Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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When we return back to the ranch, we have more things than I probably should have brought, but all things considered, everything seems excruciatingly important. Maria set up another room for the kids and me just down the hall from Knightly’s. It’s smaller and a whole lot better than the monstrosity that is Knight’s room.
“These dresses are the cutest. Did you make these?” Tessa asks.
“Mommy makes all our clothes,” Ayrie says proudly
“That must be so cool,” she tickles her.
The two of them seem to be close now. Aizen is with Grandpa Shark riding horses. He can’t get enough of them. As soon as his eyes landed on us, he went off on how cool they were, and when Freddy asked if he wanted to take a ride, he almost got teary–eyed.
“What’s this?” Maria reaches for one of my trunks.
“That one stays shut,” I slam it closed when she tries to open it. “I’m sorry,”
“It’s okay. What’s in there?” she grins.
“It’s a surprise,” I glance over at Ayrie who is showing Tessa her princess costumes. I brought her a few in case she has her little diva moments.
“Oh,” she nods understanding.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I can’t wait to see it,” she waves me off. “So,” she pushes the clothes to fit more. “Ayrie brought something up to my attention,”
“Oh, no,” I say turning to face her.
“It’s nothing bad. I promise,” she grins. “She mentioned that you were looking for the perfect est Beach House that is way better than Barbie’s,”
“Oh,” I nod, Got dammit, she never stops talking.
“Yeah, I did promise her that I would start looking.” I nod.
“I have a Beach House that is a million times better than Barbie’s and it has a private beach,” she throws in casually. “No one uses it and it’s in our territory so it would be mega safe. The packhouse is not a place to be raising pups. Not until they’re old enough to be able to control the shift. It would be private and all yours.
“I get the feeling that you’re excruciatingly independent and very private. I’ve tried to pull some dirt on you and nothing comes up,” we both laugh. “So, if you give me a couple of months to have it cleaned out and repaired, it would make me very happy if you would accept this gift for my Grandkids,”
“Um,” I try to find a million reasons to say no.
“Think about it. It’s a four–bedroom. Family room, kitchen, dining room, and there’s a study that I’m sure your work at home would be more than perfect for,” she lifts one of Ayrie’s weekend dresses. “No pressure. Just throwing it out there. This place can be a lot sometimes,”
“I’ll think about it,” I nod.
“Good,” she lets out a sigh of relief.
Her eyes search my face for a moment and I can see the gears turning in there. She is a crazy cool mom to be this supportive of her son. I forget that this is what it’s supposed to look like. It’s more than obvious that she thinks I’m a threat to her son the same way I think they’re a threat to us, but she’s on his
side.
“You can ask me whatever you want,” I find myself saying.
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Chapter 23
“Are you involved with anyone?” is the first thing that comes out of her mouth. I almost laugh in her face. Of course, that’s what she wants to know.
“No,” I press my lips together. “My boss has tried to set me up several times, but I don’t know. I love my work and when I’m not working, I’m with the twins. I didn’t have a mom growing up and it’s taken me a long time to figure out what it is I’m supposed to be doing. It doesn’t leave much room for dumb stuff like dating,”
“May I ask what happened to your mother?”
“The story is that she got sick when I was two. But my dad is mated to a werejaguar and she hates me. So,” I shrug.
“Jaguars are vicious. I see why you didn’t freak out the way I thought you were. We’re not as bad as those things. Bears are the worst,”
+15)
“I am freaking out. I just–I’m trying my best to keep it together for them. They’ve never seen something scary before and I’m-” I swallow the knot in my throat. “I don’t want them to be tainted by that so young,”
“I understand,” she rubs my arm. She’s very handsy. So is Tessa. It has to be a werewolf thing. “Well, I am not the best Mom in the world. Not like you, but if you ever need anyone to talk to. I’m your girl,” she does a little dance. “I’m very jealous,”
“Of me?”
“Yeah, I don’t mean it in a bad way. The twins talk about you like you’re their best friend. My kids try to avoid me for the most part. Even when they were little. They were very independent and I see the way they are with you and I don’t know. It feels like maybe I was doing something wrong,”
“I’m very flattered. Honestly, I think they’re like that because I work a lot so when I’m with them I like to make the most of our time. And the people around us are always praising me and telling them how special their Mom is. I think that has a big role.
“Also, you raised wolves. I’m not an expert, but that can’t be easy. I have two little brothers and they’re vicious little assholes. Just like their Mom. If I ever want to see my dad, it has to be in a public area away from them. So, I think the circumstances are different. Given how successful all your kids are, 1 think you did amazing,”
“Thank you,” she grins. “And yeah. Shifters are all little assholes growing up. Knight is my firstborn. I was about your age now when he was born and I thought I was at the top of the world. My ex–husband was taking territories and if you ever meet him, you’ll see how charming and charismatic he is. They say that psychopaths are like that.
“Before him, I was also on my own. My pack was lost to a stronger alpha. My family was gone and I chose to remain a rogue. Arnold caught me trespassing on his territory and he liked that I had a mouth on me and that I killed a couple of his guys trying to escape,”
She said that so fucking casual. Like it was no big deal. He loved that I killed a couple of his guys. No biggie. I’ve got a lot more in the back. What the fuck? What have I gotten myself into? They make it sound like being a shifter is very common. Aren’t they supposed to be hiding or something?
“At the time, I didn’t know he had killed his mate. I didn’t like asking unpleasant questions for fear of others asking me the same. He thought I was a good match to give him an heir. He was beautiful and rich. I had nothing so, it wasn’t much of a burden. He didn’t ask much of me and I got to do whatever I
wanted.
“When Knightly started shifting, he would take him. He said it was for training and it was, but what I didn’t know was that Arnold was conditioning my son to be like him. He was ten when I took him and ran. He had tortured my son for three whole years and I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I should have left sooner,” her eyes fill with tears. “I came here with some gypsy rogues and one of them sold me out. The night I found my mate, I was seconds away from being ripped to shreds by my son on his father’s command,”
“Maria,” I place my hand on hers. What the fuck did you just say? He made him do that? To a little ten–year–old?
“It took a lot to tame the beast he turned Knight into. I thought that Freddy was going to send him away because of how bad things were. He was so patient with him. I am very thankful for that. But there’s still something very broken inside my son. I imagine that it was the reason why he walked away from you without telling anyone.
“You can’t imagine the agony he must have/suffered in that choice and I know he had your best interest at heart. I need you to understand the position you are in now. Arnold is one of the most powerful and influential alphas in the world and Knight stands to inherit that. So, when the world finds out who you are and that your babies are my son’s. Everything is going to change for all of us,”
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