Chapter 258 Soft
Chapter 258 Soft
ROWAN
666
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We had finally arrived in the South. I watched as the people stepped hesitantly inside the house which was originally meant for those without homes, an initiative I spearheaded when I was younger. Due to the livelihood project that Cade imposed upon all factions, all of them had moved out and built their individual houses.
However, we kept this ce for those who would need it. I was d that it was still here.
Francis and the other warriors moved in sync, hauling what little belongings they had, arranging them into piles along the hallway. They handed out warm meals, bowls of stew, and loaves of bread, and the smell of food began to soften the edge that clung to everyone.
Beside me, Ca’s hand wrapped around mine, her tiny fingers sticky with crumbs from the bread Emma had given her earlier. Francis and Emma’s eyes fell to her, their gazes softening, though Francis’s lips curled in that half–smirk I knew too well.
“I can’t believe something angelic like her came from someone like you,” Francis muttered under his breath.
I narrowed my eyes on him. “Don’t look at my daughter.”
His smirk faltered, and Emma shot him a look before crouching down in front of Ca. “You’re very pretty, like your mom,” she said.
Ca’s face lit up instantly. “Thank you,” she said with a beam. “You’re very pretty, too.”
I nced at Tessa and found her watching our daughter fondly. I couldn’t help but smile, too. I ruffled her hair gently, and she leaned into my hand. I was grateful, in a selfish way, that she couldn’tprehend the devastation around us. Because of that, she seemed to be alright even after everything.
“Mommy, new house?” she asked, her eyes wide as she scanned the unfamiliar walls.
Tessa nodded, her voice soft. “Yes, honey. We’ll be staying here for a while. Is that alright?”
Ca turned her gaze up to me.”As long as Daddy’s here,” she whispered.
I bent slightly, cupping her check. “Of course. Always.”
She smiled, satisfied, and leaned her head against my leg.
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I straightened and turned to Francis. He had dark circles under his eyes, his posture sagging with exhaustion. “You should go,” I told him. “You had a long week.”
“Tell me about it,” he muttered with a yawn, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I’ll take care of him,” Emma said firmly before he could argue, her hand already on his arm as though to guide him away.
I nodded once. “Good. He may haveined a lot, but he worked hard.”
Emma smiled gratefully, then pinched Ca’s cheek before she led her exhausted mate away.
When they moved off, Winston and Edith approached, appearing better than before.
“All of the rooms are upied,” Winston reported. “Thank you for taking us here.”
Edith’s nod followed his words, gratitude in her eyes.
“You don’t need to thank us,” I said. “It’s the least I could do for letting me stay in your pack.”
Winston nodded. “Where are you going to stay?” he asked.
“At my house,” I answered.
“We’ll take care of everything here then,” he said with a small smile. “You guys should too dark now.” <ol><li>go. </li></ol>
It’s
We exchanged nods before I reached for Tessa’s hand. We stepped back outside, and the night air was cool. I adjusted Ca on my hip, but she wriggled down, her feet crunching against the dirt path. She sniffed once, her little nose wrinkling.
Then she froze. Her small hand clutched my pants.
“No, Daddy,” she whispered, her voice trembling. Her wide eyes darted to the shadows that stretched out along the path ahead. “It’s dark. I don’t want to go.”
We looked down at Ca, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind. I crouched, scooping her up into my arms, holding her close so she could feel the steady beat of my heart.
“Not even if I carry you?” I asked softly, brushing my nose against her hair.
She shook her head fiercely and buried her face into my neck, her arms locking tight around <ol><li>me. </li></ol>
I turned to Tessa, whose brows pinched in concern.
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“Baby,” I murmured, “there are no more rooms left in the house. The couch is upied, too. We need to go to your dad’s house.”
Tessa nodded in agreement. “Your dad’s house is big,” I added quickly, boasting to lighten the mood.
But Ca only shook her head. “No.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
Ca didn’t answer and continued holding onto me for dear life.
Meanwhile, Tessa sighed in frustration, yfully ring at me. “You shouldn’t have built your house so far from the rest of the houses here.”
I scratched the back of my neck, sheepishly. “Sorry,” I muttered.
Her sigh deepened, and she shook her head again, strands of hair falling into her face.
Just then, the door of the house in front of us creaked open.
I froze, my arms tightening around Ca instinctively as two familiar faces peeked out–my mother’s gentle eyes and my father’s stern gaze.
We’d been arguing right in front of them.
Heat rushed to my ears. I hadn’t even noticed.
Just then, my dad stepped forward with the stern expression that had shadowed my entire childhood. Yet, as he spoke, it was anything but the sternness he showed on his face.
“We’ll take her in, if you want.”
“That’s Ca, right?” he added in a softer tone.
Tessa and I froze. Ca shifted, releasing her grip on me just enough to peek over my shoulder.
“Big house,” she muttered to herself. Her eyes widened in wonder. “I like.”
Before I could react, she wriggled out of my arms, dropped to the ground, and darted forward.
“Ca!” I started, lunging after her.
But she was faster than I expected, and before I knew it, she had wrapped her arms around my
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Chapter 258 Soft
father’s thigh.
My eyes widened. What is she doing?
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I knew my father. He wasn’t the type to like these things. I was the youngest, and even then, I couldn’t recall a single time he’d let me cling to him like that.
And yet my stubborn, fearless daughter hugged his leg like he was her safe ce.
She tilted her head back and looked up at him,pletely unafraid. “Tall, big mister… carry, please.”
“Ca, don’t—” I began, feeling strangely panicked.
But before the words fully left my lips, my dad bent down without hesitation. His hands, calloused from years of work, slid under her arms. He lifted her before settling her against his chest.
My entire body was stiff. Tessa’s eyes went wide, mirroring my shock.
My father actually carried her.
Ca giggled, tucking her head under his chin. “You’re thebination of them,” my mother whispered softly to Ca as she stepped closer, her eyes shimmering.
“I’m hungry,” Ca mumbled, her voice muffled in my father’s shirt. She lifted her head, her eyes sparkling. “Cookies?”
My mother’s face brightened instantly. “Cookies! We have cookies.”
My father, still holding her in that same gruff way as though unsure what to do, muttered in his low voice, “What else do you want?”
“Just cookies,” Ca answered firmly.
“Okay,” he grunted. “You can have cookies. Bring them all out, M.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, unable to process this shift in reality. “Give her back, Dad.”
My mother pursed her lips, shaking her head gently. “She’s afraid of the dark, isn’t she? And it’s a long journey to your house for a child. Why don’t you let her sleep here?”
She reached out, brushing Ca’s hair tenderly. “We’ll take care of her. We promise.”
I opened my mouth to argue because the thought of leaving her here with them felt….. strange.
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But before I could speak, Tessa’s hand pressed against my chest.
“Okay,” she whispered.
I turned to her, unable to mask my frown.
She met my eyes steadily. “Is that okay, baby?” she asked Ca.
Ca nodded, nestling her head against my father’s chest.
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I saw how my father’s expression softened, making me even more surprised. I had really never seen him like this before.
“Okay,” Ca muttered sleepily, already fighting her heavy lids.
Tessa turned to me with a small smile. “Let’s go, Rowan,” she said gently.
“It seems Ca wants to stay here.”