The mate of his nanny

Chapter 105: Truth is Out

Moana

"Well then," Michael said, striding into the room with confidence and brushing past me as though I wasn't even there, "perhaps it's time you think about what I said earlier."

The room fell silent. Verona held her ground between Ethan and Edrick, but it was clear that Edrick's fury was no longer directed toward his brother.

As I stood there, looking at all of them and feeling Kelly's vindictive glare boring into the side of my head, I couldn't help but wonder if Ethan, Kelly, and Michael were all working together somehow. Kelly and Michael I could see working together... But Ethan? He had done nothing thus far since I'd met him to make me think that he was anything but a good friend, aside from his more recent attempts to become more than that. But was that alone really enough reason to think that he was in cahoots with Kelly and Michael to get me away from Edrick?

I didn't want to believe it, but thinking about the way he looked before he saw me, the dark smirk on his face and the cunning look behind his eyes, made me wonder if I should have listened to Edrick all along when he said that his brother was up to no good.

More importantly, however, Michael wanted me gone — and I was certain that he would get his way tonight.

At least, I thought I was certain, but that certainty melted away when Edrick suddenly turned on his heel and strode over to me.

"Let's go," he said, taking me by the arm and shooting one last angry glare between Kelly, Ethan, and Michael. "We're leaving."

"Darling—" Verona called out, but it was too late. Edrick was already whisking me away, and I went willingly. Hot tears were beginning to prick at the backs of my eyes, and as he ushered me down the hallway and back down the stairs that led to the banquet hall, I was grateful for his strength to walk away from his father. I couldn't let any of them see my tears; especially not Kelly and Michael.

"What did he say to you?" I asked once we were out of earshot. "Earlier, he asked me to dance and he told me that—"

"We'll discuss it another time," Edrick said. His voice was cold and low, much different from the way he spoke to me in the garden earlier. "I just want to get my daughter home."

I decided not to pry any further. When we reached the banquet hall, Edrick located Ella and scooped her up right out of her seat without a word.

"We're leaving, Princess," he said.

Ella furrowed her brow as Edrick carried her away and gave me a confused look over his shoulder. "But why, daddy?" she asked. "I was having fun."

Edrick didn't answer. He seemed to be unable to come up with a response, so I stepped in.
"I'm sorry, love, but I'm not feeling well," I lied. "I hope you're not too upset with me."

Thankfully, the expression on the little girl's face shifted from confusion to concern. "Oh. That's okay, then." Part of me thought that she didn't entirely believe me, and I was almost certain that Edrick's unceremonious exit was frightening her a bit, but she didn't cause a fuss. When we reached the car, Edrick put Ella in her car seat, and within a few moments the driver was peeling away from the driveway.

No one spoke the entire way home. Edrick stared sullenly out the window, his jaw set hard and his eyes fixed on the sky. I couldn't stop thinking about what Michael and Kelly must have said to him in private earlier that night; surely it was within the same vein of what they said to me.

Would this be the end of my living situation with Edrick? Would I be tucked away neatly into my own, separate home to stay away from the Morgan family?

After everything that had happened, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe that would be for the best. Maybe this whole dynamic was really unhealthy; even if I did reveal that I was a werewolf, it didn't change the fact that I was from a much lower social class than Edrick. I wasn't sure if that gap could ever be bridged, and even though it broke my heart to think about leaving Edrick and Ella behind, the logical part of me knew that it might be better for everyone if I just stayed away. Maybe Edrick could still be in the baby's life somehow, but we couldn't live together anymore.

By the time we arrived back at the penthouse, Edrick sullenly stormed off to his room without a word. I jumped slightly as I heard the door slam, but put on a brave face for Ella and took her to bed.
"Moana?" she asked as I helped her out of her party dress and into her pajamas.

"Yes, love?" I replied. My voice was shaking a bit still from the whole ordeal, but I tried to hide it for Ella's sake.

Ella turned toward me then, and there were tears in her eyes. "C-Can I sleep with you tonight? I'm scared."

"Oh, sweetheart..." I tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and sighed, pulling her into a hug. Admittedly, the thought of having Ella in my arms that night was a bit of a comfort. Maybe it was something that we both needed after what happened. "You don't have anything to be afraid of. But... Yes, you can sleep with me tonight."

Ella sniffled and managed a weak smile when we pulled away. I took her hand and led her to my room, where I finished brushing out her hair and getting her ready for bed. Then, while she laid in bed with her stuffed duck, she watched as I brushed out my own hair, took off my makeup, and changed out of my dress. When I was finished, I climbed into bed with her and held her while I read her a bedtime story.

Thankfully, she fell asleep before the story was even over. I couldn't help but smile down at her as I shut off the light and laid down myself, but even then, I couldn't sleep.

There was too much whirling around inside my head. I thought back to the tooth that Sophia gave me — the one tangible link to my werewolf lineage. I knew that Mina desperately wanted me to tell Edrick, but I didn't think that I was ready yet. Would it be wise after tonight to finally tell him and see his reaction? I couldn't help but wonder if it would solve some of our problems, but it still wouldn't solve the glaring issue of the gap in our social statuses.

Michael and Kelly clearly hated me, and Ethan was possibly working with them as well; if they hated me that much, then my status as a werewolf wouldn't change their opinions of me. To them, I would still be nothing but a lowly servant. Not only that, but I would be a freak of nature for my wolf not emerging until my twenties. Because of this, Mina could possibly never emerge fully, and I would still always present as a human.

But, even then, maybe it really was time to show Edrick the truth. Maybe it would make things easier on all of us for the full truth to come out.