\[Elise’s POV\]
I watch as Marty snuggles Denali against him. As he does so, I can see the jealousy raging in Rosco’s eyes, but the big lug doesn’t say a word. I guess he was capable of being rational when it came to being a leader.
“Come find us when you finish.” Marty says now, beginning to move. “You know where we will be.”
Nodding, Rosco keeps his gaze on Marty as he heads through the crowd, which is parting like the red sea.
“Good choice.” I giggle when I pass Rosco.
“Are you mocking me?” He growls, turning back to his angry self.
“Nope.” I sigh, clapping his shoulder. “See ya later, brother-in-law.”
Lifting a hand, I give a wave before I begin to skip off in the direction that Marty headed in with my sister.
When I arrive at the infirmary, I find them together as Olga fusses.
“Look what you did, sis.” I say, drawing her gaze toward me. “You got the old lady angry.”
“Old lady?” Olga growls, shooting me a glare. “You better watch your words, kid.”
“If I’m a kid, you’re an old lady.” I shrug, strolling forward and holding my arms out to Denali. “Give her here.”
“What?” She says, confusion evident in her eyes. “Give…”
“My niece.” I snap, leaning forward and gently prying her from Denali’s arms. “The old lady can’t examine you if you’re holding her.”
Ignoring Olga’s grumblings, I cuddle Serenity while Marty sits Denali on a bed. Once she is in place, he steps back until he is beside me.
Together, we watch as the old lady begins to examine Denali. As she moves about, she fusses under her breath, and I can’t help but laugh at how much like a mother-hen Olga actually was when it came to Denali.
“Haven’t you been warned not to use that command?” She asks, placing her hand on her hips. “You know the consequences of doing such a thing, and yet you...”
“They were rebelling against Rosco.” Denali manages, though her response isn’t satisfactory enough for Olga. “I couldn’t just...”
“Just what?” Olga snaps, heading to her desk. “You couldn’t help but risk your life to stop them from doing what is normal for a pack when they are faced with a new leader? And what would happen if you were to cause your own death? Who would help Rosco then?”
At her words, Denali’s face falls, and understanding that the disappearance of her mother was being discussed, Serenity begins to whine.
“Shit,” I hiss, looking down at the red-faced infant in my arms. “What’s wrong with you?”
“She’s probably hungry.” Denali says her motherly instincts kicking in. “But her formula is back in my room; let me...”
“You aren’t going anywhere, young lady.” Olga snaps. “The one caring for her right now can go and get what is needed.”
“But…”
“Do I need to strap you down to keep you in place?”
“You heard the doctor.” Marty chimes in. “Elise and I will go and get the formula and feed the kid. You be a good girl and listen to the doctor.”
“We will?” I gasp as he grabs me around the waist and begins to lead me out. “But I don’t want to!”
I only offered to hold the child while my stupid sister got treated; I didn’t sign up to be a nanny.
“What?” Marty asks as we continue to move. “Do you not like babies?”
“I don’t like annoying things.” I counter. “That includes children and adults. If they are too much of a burden, then I can do without.”
“Is that so?” He chuckles.
Suddenly bristling over how annoying he was being, I prepare to defend myself but stop as we reach Denali and Rosco’s room.
Remaining silent, I wait as Marty stands in front of their door.
“You gonna go in?” I ask after a moment, which is too long. “Or are you just gonna stand there like an idiot?”
“You go in.” He counters. “Since it is your sister.”
For a moment, I don’t speak as I stare at Marty in disbelief. Was he really too afraid to go into the room without Denali and Rosco with him? Who would have thought he was such a chicken shit?
“Fine, take her.” I sigh, passing the now-wailing Serenity to him. “I’ll go and get it.”
“Wah…” he gasps, looking down at the angry infant. “Why do I...”
I don’t wait for him to finish as I push open the door and head inside. However, once I’m in, I start to look around since I wasn’t exactly sure where the formula was kept.
“Let's check the dressers first.” I murmur, moving forward.
As I move, I let my eyes trail along the room as if it were the first time I was seeing it. Every part of it showed the story of a happy couple living together, from the pictures to the items that belonged to both parties.
‘Jealous?’ Anna asks when I reach the first dresser. ‘You could eventually have this if...’
‘Not gonna happen.’ I counter, beginning to pull drawers. ‘A happy family was never in the cards for me.’
At least it wasn’t anymore, not after all the betrayal I suffered from Alexander. Maybe back then I had tricked myself into believing that we could be happy and maybe even create a family, but he used my love for him against me.
“Not here.” I sigh, moving onto the next dresser. “Maybe I should have asked Denali.”
Reaching the next dresser, I begin to search the drawers but stop as I come across a single picture nestled beneath the shirts that sit in the drawer.
“This,” I gasp, slowly picking it up so I can examine the woman in the picture who is holding a little girl. “Mom.”
With wide eyes, I take in every inch of the woman in the picture. She is smiling so happily, which is quite shocking given the prick she was married to and the fact that she didn’t have me with her either.
“Was I that expendable?” I whisper, a pang of pain shooting through me.
Feeling my heart beginning to break, I shove the picture back into the drawer and slam it shut much too harshly.
“Everything alright?” Marty asks, catching me by surprise at how close he is to me. “What did you find that pissed you off so much?”
“Nothing of importance.” I respond, moving on.
Instead of responding, Marty simply examines me as I head into the bathroom, where I finally find the formula and a bottle sitting atop a changing station.
“Found it.” I call, beginning to make a bottle. “Let’s get this little princess fed and back to your mama so Auntie Elise can have a drink."