Things had just been going so well. We really should have known better.

[neelalupa]

Days and nights had only just started to take on a regular pattern. Maeve wasn't sleeping through the night, but she ate quickly and went right back to sleep. Nights that Jacob woke to get her from her crib, Neela never even woke. Those nights were lovely. And once both parents were getting enough sleep, Jacob went back to the day to day business of the pack. Once his family had breakfast, he would leave Neela to handle the baby. She showered and then handled any housework. Some days Orla or other pack members stopped in to visit. It wasn't a bad life at all.

And some days, Jacob took Maeve with him while he worked so the baby got used to being with the pack. And so Neela could get some extra rest. That was why she wasn't so surprised when Maeve wasn't in her little bassinet when she got out of her shower. He'd talked some about taking her soon. Neela dried off, did the breakfast dishes. Then she dressed fully and headed to the lodge to join the rest of her family.

She found Jacob at a table in the main dining hall with Sean. They were going over the books. She came up to Jacob, gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Then she asked who he had passed their daughter off to.


She had absolutely no idea that anything was wrong.