Chapter 87

Natalia's POV

When we returned to the pack house, my parents pulled Aria into their embrace. They were afraid of losing her. At this age, Noah and Aria were their favorite companions.

'I'm okay, Grandpa. Don't worry, Grandma."

Like a sensible child, Aria assured them that she was fine.

I noticed Noah standing in a comer. His eyes were on Aria, but he did not go close to her. He looked like he was upset.

Was he feeling guilty? Was he blaming himself for everything?

I walked to Noah when everyone was busy with Aria.

I crouched down in front of him and patted his shoulder. He lowered his head.

"What happened to you, my big boy? Why do you look upset? Don't you want to see your little sister?" I asked him.

He was a few minutes older than Aria. So I told him that he was her big brother and that he would always have to protect his sister.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I could not protect Aria," he mumbled with his pouty lips.

I caressed his hair, and he lifted his head to look at me.

His eyes were teary, which made me feel emotional. "Don't cry, my baby. You are my strong boy. It was not your fault, okay?"

He shook his head. "I-"

I did not let him say anything as I pulled him into a tight hug.

I patted his back. "Tears don't suit you. You have to be a strong boy. You will be a powerful man in the future." *Just like my Uncle Jason?" he asked while hugging my neck.

I chuckled and nodded my head. "Yeah, just like your Uncle Jason."

We broke the hug and glanced at Aria. She saw us and rushed toward us with her small legs.

"Noah," she said, hugging her brother.

I got to my feet and let the siblings hug each other.

Noah embraced Aria and looked at me. I smiled at him. He gave me a smile and said to Aria,

"I missed you. Where did you go?"

Aria pulled away from him and replied,

"I was with..." she paused and turned to look at me.

I shook my head. She blinked her eyes and turned back to Noah. "I was lost. Mommy's friend found me, and I was with him.'

Aria lied to Noah because I told her in the car not to talk about Adrian to anyone. She was asking me why, as if she liked to talk about him.

But I did not say much to her and only forbade her to say anything about him, especially in front of Noah. I knew Noah just hated that man like me. In my opinion, the fact that one of Adrian's children had a negative opinion of him was a form of karma.

However, it was a question of thinking as to why he had such a strong aversion to a man whom he had not even known and only met once? As Aria said to me, Adrian never talked poorly with him. Then what was the reason behind it?

The happiness returned to the pack house. Everyone was feeling relieved after getting Aria back.

The whole evening, everyone asked Aria how everything had happened. She only replied that she was lost because she was following a kitten.

Eric, on the other hand, told everyone not to ask Aria anything more since it could hurt the child's mental health if she kept remembering those upsetting moments.

When Jason came back to the pack house, the first thing he did was call Aria into his room.

I was nervous that he would inspect the matter. Eric signaled to me that he would handle everything.

I stood outside Jason's bedroom while listening to the conversation going on inside.

"Where were you?" Jason asked Aria.

"Uncle Jason, I was with Mommy's friend."

"Oh, I see. How are you right now, baby? Did someone hurt you?"

"No, Uncle. Mommy's friend is a good person. He took me to eat ice cream, then gave me my favorite brownies."

'He? Your mommy's friend is a man?"

As soon as I realized that Jason had just picked up Aria's remarks, I turned my head to the side.

"You can come inside. Don't you know that eavesdropping on other people's conversations is not good?"

I heard my brother's voice. He caught me. I opened the door and entered his room.

I laughed at him awkwardly. "Sorry, brother. I was just passi...

Eric bit his lower lip to control his laugh, as if I were a terrible liar.noveldrama

I frowned at him. Wasn't he on my side?

He cleared his throat and said to Jason,

"She is right. I think you are mistaking her."

Jason raised an eyebrow as he turned his head toward Eric.

*Stop defending him all the time, Eric. I will come after you soon. Let me talk to her first."

Eric gulped as he could see Jason had learned something was fishy.

"You can go back to your room. Your uncle brought a lot of chocolates for you; he will send them to your room."

Aria's face was delighted to hear about chocolate. "Okay, Uncle."

She kissed Jason's cheek and left the room, leaving me in my brother's den.

"Natalia, where was she? Are you lying to me?"

"Brother, I told you. My friend found her."

"Which friend? I need the name."

I glanced at Eric to help me. He nodded his head and put his hand on Jason's shoulder.

"Bro, why are you scaring her? She can have friends who are boys, you know."

Jason stood up from his bed and tumed to Eric.

*Really? Don't make me open my mouth. She can have friends who are boys? Weren't you the one who always beat those boys to make them stay away from her?"

My eyes widened as I heard Jason. I looked at Eric, who scratched the back of his neck.

"Stop muttering nonsense, Jason. Calm down," Eric murmured to his best friend.

I was confused, but at the same time, I felt disbelief.

Every time any boys got close to me, they got beaten by Eric, and he always told me that it was Jason's order.

'So it was always him? Why did he do that?"