sounds like them," Max mused. "Elizabeth, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said, crossing my legs.

"Why do you feel so protective of Laddie?" Max asked, catching me off guard.

"I don't know," I admitted. "He's just a little boy. I couldn't leave him."

"That's true, but you didn't have to bring him to us. There are other places he could go, like the security guards on the boardwalk or a police station. Why did you choose to keep him with you? Have you ever wanted kids of your own?" Max inquired.

"Well, yes, I have," I said. "I've always wanted a family. But it's not really possible for me, is it?"

"Could it be that you see Laddie as your own child? That you want to care for him as a mother would?" Max suggested.

"I—maybe, I don't know," I said, burying my face in my hands.

"Just think about it," Max encouraged with a gentle smile. "Take your time."

As I pondered the meaning of Laddie to me, I realized that I couldn't leave him behind. I had only known him for a short time, but he felt like a part of me already.

"Yes, I do," I finally said, lifting my head.

Max's smile widened. "Then we better talk to David."

"I guess so," I agreed, standing up. Together, we headed out to confront David and ensure that Laddie would find a place in our lives.