Chapter 0 Prologue Prologue

“Sssh sssh, don't wake Daddy up," I whispered in my child's ear and she immediately hushed before looking up at me with her huge, crystal blue eyes. 

"Good girl," I replied kissing her gently stroking the curls of blond hair on her head before placing her carefully back into the crib beside her twin sister. "I'll miss you, my babies," I added resting my hand on Francesca and then Marie's cheek.

"Mommy?" a little voice said from the open doorway of the twin's nursery.

"Cato, what are you doing awake?" I asked my little toddler as I lifted him into my arms. "It's so late."

"I wanna play a game," he protested hugging me tightly.

"I know a good game," I replied taking one last look at my sleeping twins before carrying Cato down the hall and back to his room.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Sssh. You have to whisper. Daddy is sleeping remember?" I said quietly.

He nodded before we got to his room and I closed the door.

"What's the game, Mommy?" he questioned in the best whisper he could muster.

"It's called...sleeping lions," I said with a smile. He let out a giggle before slamming his tiny hand over his mouth.

"How do we win?" 

"You have to stay totally silent and you definitely can't move. If you do, I win. If I do, you win. Okay?"

He nodded again before lying down on his bed as I took a seat on the armchair beside it. I waited for ten minutes before I was sure he was asleep. I kissed my first born softly on the forehead before leaving the room for the second time that night.

I had said my farewells to all six of my children. All that was left was my mate. I crept silently down to his office and found a piece of paper and a black ink pen. I sat in his chair and began to write.

To my dearest Leonardo,

By the time you are reading this I will be far away. And that is how it should be. I am sure you will try to chase after me and there is nothing I can do to stop you but please understand that this is for the best. There is something that has to be done.

 As for your worries? There is no need. Trust me when I say I can defend myself from danger now.

I know this will come as a shock and I am sorry that my only way of saying goodbye is through a letter but it was the only way. We both know that you would never have allowed this.

Please let our beautiful children: Cato, Mathias, Silas, Francesca, Marie and Lili know that their mother loves them. It pains me to think that I won't be there for a portion of their childhood but this isn't a final goodbye. When what needs to be done is done, I will return. I don't know how far in the future that will be, but I have all intentions of seeing you again Leo.

Until we meet again,

Ella

A tear ran down my cheek and onto the letter causing some of the ink to run. Since it was still readable and I was concerned about any of the seven sleepers upstairs waking, I wiped my eyes and left the letter before grabbing my small but loaded satchel and slipping out of the window in the bathroom that, despite the fact that three years had passed, still had a broken lock.

I took one last look at my home before disappearing into the woods without a sound. 

Goodbye for now Leonardo.