350\u2013Devastated Mother\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeline:\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will cover this area, and then we will check more spots over there,\u201d I said frantically, tying a torn piece of cloth around a tree to leave a signal and remind myself that we had already searched this area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It had been more than twelve hours since the incident, and I was angry with myself for briefly passing out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ever since I woke up six hours ago, I had been running around, searching for my baby. I could not stop thinking\u00a0<\/p>\n
about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My daughter must have been terrified. She must have believed her mother would save her. Every time these thoughts crossed my mind, my heart broke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeline, why don\u2019t you go back home? I\u2019ll continue the search,\u201d Baxter requested, reaching for my elbow, trying to get my attention for the sixth time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I\u2019m fine. I just think we should not waste a minute,\u201d I said, looking around with empty eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tears on my cheeks had already dried. A few hours ago, my eyes had been swollen shut, so I considered myself in a better state than before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeline, our children are worried too. They have seen things they should not have. They have been crying, and they want their mother to comfort them. As for looking for Gina, I will do it,\u201d Baxter told me as he finally held my arms and pulled me closer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could still see the marks on him. His wounds had not healed. They were not going to heal either.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He would heal like a human now. I had already lost someone. I could not lose him too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you should go take care of them, Baxter. I will look around for Gina. If anything, my wolf will be faster,\u201d I replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words left my mouth without thought. At that moment, I was not considering his condition. I only wanted to be practical.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I noticed a pause in his body language, as if he hesitated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no, no. That is not what I meant,\u201d I said quickly, shaking my head. I placed my hands on his chest and gently fixed his shirt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I understand. Anyway, I have informed Ron,\u201d Baxter uttered, slowly removing his hands from my arms. \u201cBut I think we are looking in the wrong direction,\u201d he added as he stepped away from me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen where is the right direction?\u201d I asked, tears slipping from my eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you not remember?\u201d he asked. \u201cThe monster only comes down in open areas. This place is full of woods, trees, and bushes. Why are we here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, I did not have an answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless you think,\u201d he paused, turning his face away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
350\u2013Devastated Mother\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Of course not. I do not think he has killed our daughter. She is alive. I can feel it. I can sense it,\u201d I spoke frantically. Tears rushed back into my eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen let\u2019s go back and see if Ron has arrived. Then we can start our research and look for places where the creature could land and where we might find our daughter alive,\u201d Baxter said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped closer again, this time placing a hand behind my head and pulling me in until my forehead rested against his chest. I listened to his heartbeat. It was uneven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine. Let\u2019s go,\u201d I replied flatly. I sniffled as I tried to swallow the tears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We started to hike back toward the cabin. I was afraid to look into my children\u2019s eyes. They would ask me the same question they had asked when I woke up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, where is Gina?\u201d Bodhi asked again once we reached the mountaintop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking for her, okay?\u201d Baxter told him as he lifted him into his arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Baxter\u2019s father took care of the children while Lady Eugenia lost control. She stayed hidden in her room. 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every once in a while, she came out to ask if we had any plans or any idea how to kill the monster. She was too scared to keep living in this area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys, when did this happen?\u201d Ron asked as he arrived from behind us, looking panicked. Yuvonne was right beside him, with several warriors at his back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yuvonne rushed toward me and pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back, while Baxter told Ron everything that had happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut how did the monster arrive?\u201d Yuvonne asked as we broke the hug. \u201cIt was not here for so many days. Why yesterday?\u201d (1\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no time for that,\u201d Ron said. \u201cI have brought in all the warriors. I also have jets and helicopters ready. Fly the drones around and see what you can find,\u201d he instructed another warrior.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He then turned to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeline, please be at ease. I will find your daughter,\u201d Ron told me, giving a reassuring nod.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease do. You are my only hope now,\u201d I whispered, noticing how many warriors he had brought with him. With their help, I believed we could find my daughter. 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
350\u2013Devastated Mother\u00a0 Madeline:\u00a0 +25 Bonus\u00a0 \u201cWe will cover this area, and then we will check more spots over there,\u201d I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-no-daddy-novel-by-novelnozi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19551"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19719,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19551\/revisions\/19719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}