Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 289

Shen pulls it away again, patting the girl's head. "I know. Let me help you." She feeds Fei slowly, carefully.

I give Shen a reassuring look. Fei missed the 't,' but... "She sounds fine to me."

"She doesn't." Shen frowns. "She messes up words all the time."

"She's so young. That's normal." I think of how Charlie and Megan used to do that. "She's just shortening the words."

"I guess." She looks more sad than anything, watching the girl in her arms. "I just feel like this is my fault."

"I'm sure that's not-"

"Ap-ple-sauce, Fei," Shen tries to correct.

Fei smiles wide. "Apsauce." She reaches for more.

Shen sighs.

It goes on like this for a while until Fei-with a very happy stomach-falls asleep.

Shen rubs her back gently, combing her fingers through the little girl's hair. Feli snores like Luca now.

"What makes you think it's your fault?" Axel stands closer than before. "Because she sounds fine to me. I really don't think you have anything to be worried about." His voice is calm, steady.

It's the exact opposite of Shen's expression. "I..." She looks so... uncomfortable. "I made her be quiet when the other refugees would yell..."

"Yell?" Axel asks.

Shen mumbles,"Yell at her to shut up."

I wince.

Her face falls. She pulls Fei against her chest, tighter than is probably comfortable.

I don't say anything else. Neither does Axel.

But out of nowhere, Onai speaks. "You shouldn't blame yourself."

Shen looks up, surprised. I know I am. I wasn't expecting him to say anything, much less to her.

"Sometimes you just..." He's staring at the back door. "Don't know how."

Once again, I get what he means.

Meanwhile, Fei looks like she's having the best dream ever. Luca's probably having the time of his life outside. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for.

"Now might not be the best time." Axel looks as regretful as ever. "But we need to know some things before the other two alphas show up."

"I figured," Shen says.

"Good." Onai leans against the arm of the couch. "Then we can just start asking."

I give him a look. He was just having a moment with her, and this is how he acts? "You guys need to give her a moment to breathe." I had questions of my own, but I wasn't planning on interrogating her.

Shen shakes her head, looking at me. "It's fine. If this helps plead Fei's case to you guys..." She nods.

I frown. "If you're sure?"

Axel's already asking the next question, "How did you hide?"

"My scent?" she asks.

"Your presence." He gestures towards her and the toddler. "Someone had to see you. Messed-up leg. Sick baby."

"I just messed it up," she says.

I raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

She nods.

"When you were knocking our people out?" I remember the Farmer's Market.

She doesn't say anything. I have my answer.

"How did you hide?" Axel repeats after a long pause.

She messes with her hands in the blanket. "I stayed in crowds."

"That worked?" Onai cuts in.

She shrugs. "You have a big pack. Too many faces."

"Is that how you got inside?" I ask, but Axel's already shaking his head.

"There's no way that would've worked." His amber eyes narrow. "Carson makes sure they check one at a time. Every time."