“Claire.”
“You know her?”
“Yes.” She kicked herself for not thinking of the girl before. “Autumn and I were looking after her. Well, Autumn lately, I was too busy dealing with other things for Avery. Is she…” Fearing the worst, she couldn’t bring herself to ask.
“She’s alive, but she needs you. Come down the hall toward the reception area. I’ll be waiting for you. Hurry.” He hung up before she could ask anything else.
Claire. Oh, that sweet child had been through so much, and now she was being thrown into a world she knew nothing about. Her mother was gone, and she barely knew her father. Had Cliff been reunited with his daughter? With her heart breaking for the child, she saved the document she was working and dashed from the room and down the hall.
She found Jinx leaning against the wall, his black cowboy hat hiding his eyes from a distance. She could feel his pain. He was worried about the child. Had he seen her?
“Is Cliff with her?” She asked, coming to a stop in front of him.
“Cliff is gone. He’s left the clan and his daughters behind with only a note.” He pushed off the wall and took her hand in his. “Claire is in the room behind me, refusing to let anyone near. You’re our only hope of calming her down. She needed someone to help her adjust to being outside of the room.”
“I’ll do whatever I can.”
“I just want you prepared. I haven’t seen her yet, but Tex said she’s in bad shape.” He squeezed her hand.
“I’m fine. It’s Claire I’m worried about.” With a nod, he let her hand go and opened the door.
Inside, Ashley was screaming, her mate standing behind her trying to calm her, but Summer looked beyond them, searching for Claire. There in the corner, Claire was curled up in a ball. The blanket Summer had crocheted was wrapped around her, and her head was buried in her knees as she sobbed.
“Claire…” Summer neared when the little girl didn’t look up. “Remember me?”
The little girl let the blanket fall away from her, revealing just what kind of state she was in. Dirt covered her clothes, and her fingers were raw as if she’d tried to dig her way out of the room. She came to Summer’s open arms.
“Get away from her!” Ashley screamed in the background. “That’s my sister.”
“Summer was the woman caring for her. She visited her while she was locked away. Shut up and let her help,” Jinx ordered. “Claire’s fragile body can’t take much more.” He stood guard at Summer’s back.
“I’ll care for her. No one else.” Ashley tried to push past Jinx, but he wouldn’t let her.
“How can you be expected to do that when Claire is terrified of you? She won’t come to anyone. Do you understand what that means? I’ve seen children give up their will to live without the touch of another. Shifters are more likely, because they need it to survive.”
“Ash, he’s right. There’s nothing you can do for Claire right now. Let Summer help her.”
Ashley spun on her mate, anger heating her body and words. “You just don’t want to take responsibility for her.”
“Think about what this is doing to our own child.” Michael ran his hand over her stomach. “We have our own family to care for. If Summer can help Claire, then let her.”
“She’s my sister.” She sobbed.
Tex interrupted them. “She’ll always be your sister. Since your father left her in the clan’s care and she’s a minor, as Alpha I’m responsible for doing what’s best for her. Right now, Summer is what’s best for her.”
“You’d let her take Claire?” Ashley turned to look at Tex. “Even when you know it means she’ll go to another clan?”
“If Claire can’t open up and trust someone in this clan, what choice do we have? Would you condemn your sister to a life of suffering, solitude, and possibly death just to keep her in Texas?”
Ashley looked at Claire and Summer, sobs making her tremble, and shook her head.
“If it comes to that, Summer will bring Claire back often,” Tex reassured Ashley.
Throughout it all, Summer sat there with Claire in her arms unable to believe what she was hearing. She was expected to care for the child. What did she know about being a full-time mother? Nothing. She had been a part of Claire’s life since she was born, always spending time with her each day, but taking on the responsibly of motherhood when she’d only just mated might be too much. What about starting her own family?
She pushed all of it away for the moment and focused on the child. “I’ll work with her, try to get her to open up. Right now, let me get her fed and cleaned up. She’s starving and exhausted.”