ONCE BETRAYED: TWICE RECLAIMED

I stared at the empty room, my heart leaping to my throat. Without a second thought, I was reaching for my phone and dashing out of the house. Cindy's car has already rounded the bend far off into the distance. I glance left then right.

"Chloe!" I yelled into the deserted street, my voice bouncing off the brick facades of adjacent buildings.

"Goddess... where could they be?"

The night air was heavy with tension, interrupted only by the rare passing stroller or the soft hum of far-off traffic. I gripped my phone tightly in one shaking hand, desperately dialing Noah's number.

It rang once, twice, and then switched to voicemail.

"Darn it, Noah," I whispered, my voice trembling. I attempted once more, walking the wet pavement, yet the outcome remained unchanged.

My thoughts surged, the cautions of Dr. Halstead returning with striking vividness. *"Characteristics like these may draw notice. "She might be seen as a target."

Panic gripped my chest, and I fought to concentrate. Where might they have gone? Why wasn't Noah responding?

A sinister, deceitful idea slithered into my thoughts. *What if Noah wasn't as reliable as I believed?*

"No," I murmured, shaking my head firmly while holding the phone more tightly. "Noah wouldn't carry that out." "He has supported us from the start."

However, the seed of uncertainty had already begun to grow. What had made him so eager to assume the position of Chloe's father? Why had he been so willing to assist when he could have simply left? I couldn't halt the inquiries, each one driving the blade of doubt further.

My breaths were quick and shallow, and the world spun around me. I stumbled to a bench and dropped to my knees, clutching the edge as I struggled to remain awake.

"Take a breath," I said to myself, inhaling deeply. "Simply inhale."

It took many long moments before the pressure around my chest eased. I stood unsteadily, wiping the tears from my cheeks. If I remain here, I'd permanently lose them.

A little park was located a few blocks away, a spot Noah frequently visited with Chloe whenever the apartment seemed too confined. It wasn't a significant lead, but it was everything I had.

The park lay out in front of me, a wet and tranquil area, its typical brightness subdued by the ongoing rain. The cheerful laughter of children that typically filled the atmosphere was missing, replaced solely by the soft sound of rain on the concrete paths and the sporadic rustling of foliage.

I tightened my hood over my head, narrowing my eyes in the darkness while I surveyed the surroundings. The swings remained unoccupied, their chains gently moving in the wind. A tiny puddle developed under the slide, with raindrops creating ripples on its surface. Every noise felt amplified in the quiet, with every footfall and gasp resonating in my auditory senses.

Seeing a woman under a tree holding a big black umbrella, I rushed over, my heart racing. She looked up as I neared, her courteous smile wavering upon noticing the desperation in my face.

"Pardon me," I spoke hurriedly, my tone tense. "Did you notice a man accompanied by a small wolf cub?" "Brown fur, blue eyes?"

Her brows knitted together a little. "A young wolf?"

"Indeed," I replied, attempting to calm my voice. "It is significant."

She slowly shook her head, compassion appearing in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I haven't encountered anyone like that."

"Thanks," I murmured, managing a strained grin before continuing on.

I walked up to a jogger close to the fountain, his hood drawn down over his face. "Have you spotted a man accompanied by a tiny wolf cub?" I inquired, gripping my arms to combat the increasing cold.

He gave me a confused glance before shaking his head and running off.

Every rejection hurt more than the previous one. I walked through the park, inquiring of a young couple sheltered under an awning, a dad with a stroller, and a groundskeeper tending to the flower bed's edges.

Yet the response was consistently identical.

"Apologies, but no."

"I can't say that I have."

"Best of luck, however."

As the rain started to intensify, drenching my already-thin jacket, a recognizable knot formed in my chest. The troubling thoughts I had fought diligently to hide started to reemerge, murmuring harmful ideas I couldn't dismiss.

*What if Noah claimed Chloe for himself? What if all his kindness was just a deception?*

I bit my lip, attempting to dismiss the thoughts. "I knew he wouldn't," I whispered quietly. "He wouldn't act that way."

But my thoughts kept racing uncontrollably.

*Why would he not pick up his phone? Why would he vanish without saying anything?*

The inquiries continued to pound on me, every one more forceful than the previous. Tears clouded my eyesight while I walked slowly along the rain-soaked path, my drenched sneakers squishing on the ground. My footsteps became weightier, and each step felt like it was bringing me nearer to a certain outcome.

Once I arrived at the distant side of the park, I could no longer deny it.

*She had been taken by Noah.*

The strain in his voice and the gravity in his gaze made my stomach twist. The rain fell heavier, drenching us both while I remained still, anxiety gripping the corners of my thoughts.

"Clarify what?" I murmured, my voice shaking.

He paused, brushing his damp hair back, before locking eyes with me. I realized that whatever he was going to say would alter everything.

Noah's voice was grating to my ears, his words empty like the assurances he had given previously. "Amelia, I'm saying it wasn't my fault!" "You must trust me!"

Trust him? Following all that? His justifications were a repetitive cycle, echoing continuously, exhausting me. I tightened my hands into fists, attempting to keep my composure, but the barrier I had constructed within me ultimately broke.

"You constantly claim that!" I shouted, my voice breaking as the agony erupted from within me. It was overwhelming—too noisy, too intense—and I couldn't control it. The tears clouded my sight, warm trails streaming down my face. The sorrow, the rage, the annoyance—it all surged forth in one overwhelming rush.

Individuals were gazing. I sensed their gazes upon me, listening to the whispers propagating rapidly. However, I was indifferent. I didn't care. The heaviness of everything was overwhelming me, and I couldn't keep it inside any more.

"Amelia, halt!" Noah emitted a sharp hiss, his tone frantic and intense. "You're causing a commotion!"

I didn't pause. I was unable to. The pain was overwhelming, too immense, and it threatened to engulf me entirely.

Amidst the fog of my collapse, I noticed him speaking to the audience. "It's all good!" "There's nothing of interest, so please just leave!"

His voice felt far away, drowned out by the thunder of my own feelings. Gradually, the audience started to disperse, yet their murmurs remained, their assessments hanging in the atmosphere like haze.

Ultimately, my cries faded into weeping, and I fell onto the nearby bench, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to regain my breath. My hands trembled as I covered my face, attempting to shut out the world, shut out Noah, shut out *everything*.

"Amelia," Noah spoke gently, kneeling before me. His tone had softened, sounding almost like a plea.

"Can we discuss this, please?" I apologize, alright? "Simply… allow me to clarify."

I did not reply. I didn't even glance at him.

Then a shadow descended upon us. I gradually lowered my hands, blinking at the figure that stood in front of us.

He was towering, composed, and cradling something in his embrace. No—*somebody*.

My heart ceased beating.

It was Chloe.

Her lifeless, pale body rested in the stranger's arms as though she was weightless.

"Chloe?" Noah's voice trembled, hardly discernible.

The man tilted his head, his face giving nothing away. "I discovered her like this close by," he replied, his voice even, nearly indifferent. "She is living, but requires assistance."

For a brief moment, I was unable to move. Unable to concentrate. Seeing her—so motionless, so delicate—took the breath from my lungs.

"Chloé?" I spoke softly, my voice shaking.

Noah rose slowly, his complexion drained as he extended his hand toward her. "What occurred?" "Where did you come across her?"

The man did not respond immediately. His eyes darted back and forth between us, unwavering and resolute. "This isn't the moment for inquiries," he finally stated. "Take her to a secure location." "After that, we will discuss."

Noah agreed, his actions deliberate as he cradled Chloe in his embrace. She appeared so tiny, so defenseless, her complexion white against his chest.

I sensed the burden of everything collapsing upon me—the shouting, the throng, Chloe's motionless body. The queries tormented my thoughts, yet no solutions appeared.

As we progressed, the knot in my chest grew tighter, fear embedding itself deep within my bones. Whatever occurred with Chloe, I realized it wasn't finished. And the reality, once it arrived, would break us completely.