Stronger

Stronger

Annettes POV:

We touched back down and I pressed my nose against the glass of the helicopter people gathered around to see me. They all had silent hopeful expressions, pushing closer budging up against one another to see me. I suddenly retreated backward and clutched Christian closer to my chest. I’d never felt this deep fear and unease about so many people before. Looking at all of them all I thought was which one would try and take my baby from me next?

I put my back against Grayson’s chest and he instinctively put his arm around me. We opened the chopper and Elizebeth and Matt ran up to us blocking the clammoring masses they huddled around us seeing the trepideation I didn’t bother hiding Elizebeth stood on one side of me Grayson on the other and Matt cleared a path in front, my parents and siblings following behind us.

“I know you are all joyed that our Luna has returned but she needs to rest and heal, move out of the way, and return. to your homes,” Matt called and people parted for us but not before getting a good look at me.

I felt like an oddity at a circus people lining up to see the tortured Luna who sacrificed everything and got kidnapped for it. I didn’t regret giving myself up for my son I’d do it again in a heartbeat, what I hadn’t considered was the after, learning to move on after being in survival mode for so long.

I was home again, yet my mind still scoured for any threat coming toward me that could tear me away from the happiness I had found. As we walked I kept my eyes focused ahead trying to faze out the many faces, I looked at Matt’s arm where it was supposed to be. It seems I wasn’t the only one to sacrifice for the heir to this pack.

My mind flashed back to six months ago the way I had held my son after he was born, how I had memorized his face the best I could, and the visceral pain in my chest I felt giving him over to Elizebeth and Cea. If Matt hadn’t stayed behind I wouldn’t have gotten those moments, I was deeply in his debt.

I looked up ahead of us my house stood there beckoning me I thought of my bed the bed Grayson and I had slept in together, waking up on his warm chest again his arms around me. The kitchen I could cook in and make meals for my family, our living room that we had agreed to get married in. The nursery I had spent the war putting together praying that when it was ready our life would be perfect.

“what a sweet little idiot I had been

We walked up the steps and Amaria stood there waiting she kissed my cheek and I smiled at her, her I was happy to see. She had such a calming presence and her stoic wisdom made me feel safe.

“I understand that everyone wants to see Annette but she has been peered in on enough for a while I believe we should let our girl rest, alone,” AMaria politely stood between me and the rest of the group.

“But she’s finally back!” Cea shot back and stepped forward to see me.

“She’s overwhelmed,” Grayson held his hand out to tell her to stay back, and Elizebeth stepped forward guarding me.

“But-” She pouted and I felt so guilty but I truly did want them all out, I had missed them, I did want to spend time with them but I wanted to close myself up in the bedroom and never leave for a month.

I wanted to stay away from all concerned eyes and curious questions, close myself up there with Grayson and my baby not coming out until I had my fill of the quiet and coziness.

“Come on she’s been through so much,” Theo put his arms around his wife and my childhood best friend guiding her away from me.

My mother lingered behind staring at me expectantly waiting for me to say “Besides you mama” but I couldn’t. I gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry mama but I would like to sleep in my own bed and rest with my family,” She glared at Grayson but swallowed any comment she would spout and walked off with my father.

“Go we will guard the house,” Elizabeth bowed her head to me and I reached out putting my hand in hers not trepidation. “Thank you, it’s good to see you,” I hugged her tightly.

I pulled away and my stoic warrior friend had misty eyes and screwed her jaw shut tightly. “I’ve missed you,” She smiled at me her voice wavering ever so slightly.

I gave Matt a thankful smile as we passed and Grayson nodded to him as we passed clapping him on the back. We went up to our bedroom and I set our baby down on the bed laying down next to him as I had back in Montana realizing I still couldn’t get enough of his face. I watched his breathing my breath matching his rising and falling Grayson came and laid down behind me kissing my cheek.

“Are you alright?” he whispered.

The words broke a damn in me and I let out a small sob. I held my breath to try and not cry again. I hated this, I hated how afraid I was that I wanted to be alone to hole up somewhere away from anybody and everything. I had loved to be around people, it was how I spent my whole life thriving in a crowd, delighting in the laughter and conversation. Here I was laying on my bed locking myself away from even those close to me.

“I just need time,” I told myself, in time I would get back to enjoying people, trusting those in my world, trusting life. “I want- I want to see everybody I do, but I just need time, just a little more ti–time,” I criedNôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

so angry that this is where life had taken us, that I was looking at my baby a total stranger to me to scared to go downstairs and see my family.

“It’s alright no one is angry with you, and you do need time. No one will pressure you I swear,” He vowed to me and my heart swelled leaning back against him.

I had craved this for so long and here I was in his arms, him protecting me as our son slept beside us. I softly cried

again looking at how big our baby boy was, my body slowly relaxed the tension of escaping and captivity leaving me. /

lay there for hours my eyes slowly getting heavy and eventually sealing shut. I went to sleep peacefully and woke up well into the next day ready to see the anxious group of people.