A/N: NOT EDITED.

Chapter 24 – Not What it Seems (Kaden)

I go back to my own house leaving my old pack and family in the home I've given them, but stumble upon Etta before I can enter. Her face turned down, "I didn't see this happening," she said with a frown, like anyone else's decision was on her shoulders.

"I'm more worried that Emerson saw it, than I am that you didn't, love," I say honestly.

Butterscotch brown eyes dance over my face, searching for another truth, "You're my number one, you and my children, I left Lana behind ten years ago Etta, but my heart, I think it let her go nearly eighteen years ago." She doesn't smile, the death of someone isn't what pleases or makes my wife and mate happy.

Etta isn't mourning their loss, nor am I.

The door slams and looking over her shoulder I see a rumpled Jace, bloodshot eyes, "You're a Fae – you can help her – bring her back! I love her!" he shouts pointing towards the house. My brows raised and for a minute, I felt only pure pity for Victoria.

Just yesterday she claimed that she didn't feel the extent of pain that I had endured but I had to wonder how she felt now, in this new day?

"Why – why would you want us to bring her back?" Etta asked, unsure, her accent, thick and beautiful, but though she tried to be careful in her words, the whites of Jaces' eyes turn black, fury swaddles him as he takes one menacing step towards Etta, before doubling over, groaning in pain. His body shakes, and he's joined by my parents, who slowly come towards us, gazing at my brother, my father takes a step in front of my mother, "Be careful, he's not in his right mind," my father whispers, and I have to snort.

See what I mean? I tell Etta, this is a man mourning someone he loved, and I didn't love Lana, it would be hypocritical of me in so many ways to mourn Lana when she was nothing more than a stranger to me.

I didn't need to act nonchalant to prevent hurting Etta's feelings, Jace was the one that should, and he was obviously doing a horrible job.

I didn't mean to sound cruel but what could Lana really do? I didn't want her as a mate... I refused to give Etta up for her, living like some kind of monk so she didn't suffer. I think she finally just took a look at her options and saw reality for what it was.

A part of me though however small couldn't believe Lana had taken her own life, I hadn't known her for ten years, but from what I did know, Lana was a selfish being, she made decisions based on how they impacted her and her alone.

She thought about Victoria... Etta reminded me. I looked at Jace, a pitiful mess on the ground, panting, growling and shaking, his sobs in between gasping.

A part of me truly felt sorry for Victoria, now more than ever.

With my father trying to step towards Jace, I took Etta's hand in mine, let's go inside, I told her, taking her away from him even though I knew with her spell up, no one brought on this island would be a threat for my mate. Walking into our home, the heat and sadness outside, behind us, I pulled Etta into our pantry, "I love you, this doesn't change a thing for me. I didn't bring them here to get reacquaint-" I stopped when I saw her smile brilliantly at me.

"Kaden Romano, do you think I need your reassurance?" her voice hoarse, and that needy part of myself was coming back full force, wrapping my hands around her neck, tilting her head back, I lowered my lips to hers, molding mine to sweetness, heaven.

"Daddy," Emerson whimpered and knocked on the pantry door, I sighed against Etta's lips, my eyes flying open when I noticed she was shaking, but all I saw was mirth in her eyes.

Cocking her head to the side, "Oh, I'd have twenty if Etta didn't mind," tone husky, and dripping with want, but her words, mocking me. "Daddy," Emerson's soft tone, demanding in her own way pulled at my heart. For a while I had given up hope that I would be a father, then I learned I was. And while many would have been terrified to just jump in and become that role for not just one child, but technically six in such a short span of time, I found it refreshing.

When we got Sawyer and Tristan, and I thought back to my life at that age, all the things I wanted to do with my father that he was too busy for, I did with my children and to me it was like I got to live my childhood all over again, experiencing and seeing things from their perspective. Finding things that each child liked to do, Tristan and Vivian's karate, Sawyer and her running and yoga, Ree and Morgan dancing, the instruments they each wanted to learn but either kept with or gave up on, the vacations. Even moments of downtime, where when Ree and Morgan, even my seven year old son Tristan, would curl up on the couch with me, sleeping in the dry heat on the island.

I wanted to give them more than my father had given me, share it equally, not just spend time with Tristan because he was the oldest, the one that had to take over. They were each important, each worth their time in my daily life, I had lived more in the last ten years, that the twenty-five before it. I loved more, was loved more, gave more and received without ever expecting it.

"Daddy, it's Emma," the little knock sounded once again, her voice shaking, and I tried to keep a straight face but Etta's smirk... I had to look away. Take a step back, inhale and exhale deeply, I shook my head, going to the door of the pantry.

"Coming," I said opening the door, and staring down at big wide sad eyes below me, her spaghetti arms lifted up towards the sky, my heart fills and empty's all on the way Emerson looks up at me. "Twristan doesn't kweep the bwad pick-tures away like you daddy," right, you've spoiled that girl from day one, twenty more my butt, like Emerson would let that happen, Etta tells me, coming out from behind me in the pantry.

Twenty more just like her, she swayed away, while Haven stood behind watching a weepy Emerson, "Haven, you wanna help me in the kitchen, make breakfast?" Jenny might think my kids were devil spawns but her child, was all Cain, looking at her new friend in my arms, "Oh don't worry about Emma, she just wants her daddy for a little while," Etta took her hand leading her too the kitchen, and lifting her to the counter while Ree and Morgan came to help make breakfast with their mother.

 With Emerson in my arms, I walked out to the patio, my aim to put a smile on my baby's face. Cuddling her against my wide chest, my hand wide, large against her tiny back, but it brings her comfort. "You know that dreams can't hurt you Emma, right?" a soft hum in response is all I get. "You're momma and Sawyer see those sorts of things and I know it might be scary but they will never hurt you," I sigh, hoping this helps her however I knew the truth was that, Emerson was a bit different. Etta didn't have her visions until she was thirteen even then they were few and far in between, Sawyer had hers when she was seven. 

Neither of them had their first visions at age four, and nothing this drastic.

"I don'ts never wanna see'em again daddy," I could hear the pout in her voice, and my heart feels like it's being squeezed in Emerson's small hands. "Do you know why you seem them?"

A head shake, and small hands fist my shirts, "You know how David and Tristan can turn into wolves, well you're special just like them sweetheart-" watery green eyes, and no smile look up at me, "So – so imma swee's it agwain?" Lie. That's what my brain tells me to do. Lie and give her fake sense of hope, but the father in me, the man that has changed from who I was before – he wins.

"You're going to see them again sugar, but each time you get scared, every time, I'll be there, we will all be there for you, to hug you happy," I don't get Emma's winning smile, or happy eyes, I get her face smashed into my chest, and cries, until she's worn herself out.

She remains clingy until after breakfast where we say we're going to head down the beach, I leave David to deal with my family and all of us head down for a beach day, shockingly Cain, nor Jenny have came to get Haven, so when Etta goes to change Emerson into her beach wear, we put Haven in hers too, life vests on them as well. Only then, with the distraction of water activities Emerson loves, does she finally cheer up. I unlock the boards, and runs for hers "hey – hey – hey! No... we need to make sure you know and remember how to use your board Emerson," I remind my eager girl, while Haven stands shyly.

Sawyer comes forward, while Tristan works with Emerson, and with my camera I begin working with Haven, while Sawyer records her lesson, "so you know how to swim, but never surfed or paddleboard?" like Cain when he was little, Haven's cheeks flushed, but she shook her head.

"No – never uncle Kaden, Emerson can do it?" she glanced at Emerson back to her happy bubbly self, whining to get her board and body on the water.

"Yeah, it took her a while, but slowly she was able to learn to surf, I taught her, and the other kids can do it as well... we will go really slow," staging and showing her the right actions in the sand on her board, we practice and then finally head for the water.

"Lwet go Tristan!" Emerson yelled at her brother, wanting to catch her small baby waves on her own. "Uncle Kaden, don't let me go," Haven whispered her blue eyes like Cain's and with a seal of promise, we head out on the water. Catching small waves, I never let go, as Haven got the hang of paddling out, her little arms moving swiftly, "Ok try standing Haven, I won't let go," I said as one baby wave came out. Giggling one moment, serious and determined to get on her feet, we continued trying until Etta was calling us all in for afternoon snack.

Standing once we had the little girls settled, I walked over to Etta, kissing her forehead, I'm going to check on my family, she nods, tell my aunt and uncles, the rest of my family that they can come out and join us, "Haven you wanna come-"

"No uncle Kaden, Tristan said we're gonna ride the hotdog next," her head shakes from side to side, her wet ends sprinkling the others. I chuckle walking away, and up to the house the others were in, when Cain himself comes out clothes changed, eyes wide and wet.

"Haven was on a surf board," his voice is dazed, "She was safe, I taught Emerson, and the other children-"

"You're gonna have to teach me," he mumbles, I chuckle, "I'll have Haven teach you, she's focused," his head tips back, as he laughs and I can't help but wonder how he's acting this way. So nonchalant, "Haven is... she reminds me of you..."

"Oh socially awkward?"

He shakes his head slowly, "No, she's focused, normally she's focused on her reading, or painting and coloring, games she can play alone... puzzles," this isn't the conversation I was expecting when I came up here.

"What's going on – what are the plans for Lana?" I ask straight to the point. But Cain, his face scrunches up, just like his daughter, "Lana is fine, she wasn't the one-" he says slowly. "Wait what?" I surely heard wrong.

"Victoria was the one – I thought it was Lana?"

"It wasn't," He rubs his face roughly, jerking his thumb towards the door, "You should see this," Cain mutters, and when he opens the sliding door, I see all the Riley children – Emma, Peter, Patrick, Jenny, and Victoria and Lana – faces splotchy. All alive. All hearts beating. David sits in the corner his eyes flashing to mine, but his face gives away nothing.

I counted heartbeats before - there was one less than there should have been, someone had died...

Jenny had changed, the blood she tracked around now cleaned. The only trace of blood was dyed into the now dry clothing of Victoria. "What the hell is going on?" I demanded to know, finally catching all their attention; frightened eyes dart over to me. They should be afraid, the monster inside was ready to attack.

_______

BAM.

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