Lady and the Wolf [Book One, Lady and the Wolf Series] -Published-

Chapter Five: Love, Van

"Aira doesn't seem to remember anything about what happened to her family. Over time, her subconscious might come to forget the trauma."

Emma nodded, trying to digest all this new information. "But, she won't forget her mother and father, will she?"

Child therapist, Susan Miles, sighed. "It's hard to say. She's incredibly stable emotionally, but mentally... it's troubling how she can't remember. To be able to come to terms and accept something like this will be impossible for Aira considering her age and memory loss, without that, she'll continue to live in a world where her parents are still alive." It was a common situation with children and adults, but incredibly difficult to assess what will happen when they finally come to grips with the trauma.

"It could be months, or years when she finally remembers and when that happens, well... the backlash could be incredibly distressing for you and Drake." Susan crossed her arms over her chest as she stared through the door of Aira's hospital room. The little girl was on the bed playing with Drake, making him take the Ken doll and play with the Barbie Aira was holding up. "I've explained this to Drake, but he assured me you two could handle it... however, I wanted to know your thoughts on this, Emma."

Emma pursed her lips as Susan looked at her for an answer. Perhaps it was too obvious before Susan simply shook her head and smiled. "You and Drake are truly kind people, and you Emma, maybe too kind to get yourself into this sort of situation."

All Emma could do was shake her head. "She needs our help," she replied.

"Another human to add to your growing family. Aiden and Drake will live so much longer, doesn't that worry you at least a little?" Susan asked.

Susan had known Drake and Van since they were mere pups and knew the hardships that came with time and the humans that had so little of it. Emma wondered if there was a time where humans and shifters were once friends – how different would things be if there were still the case?

Emma laughed. She had known the answer to Susan's question from the start. "No, it doesn't worry me at all. I'll live until I'm one-hundred years old if that's what it will take to make sure Drake and Aiden are happy. For now, we'll just tell Aira her family has gone away for a little while."

*******

"Bye Aira, we'll miss you!" Lisa cried as she hugged the little girl just a bit tighter.

Since she had spoken out to Van and called him her 'hero' a week before, Aira had not uttered another word since. Susan had told Emma that this was normal after everything she had been through and, while still confused about her parents, they shouldn't force her to speak if she did not want to. She would let them hear her voice when she was ready.

Emma laughed as more nurses came to wish the little girl good luck in her recovery, with teddies, flower's and gifts at the ready. Even doctors and surgeons came to shake her hand and bid her farewell. Although unwilling to speak, Aira seemed to light up their eyes with that giant gap-toothed smile of hers. While it made others happy, that smile brought a tear to Emma's eye – she knew nothing of what sort of torture that little girl was going through on the inside.

Loretta was also there for the third time since Aira's admission. She said her goodbyes to Aira and handed Emma an envelope with the contents of their promise made over two weeks before.

"My-my numbers also in there if you ever need me and if, well, you know, in case Mr. Volkov..." Her eyes bounced around to make sure no one could overhear their conversation. Emma supposed Loretta still had a little hope left, even though Van had brushed the poor girl off and ignored her very existence since their first meeting.