The Haunted Memories (Forgotten Series, #4)

Chapter 32

Maddy made a face as she looked around the coffee table. She let out a huff and I couldn't help but smile as I held out the red marker that had fallen onto the floor a few moments before. She gave me a wide grin and took it. "Tank you, daddy!"

"Thank you." I emphasized the word and she uncapped the marker with a sly little smile.

"Yer welcome, daddy!" At the brightly said words I had to fight back a smile. She was so stubborn when she wanted to be, cheeky too. I hadn't realized just how cheeky she could be and I wondered if Sorrel was the reason such cheekiness. The look she got on her face when she was being cheeky looked nothing like when Maggie tried to be cheeky so I was pretty sure it came from Sorrel.

She continued colouring her picture. She had told me she was making a picture for Sorrel to help her feel better. All the colours on the page were bright and cheery and it looked like a garden. I knew Sorrel would appreciate it. I was just happy that Maddy didn't seem overly harmed by what she had seen yesterday. It must have been horrible for her to see that and I didn't want it to harm her mentally or emotionally in anyway.

She started humming to herself as she coloured her picture and I shifted in my spot. I knew she had been scared yesterday. Linnette had said she had been nearly inconsolable and I believed it. The way she clung to me, as if terrified I would disappear if she let me go, showed me just how much my little lady bug had been terrified.

"Hey, buddy." Ollie walked into the living room, bending down to ruffle Madeline's hair as he did so. There was a quiet ease to the male, a presence about him that was soft and gentle. I appreciated that because it meant I could trust him with Madeline. It also helped keep Madeline at ease and relaxed. She didn't do well with dominance, it made her bare her little teeth and scowl. She was such a powerful little shifter and I knew once she got her wolf she would be nearly unstoppable.

"Ollie!" She beamed up at him and he crouched down, tapping her picture.

"What are you drawing?" He asked it softly, his entire focus on her as she looked down at it, capping her red marker.

"Piktur for... Relly... mama." She looked so confused as she said it. I knew how confusing it was for her. Sorrel looked just like her mother. They were identical twins after all but it was clear that it confused Madeline greatly. She wasn't sure what exactly to call Sorrel and she bounced between just Relly and Relly Mama. I didn't know which one caused Sorrel to hurt more because she always got a flash of pain for each one.

"Well I think she will like it. Its very pretty." He ruffled her hair again, giving her a soft smile, his gaze gentle. "Did your daddy make you breakfast?" The question was asked lightly but I didn't take offence to it. Madeline had informed me that when Sorrel couldn't help make breakfast Ollie made it.

Madeline gave a quick and excited nod. "Yah! Tooooaaassst." It had been simple and easy and after her telling me her tummy hurt yesterday, I wanted to give her something light.

"With jam?" Ollie raised an eyebrow and Maddy gave another excited nod. "Good man." He glanced at me smiling softly. He wasn't the type of male we had in Tenebris, the pack would have discarded him for being 'weak' but I knew a decent male when I saw one.

"Ollie makes me beakfas sometimes." Madeline looked at me and gave a sage and wise nod.

"Brrrreaaakfassst." Ollie drug the word out and Maddy made a face but this time she actually curbed it before moving her mouth as if practising the motions her mouth needed to make to relay the appropriate sound.

"Brrrreeeeaaaakfaaaassst." She drug the word out and looked between me and Ollie, her expressive eyes looking for any indication she had made a mistake.