Chapter 512

Jane came down first, chattering about the picture she'd drawn today. Max came down last, dragging his feet. He still wouldn't look at me.

"I made your favorite," I said as he sat down.

He didn't respond. Just stared at his plate.

Dinner started off quiet. Damon tried to make conversation, asking Jane about her drawing and Max about the book he'd been reading. Jane answered enthusiastically. Max gave one-word responses.

I fed Hope small bites of mashed vegetables. She was getting better at eating

solids, grabbing at the spoon and trying to feed herself. It made me smile despite everything.

"This is delicious, Natalia," Damon said.

"Thank you."

Grace nodded in agreement. “Seriously. You outdid yourself."

Max still hadn't touched his food. I watched him push his chicken around with his fork, and my heart sank. He wasn't going to forgive me. Not tonight. Maybe not for a long time.

I turned back to Hope and gave her another spoonful of vegetables. She opened her mouth and I slid it in, then set the spoon down to grab my water.

Suddenly, Hope started coughing. I turned to find that she had spit up her mashed potatoes, spraying them all over her high chair and bib. But that wasn't what concerned me.

Her lips were turning blue.

I shot to my feet. "Hope!"

"She's choking," Grace said calmly. She was out of her seat and at Hope's side in an instant.

Grace pulled Hope from her high chair and turned her over, supporting her on her forearm. She gave her five quick smacks between the shoulder blades. Hope coughed again, and something flew out of her mouth onto the floor.

I crouched, picking it up between my fingers. It was a pea. It must have gotten mixed into the potatoes without me realizing.

Hope sucked in a huge breath and started crying. The sound was the most beautiful and terrifying thing I'd ever heard, and I dropped the pea, rushing over.

Grace handed her to me. I held her against my chest. She was screaming now, her face red and wet with tears. But she was breathing. I looked at Jane, who was just watching with wide eyes, then at Max.

His arms were folded. He was glaring at me.

"That wouldn't have happened if Dad was here," he muttered.

Tears pricked my eyes. I turned, still holding Hope, and left.

"Natalia!" Damon called after me. I could hear his chair push back, and then the distinct sound of his limping gait as he followed me

the hall. But I didn't stop. Not own

I I

was pushing out through the back door onto the porch ope continued to wail against my chest. I bounced her, pacing the porch, and

bit back my own urge to cry.

Damon burst out onto the porch a moment later. His face fell when he saw me.

“He's just a kid,” he said gently,

crossing over to me. He gathered me and Hope into his arms at once and just hugged us, resting his chin on top of my head He doesn't know what he says sometimes."

"Maybe he knows more than we give him credit for," I murmured into Damon's chest. "Maybe he's right. Maybe I abandoned Andrei when he needed me the most, and now everything is falling apart because of it. swñovels

Damon pulled back just enough to look at me. His face was drawn. "Don't say that."

I looked away, biting my lip to keep it from quivering.

Just then, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out with trembling fingers and saw Andrei's Beta's name on the screen. I answered it immediately.

"Hello?"

“Luna Natalia?” the Beta's voice came through. "It's Alpha Andrei. Something happened today."

My stomach dropped. “What happened?” I asked, looking up at Damon. His brows shot skyward.

"I'm... Not sure. We haven't seen him since this morning, and no one knows where he went."