295 The Address on Barn Road

    295 The Address on Barn Road

    Mara

    We made our way to the right-wing breakfast lounge, and the moment we stepped inside, the air changed.

    Alpha Vander was already seated, slouched, really. Still in his pyjamas. His beard had grown wild, his hair long and matted. He looked like a man who had stopped trying. The faint stench of alcohol clung to him,

    sharp and sour.

    He hadn’t showered. I was sure of it.

    I sat down but instantly regretted it. I couldn’t stomach breakfast like this.

    Lydia and Katyah exchanged quiet, worried nces. Even baby Emma seemed to sense something wasn’t right. Darian and Tiffany looked equally tense. The whole lounge felt hollow, like the light had been sucked

    out of it.

    Vander used to be quiet at breakfast, but at least there was life in him then, especially when Martha was around to provoke or tease him into speaking. Now, he was just a ghost of himself. Silent. Sunken.

    Untouchable.

    And being an Alpha only made it worse. His emotions leaked into the room, nketing us in grief that wasn’t ours. The only people immune were Lucian, Darian, and Emma. The rest of us bore the weight of his depression like an invisible shroud.

    I couldn’t take it anymore.

    At this rate, he wasn’t just grieving, he was unraveling.

    I pushed my chair back quietly, excused myself, and made my way to Lucian’s office to make the call I

    knew I had to.

    Olivia picked up on the first ring. Her voice was upbeat, almost giddy.

    “I was just about to call you, Mara. I have news about Martha.”

    She skipped the greetings, which told me everything I needed to know: she understood the urgency.

    “She’s in Mooncrest City,” Olivia said. “Barn Road, number six. She moved there three weeks ago. She’s opening a small pastry shop downtown.”

    Relief hit me like a wave. She was still on the ind.

    “Do you think she’s home right now?” I asked quickly.

    “Yes,” Olivia replied. “She’s waiting for me, we were supposed to go shopping together.”

    Of course. That was Olivia’s way of buying me time. Keeping Martha in one ce.

    “Thank you, Olivia. Truly,” I said, heart pounding. “I’m very grateful.”

    295 The Address on Barn Road

    I ended the call, barely able to contain my excitement.

    We finally had a lead. We finally had a chance to fix this.

    And I wasn’t going to waste it.

    I exited the office and returned to the breakfast lounge.

    +8 Points

    As expected, the meal had been eaten in silence. Tiffany and Darian were the first to leave. Lucian and I

    followed shortly after, leaving Alpha Vander behind with Aunty Lydia and her mother. He didn’t say a word,

    not to us, not to anyone. And I knew, without looking back, that he would return to his room as soon as we

    were gone.

    He was a broken man, walking in the shell of who he used to be.

    When Lucian and I stepped into his office, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

    “I just got off the phone with Olivia,” I said, nearly beaming. “She has good news.”

    Lucian’s head snapped up. “What is it?”

    “Martha’s in Mooncrest. Barn Road, number six. I’m going to see her now.”

    Relief washed over his face, soft and immediate.

    “Shouldn’t my fathere with you?” he asked. “To speak with her directly? Plead his case?”

    I shook my head gently. “No, Lucian. Let me see her first. Let me feel her out. Then I’ll call you to bring him.

    I pulled out my phone and began texting him the address. “I’m sending it to you now, just in case.”

    He looked at me for a moment, something uncertain flickering in his eyes.

    “What is it, darling?” I asked.

    He exhaled. “You’re almost due, Mara. I don’t like the idea of you going alone.”

    I smiled, stepping into him and pressing my head against his chest. His arms wrapped around me like they always did, safe, grounding.

    “I’ll be fine,” I whispered. “Austin’sing with me.”

    He nodded reluctantly and kissed me. “Just… be careful.”

    We kissed one more time, and I left.

    Austin drove me through the quieter side of Mooncrest City. The address Olivia gave me was in a modest part of town, quiet streets, older homes, and blooming flowers along sidewalks. It didn’t look like the kind of ce Martha would’ve chosen in her old life. But this wasn’t her old life.

    We arrived at a small white house with a low white fence. It was quaint. Unassuming. Peaceful.

    I told Austin to wait in the car and stepped up to the front door.

     295 The Address on Barn Road

    After a few seconds, I heard the lock turn.

    The door opened.

    +8 Points

    Martha stood in front of me, blinking in surprise. Her eyes dropped to my belly and then back to my face. A smile crept onto her lips.

    “Mara,” she breathed.

    “Hi,” I said softly.

    “Come in,” she added, stepping aside.

    She looked… beautiful. Calm. There was a glow to her I had never seen before. It wasn’t from makeup or fancy clothes. It was something inside her, settled, finally.

    We hugged, awkwardly around my bump, but it was genuine.

    She led me into the living room. It was in and simple. Warm. Clean. Nothing extravagant, just soft furniture, natural light, and a quiet that felt chosen.

    I never imagined Martha settling into something like this.

    But now, seeing her here… I understood.

    She hadn’t settled.

    She had finally found peace.

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