I walked up the steps and knocked on the doors to the rooms that held my family. "It's safe," I said. "He's gone. You can leave your rooms."

The doors opened, and one by one, everyone stepped out of their rooms.

Moria looked worried, and a look of fear filled her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice soft.

I nodded in confirmation. "He is," I replied, "and he will not be coming back." I studied her and cocked my head, and she ducked her head so that she wouldn't be able to meet my gaze. "Has he tried to contact you?" I asked.

Moria hesitated but nodded. "He was yelling at me through the window," she said, her voice becoming soft. She cleared her throat and licked her lips while shifted on her feet. "Someone yelled at him to shut up and keep moving. There... was almost a fight, but the people subdued him."

I set my jaw and nodded before I cleared my throat. "Ok," I said and cleared my throat again. I looked at my siblings. "And you all are fine?" I asked, and they nodded.

"When can we leave this house?" Benjamin asked. "I'm getting sick of staying inside..." He shifted on his feet and cleared his throat while he looked away from me. His cheeks turned a little red, and I could tell that he was nervous that he had made me upset.

"Tomorrow," I replied, "but I would recommend you all live here instead of somewhere else."

Benjamin nodded and looked relieved that he would be able to leave the house that soon. "What if he tells us that we have to go with him?" he asked softly.

"Some of our warriors will be around to make sure that does not happen," Damion said. "If he tells you to go with him, then tell him no and then contact one of us." He gestured between the two of us.

"And if he tries to grab you, scream," I said, and Benjamin looked at me. "I would advise you all to make sure that you are near some members of my pack if you do decide to go out."

"What about ours?" Moria asked. "Are we allowed to hang around them?"

"As long as they do not take you to Vincent, then yes," I replied and nodded.

"Even then, be safe and try to keep your heads down, please," Damion said. He moved a hand across his face and sighed before he cleared his throat. "Vincent is a dangerous man, and I do not want you all to get hurt by him."

Or have him use you to get to me... I silently added, knowing full well that was what my mate was thinking. I pressed my lips into a thin line but made sure to keep my face blank.

Moria looked at me and slowly nodded as if she understood where I was getting at. "We'll stay close," she promised while Benjamin looked between her and me. "We'll make sure that we are near your pack members that will help watch over us and make sure that he doesn't try to corner us or take us with him."

I nodded, feeling relieved. "Good," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "Well, you are all welcomed to do what you want to do now. Vincent won't be coming back here tonight, and I don't want to deal with him until tomorrow."

Moria nodded and looked at the kids. "Come on," she said. "Let's go watch movies and eat some junk food. Does that sound good?"

"Yes," the other children besides Benjamin said. They started to run to the stairs and towards the living room where we had set up a nicer area to watch movies, and Moria, Benjamin, and I watched them go.

When they reached the stairs, they started to argue about what movie they were going to watch, and I bit back a grimace while I rubbed the bridge of my nose when a headache appeared.

Goddess, please let me survive this last day, I silently prayed while they disappeared out of sight. I would like to have some peace and quiet after this.

"What are you two going to do?" Moria asked, and she looked as exhausted as I felt because they had so much energy since they hadn't been able to go outside. She looked at me and offered me a small smile, and I smiled back.

"I'm going to take a shower, alone," I said and gave Damion a pointed look when he groaned and pouted, "and after that, I might try to take a nap."

"If not, do you want to watch movies with us?" Benjie asked. He paused and cleared his throat while he shifted on his feet. "Please?"

I nodded after I hesitated a little. "Ok," I said. I looked at my mate. "Are you going to get some more work done?" I asked, and my mate nodded.

"I'll be around to watch a few movies, but I have to get some work done and call some people to make sure that they are aware of what is happening here," Damion said, and I nodded, relieved that he would be with me.

"So, I guess that is the plan," Moria said before she cleared her throat and shifted on her feet while she looked anywhere but us. "The kids and I will start watching a movie. Once you are done and have tried to nap but couldn't, then you will come down and watch something with us. Or do you want to watch the movies first and then try to take a nap because Damion will be watching movies first?" She looked at my mate when she said that, silently wondering if what she said was true.

Damion nodded. "I will watch some movies with you all first and then go work," he said before he looked at me with a smile on his face, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl. "So why don't you take a shower then meet us there? You can fall asleep on me if you'd like, that way you can spend time with your family." He winked, and I made sure not to show how annoyed I was.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy that I was able to give them a place to stay and everything, but a part of me wanted my alone time. I wanted to spend time just by myself and not have to listen to any fights that happen throughout the house because one kid said something to another.

"Please?" Benji asked when I didn't answer off the bat. "Can you come downstairs and watch movies with us after your shower? I promise we'll stay quiet so that you can sleep if you do fall asleep next to Damion."

Hope filled his voice when he said that, and I had a feeling that he was trying to kill it but couldn't, and I had to bite back a sigh because I knew that I wasn't going to be able to say no to him.

"Ok," I said finally, caving in while I nodded. "I'll meet you all downstairs after my shower. Don't start it without me, then. All right?"

Benji's face grew with relief, and he breathed a sigh of relief while he nodded. "We won't," he promised before he twisted around and started to run towards the stairs. "I'll tell them that they can't start any movie until you are down there," he called over his shoulder while he started to go down them.

"Benjamin! Don't run!" Moria exclaimed, but Benji didn't listen to her. She rolled her eyes at her son before she looked at me. "Thank you," she said and bowed her head in respect. "You have no idea how much this means to Benjamin, to all of us. We both appreciate it."

I forced a smile on my face and nodded. "Of course," I said before I cleared my throat and grew serious. "Now, why don't you two go down there and get settled? I'll go down as soon as I can. Promise."

They both nodded and left after Damion placed a peck on my lips.

I breathed a sigh of relief before I shook my head and started to walk to my bedroom.

Goddess, please give me the strength to keep this up, I silently prayed, feeling my whole body slump forward with exhaustion and the weight of the world on my shoulders. Please. I can't do this alone...