Rejected and Pregnant I Fled The Pack novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64

“Hazel,” Marissa said, something soft entering her exhausted expression despite everything else weighing on her. “I decided a few weeks ago, before everything got so bad. It felt right.”

“It’s a good name,” I said, meaning it.

She drifted quietly for a few more minutes, sedation and exhaustion pulling her steadily back toward sleep, and I sat with her until her breathing evened out fully, watching the woman who’d once been such a significant part of my childhood finally rest, however uncertain and complicated the road ahead of her still remained,

I made my way back out to where my mother still stood, gently rocking Hazel, and found myself reaching out instinctively, some old protective instinct wanting to hold the small, fragile newborn who’d arrived into so much

chaos.

My mother passed her over carefully, and I held Hazel for a long moment, studying her tiny, unfamiliar face, feeling the complicated weight of everything this small life represented-not my daughter, not tied to me by blood, but tangled up regardless in everything that had happened over these past eight months, in the wreckage my own choices had helped create.

“What happens now,” I asked my mother quietly, still watching Hazel’s small, sleeping face.

“The doctors want to keep Marissa here for a while,” my mother said. “Proper evaluation, treatment, whatever support she actually needs to stabilize. I told them I’d stay close, help with Hazel while she’s recovering.”

“You don’t have to do that alone,” I said, meeting her eyes. “I’ll make sure you have support too, Mom. Financial, practical, whatever you actually need.”

“I know you will.” Something warm and grateful crossed her tired features. “You’ve changed, Damon. These past few days especially. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you handle a crisis with this much genuine care instead of just management.”

“I learned it from watching Evelyn, honestly,” I admitted. “Watching her handle eight months of crisis entirely alone, with more grace than I probably would have managed. I’m just catching up to what she already knew.”

My mother smiled, tired but genuine, reaching out to gently touch Hazel’s small hand where it had worked free of her blanket. “This whole family’s been rebuilding itself these past few weeks, in ways I never expected. Your father losing his grip, me finally leaving after thirty years, Marissa facing all of this, you and Evelyn finding your way back toward something real.” She shook her head slightly. “I don’t know what any of us actually look like on the other side of it yet. But I think, strange as it sounds, we might all end up better for it eventually.”

I looked down at Hazel again, sleeping peacefully despite the chaos of her arrival into the world, and thought of Willow back at pack lands, sleeping just as peacefully in Evelyn’s careful, protective care.

“I should call Evelyn,” I said. “Let her know everything that’s happened.”

“Go ahead,” my mother said, reaching to take Hazel back gently. “I’ve got her. Go take care of what you need to.”

I stepped into the hallway, pulling out my phone, and dialed Evelyn’s number, watching through the small window as my mother resumed her gentle pacing, Hazel settled peacefully against her chest.

Evelyn answered quickly, concern evident in her voice. “Damon? Is everything okay?”

“Marissa had the baby,” I said. “Early, but healthy. A girl, Hazel. She’s stable now, sedated, getting proper evaluation and care for whatever’s been happening to her mentally.”

There was a pause on the other end, processing that, before Evelyn spoke again, her voice softer than I expected. ”

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Chapter 64

Is she going to be okay?”

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“I think so, eventually. It’s going to take time.” I leaned against the hallway wall, exhaustion from the entire day finally catching up with me. “My mother’s staying to help with the baby while she recovers.”

“That’s good,” Evelyn said quietly. “That she has actual help now instead of facing all of it alone.”

“I’ll be here another day or so, making sure everything’s properly arranged,” I said. “I miss you both already.’

“We miss you too,” Evelyn said, warmth audible even through the phone. “Take the time you need/Damon. We’ll be here when you’re ready to come home.”

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