25. Autumn
Romero and Finn packed up and took a very pregnant Isobel home with them, claiming they didn’t want her so far away from home in case the baby had any issues or decided to make her appearance in the world early.
Ariel and Rain stayed behind for some reason, likely me, and they planned on returning home to their people in a few days time.
I wasn’t stupid, I knew they were staying for me. Rain was hoping I would leave with them. I wasn’t sure what Ariel was thinking but she would be fine if I stayed here or left with them. She wasn’t giving me her opinion on the matter and I appreciated it, but this was one time I actually could use some advice and some help here. I had no experience with anything like this before, I could use all the help I could get.
I had no idea how to broach the subject with Raven and the guys either. Was I just supposed to come out and ask them if I could stay here with them? I felt like this was becoming my home and I really wanted to make it my forever home. I knew they’d said things about this being my home for as long as I wanted it to be but I felt like I really needed some kind of formal invitation or something from them.
I kept waiting for it and one never came. It left me confused. Did they want me here or what? Did they want me to join their coven?
Or were they just allowing me to stay here with them because they felt responsible for me because they’d been the one’s who’d found me in such a dire state of need in the forest?
That thought made my stomach turn sour.
I wanted these men, all of them, and I desperately wanted them to want me back in return.
Why weren’t any of them even talking to me about it? It was very frustrating, to say the least.
I let myself into my bedroom to take some time to myself and really to take a nap because I had used a lot of magic in the woods the other day and I needed my rest and likely would for a few days to come.
I could sleep in the greenhouse if I really wanted to but I never seemed to be alone in there for very long. People were always showing up in there to just spend time with me or to bring me food and make sure I ate or if I needed anything. I was already starting to notice a difference in my body and I was starting to put on some weight. My breasts were even starting to get bigger too.
I could take a nap in my bedroom and I would be left alone in peace for the most part. Except for waking up the one time with all of them in my room with me because they’d been concerned about me, they usually always left me alone in here. It was my private, personal space and I loved that they respected that because I had never had it before.
There was a thick manilla envelope that had appeared on the foot of my bed the other day with my name on it. I had ignored it because it had made me nervous but I felt like now was the time for me to be brave and open it. There were too many things up in the air for me at the moment and I didn’t want any more surprises but I had to get it over with. Avoiding things didn’t get me anywhere.
I opened the envelope and poured the contents out onto the bed. There was a folded piece of paper with my name on it on top of the pile.
I picked it up and read the note from Liam.
Autumn,
When you got here I started looking into the tattoos on your face and the one’s I had seen on your body the night we had found you in the woods.
I hope you don’t mind or think I was trying to overstep any of my bounds with you. That was not my intention at all.
I have a curious mind and I admit that at first that’s what drove me to dig deeper.
You were a puzzle I wanted to solve.
Then you finally woke up and the puzzle didn’t matter any more. It became about finding answers for you because you deserve them.
And what I found, well you”ll see for yourself, but I wanted you to know.
Those horrible people lied to you, Autumn.
Your tattoos are absolutely beautiful and these pages will show you why.
You’re a special woman and whether or not you choose to stay with our coven I’m happy that I was able to do this one thing for you.
If you have any questions about any of it just come find me and I’m happy to go over it with you.
And, because I have to say it, I’m glad they’re all dead. You deserved so much better than what they gave you.
XO
Liam
I was now more curious than ever and even more confused.
I started sifting through all the pages he’d given me and reading them.
And what I read broke my heart all over again. It also filled a piece of it with so much love and I knew I would never feel empty or alone ever again.
My mother had made sure I’d never be alone, no matter what.
For the second time in as many weeks, I sat on my bed and cried my heart out.