Chapter 22

• Megan's POV
• I could see gray streaks in her still thick head of hair and wrinkles on her face, but I recognized her. It recognized her as the woman who had helped me all those years before. I used to imagine she was there as I cuddled a pillow at night. Imagine that she was stroking my hair with her fingertips as the aroma of chocolate chip cookies lingered on her. Through my window, I used to watch the moon rise and fervently hope that she would return to take me with her.
• A few days later, I went back to the home, but to my disappointment, it was vacant. She hadn't forgotten about me, however. A first aid kit, a bag of brand-new clothing, a stack of cash, and a box of chocolate chip cookies were all on the kitchen counter. When I went home, Alpha snatched the bag, took the cash, ate my cookies, and torched my clothing, but I didn't care. I believed for years that someone out there in the world cared about me.