Page 209 of His Sunshine Baby

I start running and Estelle does her best to run after me. She’s fast, for a four-year-old, but after a while, I have no choice but to carry her to keep up the pace. I hear her cry silently against my neck. My poor baby… I can’t stop and comfort her, though. I know we don’t have much time, and we absolutely can’t stop if I want to outrun the Dark Witch, or at least reach Silver City in time.

I can feel her. It’s like a dark shadow, some evil presence behind us. A cold wind chasing my every step. As I keep running through the trees, I also see her water streaming nearby. I need to avoid sources of water while heading east.

My wolf wants to shape-shift, but if I do, I won’t be able to carry Estelle! I keep running, trying to think of what to do, how to get out of here. I still can’t see Silver City, how far away are we? I feel like I’ve been running for hours!

I try to focus and reach out to Nora, my cousin. She would be the first one that I could reach out to as soon as I’m close enough… Back then, she could mind-link people from miles away. I really hope it works the other way too. I keep calling out to her with my wolf while holding on tightly to Estelle, running and watching out for nearby water sources.

“Elena!”

Finally! She heard me. We are close enough.

Right when I think things are getting better, I feel a sudden rumbling on my left. Crap, crap. The witch is catching up to us! If only Sylviana was here, or at least Reagan so I could give her my daughter! Where could she be at a time like this? I stop, looking around.

“Mommy?”

I finally find it.

A little opening in a large tree, just big enough for Estelle to hide. I take her there and have her sit inside the trunk. She is terrified, but I take her hand. We don’t have much time.

“Estelle, listen to Mommy very carefully. You stay here, and you stay hidden, baby, okay?”

“Why?”

“Mommy has to go a different way, but don’t worry, I won’t leave you alone, okay? I will be back. Estelle, you remember how to talk with your wolf, right, baby?”

She nods, her eyes still teary. Thank Moon Goddess she’s already been able to mind-link for a couple of months now. Maybe it’s her Royal blood, but she’s a precocious one. I see her frown a bit, and I finally feel her inner wolf, like it’s waking up.

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Good girl. Now I want you to not talk, Estelle, not at all. Just use your wolf’s voice, like Mommy, and call Auntie Nora.”

“Auntie Nora?”

“That’s right, baby. You call Auntie Nora with all your heart, okay?”

“Can I call Dada too?”

I shake my head, desperate. Estelle doesn’t belong to the White Moon clan; she doesn’t belong to any clan! I don’t think she can mind-link other alphas or wolves like Nora and I can, she can only call her kin… Oh Moon Goddess, I didn’t even think of it earlier!

“Baby, you call Auntie Nora or Daddy with all your puppy heart, okay?”

“Daddy too?”

“Yes, baby,” I tell her while putting my jacket around her. “You call Nora and Daddy with your wolf until Mommy comes to get you, okay?”

“Why can’t I call you, Mommy?”

Oh, Moon Goddess, how do I explain to her? I need to get away, this might be the only chance to lure that witch away from her!

“Mommy knows where you are, baby. I have to go away, but… it will be okay, just promise me you will stay here, okay? You’ll be a good girl and stay here, right?”

“I promise…” she whispers.

I take a deep breath and hold my daughter one last time, very tight against my heart. Moon Goddess, I love her so, so much. We are both crying silently. She’s four years old and a bright girl, but I don’t know how much of this she really understands.

With a heavy heart, I give her one last glance and run in the opposite direction, towards the north. I stop calling Nora for help, and pray to Moon Goddess that she can find my daughter instead.

I head west, shape-shifting as soon as I can. I’m faster, and letting my Alpha Aura out, hoping the Dark Witch will take the bait.

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