The Adopted Cullen

Chapter 53

Our Gracelyn,
We love you so very much. I know we left abruptly, and wasn't here for you when you woke up, but we have to leave. The longer Laurent is out on the loose, the longer you are in danger. Please don't think we abandoned you or care for you any less, I promise, that is not the case. We fear we are beginning to have less and less time to spend with you, so to take away a few of our months together to ensure a lifetime of safety for you, well it is the best way to go. Please stay safe while we're away. We contacted Sam and Emily, and they said you are more than welcome to live with them for the time being. Be good, and stay by Seth. He will protect you better than anyone could. We love you so much sweetheart, and we will see you soon.
Love, Mom, Dad, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett

I read the note over and over again, clutching it in my hands. It's real. The note real. Laurent said he can alter the things he knows about, and he doesn't know about this, so this means that it's real. They left me. They actually left. Without saying goodbye. I guess not everything Laurent shows me is false. They truly do not care for me. They don't want a human daughter or sister.

I hear a knock on the door and I freeze. It's still a struggle to decipher what's real and what's fake. After three months, I should be slightly better, but instead I am more anxious and scared than before. I haven't left my room for three months, and I know the pack's worried, but I don't know if they are real. I think they are, since my family is still gone. If they're still gone that means Laurent's gone, but what if he can mess with my mind from a distance?

"Gracie, it's me. Can I come in?" My hands start to shake a bit at the sound of Seth's voice. Laurent knows about him. This could be fake. "Gracie, it's alright. Laurent is gone. Your family is still out hunting him. This is real, I promise."

I take a shaky breath. "You can come in," I say quietly as I look down and clutch my wolf necklace with one hand and the blanket with the other. I feel the bed dip down as I tense up as Seth releases my grip on my blanket and gently holds my still sore wrist.

"I've got you something. Something you've never seen before. Do you want it?"

My hand shakes slightly, so Seth holds it tighter. "He's not here Grace, I promise. This is real. He's gone far away and the pack won't let him get near you so he can mess with you anymore."

I sniffle as tears start to fall slowly. "But what if he can mess with my mind from far away, and this is all fake and he's standing right behind me ready to kill me again," I sob quietly and I feel Seth hug me, causing me to flinch.

"Shh, listen. So he's a vampire, right? That means he doesn't feel warmth. He won't remember what it feels like. Do you feel warm right now? With me hugging you?"

I nod gently as I sniffle and Seth says, "See. It's real, I promise. Whenever you don't feel warm around one of us, then you scream as loud as you can and let us know. I promise you, he won't hurt you again, ok?"

I nod and relax slightly as I take in Seth's words. Seth is real. Seth is warm. "The pack misses you and is really worried. They haven't seen you in a long time. Do you want to go see them? Bella came to see you too. She misses you."

I start to panic and I count to ten slowly in my head to try and control my breathing. Once it settles, I say quietly, "I'm so scared Seth. I'm so scared I'm going to suddenly blink and he's going to be there. Like he is in my dreams."

My dreams are the worst part of this situation, making me second guess all the progress over the whole day. At night, my dreams are not real, but they are so similar to his mind tricks, I panic and I freak out every time. That's why I have been resorting to not sleeping. The less I sleep, the more real everything becomes.