The Alpha and His Contract Luna (Lauren) novel Chapter 9

Darren

“Daddy, I want mommy” Krystal says in a small voice.

I turn and look at her. Wondering what to say to . She looks sad, heartbroken. Nothing I do cheers her up anymore. She’s lost interest in all the things she used to love and care about.

These last few months have been hell for her. I don’t know how to help. I’ve taken her to the best child therapist but nothing has worked so far.

She’s still withdrawn. Still depressed. Still sad. She used to have so much energy, it was impossible to keep up with her. She used to be the liveliest little girl I know. Now, it’s like all her life has been drained from her.

It started a few months after Lauren disappeared. She had been having trouble sleeping so she came to my room. While I held her, waiting for her to fall asleep. She turned to me and said;

“Will you take me to mommy tomorrow? I want to tell her I’m sorry for being so mean to her. I have been a very bad girl”

I had been fucking surprised. Both from her sudden request and at her trembling voice. The tears in her eyes undid me.

I had not known what to do. I thought she had been happy with Miranda as her new mom. That she hated Lauren and didn’t want her in her life.

Of course I couldn’t take her to Lauren since I didn’t even know where she was. No one did.

When I had received the separation papers from her lawyer, I had been happy that she'd finally signed them. I'd been even more ecstatic when she gave me full custody of Krystal.

The icing on the cake was when she left the country. I had not wanted her around. Afraid she would cause me problems with Miranda.

But when Krystal asked for her. I freaked out because I had no way of reaching her. The only one who knew where she was, refused to even spare me a glance. Claire had told me very angrily to piss off.

From that day things started going downhill for us. Krystal couldn’t sleep at night. She often woke up screaming. Shaking and trembling. Covered in her own sweat.

She said she kept having nightmares. All about Lauren dying. Or more specifically, Lauren being killed. Every night she would wake up screaming for her mother. Each nightmare worse than the previous one.

I tried assuring her that her mother was fine. She never believed me though. Always afraid that Lauren now hated her for being mean to her. That Lauren no longer wanted her because she was a bad girl. That’s why her mother didn’t want to see her or talk to her.

She lost her light in the coming weeks. Became withdrawn and preferred to be alone. We were both tired. Eye bags adorning our eyes from the lack of peaceful sleep.

Miranda, who had been living with us, got fed up and moved back to her house. We still remained together but with Krystal in depression,.most of my time was spent taking care of her.

No one, apart from Miranda, the servants and therapist knew what was happening. Krystal wanted it that way. She said she didn’t want others to think she was a freak.

I tried everything. Seeing an oracle. Booking appointments with different children psychologists. I even took her and Miranda for vacation. It still didn’t do anything. Nothing changed. There was still no progress.

When we saw Lauren in the hospital after a year. I was both shocked and relieved. Finally we could get help for Krystal.

My relief was short lived, for the woman standing before us wasn’t Lauren. She looked like her but she wasn’t her. Just like with Krystal, gone was her light. Gone was her warmth.

Could I have damaged her that much? I wondered.

She was so cold and lifeless. If looks could kill I fucking swear I would have been dead. The hate I felt rolling off her was tangible. I couldn’t believe, couldn’t comprehend that she loathed me.

But what did I expect? A fucking hug?

My wolf had been torn. He did love Miranda as his true mate, but he also loved Lauren as his chosen. Right now she hated us.

I was even more shocked when she didn’t hug Krystal. I know Krystal said some pretty horrible things to her but I didn’t expect Lauren to react like that to her own fucking daughter.

Krystal had cried her eyes out after Lauren left. Especially after Mason told her how Lauren told him stories of where she had been.

Krystal had been hurt, convinced that her own mother truly hated. I will never forget the pain in Krystal’s eyes as she watched her mother leave. Leave her without so much as a hug or word to her.