Chapter 54

**Chapter 0054**
**Judy’s POV**

The house was quiet when I got home after dinner at Gavin’s place. Lately, it always felt quiet.

It felt so empty without my mother around. She stayed hidden in her room most of the time, leaving the house feeling lonely.

The room was silent. I hung my coat on the hook and walked upstairs. I stopped outside her bedroom door, which was down the hall from my room. There was no light on, and I wasn’t sure if she was awake or asleep.

I wasn’t sure if she would be awake, but I needed to see her. I wanted to make sure she was alright.

I grabbed the door handle and turned it, gently pushing the door open. It creaked as it moved, and I stepped inside.

She winced at how dark and smelly the room was. It was clear that she hadn’t left the bed in a long time.

Taking a deep breath, I turned on the light in her dim room and stepped inside.

“Mom?” I asked.

I looked around the messy room, my eyes finally landing on her lying on the bed. My heart raced, and I felt a tightness in my chest.

Panic hit me as I rushed towards her, unsure if she was breathing. I leaned down, my heart pounding in my ears.

I placed my hand on her back and searched for any sign of movement to make sure she was still breathing. As my hand moved up and down, I sighed in relief when I felt her breathing.

“Mom?” I called out softly, this time giving her a gentle nudge.

“Have you eaten anything at all today?”

I already knew the answer. The food I made for her this morning was still sitting untouched on her nightstand.

She slowly raised her head and her eyes, which looked unfocused, met mine.

“Oh, hey, Judy,” she said sleepily. “When did you get here?”

“A little while ago,” I replied. “I’m worried about you. You haven’t left your room in days, and the food…”

I paused, unsure of how to continue. I wanted to make sure she understood I was there for her.

“I’ve noticed that the food I leave for you every morning and night has been untouched. You need to get out of bed and eat something,” he said.

“I’m not very hungry,” she murmured, resting her head back on her pillow.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

“You need to eat something, Mom. Dad wouldn’t want this for you,” I said gently. She flinched when I mentioned my father.

“I went to see him earlier today!” I added, trying to lighten the mood.

She looked up to meet my eyes again.

“You saw your father?” she asked.

I nodded.

“He’s doing well,” I lied. I couldn’t tell her that when I saw him, he was beaten and bruised.

I looked at her, feeling the weight of sadness and fear in his eyes. I wanted to tell her, but I couldn’t find the words. “Please come downstairs with me and eat something…” I said softly.

She paused for a moment, not saying anything. She seemed distant, not ready to respond. Then, slowly, she began to think it over.

She sighed and lifted her head again. With a nod, she let me help her out of bed. She looked so fragile, and my heart ached for her. As I walked with her out of the bedroom, she clung to my arm for support.

We walked up and down the stairs. When we got to the living room, she sat down on the couch. She wouldn’t look at me; her eyes stayed fixed on the ground.

“I’m going to get you some food,” I said to her as I turned to leave.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a box of pasta from the cabinet, along with a jar of sauce. I didn’t feel like cooking anything more complicated than that. I set the pasta and sauce on the counter and then opened the freezer to see if I had any meatballs.

When I spotted a bag of snacks, I grabbed it right away.

I felt like a zombie wandering around the kitchen, my thoughts focused on my parents and everything they were dealing with.

My mother was in a lot of pain because she couldn’t be herself anymore.

I was with my mate when I realized her wolf was retreating. I bit my lip, trying to hold back hot tears that stung my eyes. I couldn’t let myself break down right now; I needed to be strong for my mother. She needed someone to rely on, someone strong and steady.

I knew I had to take care of her, and that person had to be me because there was nobody else.

I grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the fridge and opened it. As I poured a glass, I thought about how my mother could really use the sugar to help her feel better.

The bottle slipped from my fingers and fell to the ground.

I gasped and jumped back as orange juice splattered everywhere.

This time, I couldn’t hold back my tears.

They streamed down my cheeks as I sank to the ground, feeling overwhelmed.

I was standing there, staring at the mess I had made with the orange juice, feeling overwhelmed.

“Shit, Judy,” I heard a familiar voice at the kitchen entrance that led outside.

I turned around quickly and gasped when I saw Ethan walking in, closing the door behind him.

“What—”

“What’s wrong with you? Get up!” he ordered, pushing me away from the orange juice. I felt too weak to fight back or stand up for myself. Instead, I hurried away from the juice as he grabbed some napkins and started cleaning up.

I worked on cleaning up my mess. I wiped away the tears that still lingered in my eyes and watched quietly as he finished cleaning the floor.

He stood up and poured a glass of orange juice. After pouring, he put the bottle back in the fridge.

He offered me his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, I took it. He helped me get back on my feet.

“What are you doing here, Ethan?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Saving you, apparently,” he replied.

“What are you doing on the floor?” he asked.

“I spilled some juice and I was cleaning it,” I replied quietly. He could tell I was lying right away.