Jolene
One year and eight months later, August
“C’mon, Jolene. We can’t miss this!” Anthony was dragging me across the private airport of the Mountain Oasis Pack. The few people around us gave us curious glances as we speed walked through the crowd. I shot Kevin a pleading look while mouthing the words “help me.” He shrugged and gave me an apologetic smile.
Gosh, I hate to be manhandled. “I can walk on my own! Grab your mate’s hand!” I pulled my hand away and Anthony and Kevin halted.
Anthony laughed. “Certain micro-turtle needs my help right now.”
I clenched my fists and shot him a death glare. “If you are talking about me, I don’t. I’ll let you know that move my legs faster than you! It is not my fault that one of your steps is four of my steps. I swear if you-”
“Actually, it would be nice to hold hands on the way there.” Kevin stood between the two of us and winked at me.
I jogged behind the two men, laughing at how easily Anthony had given in. I somehow managed to stifle my laughter when Anthony silently grabbed Kevin’s hand and kept walking. This is nothing new. Kevin always has to step in to stop our bickering.
We finally got to the limousine car because Anthony is that extra.
Anthony kept grinning devilishly and snickering at times, while Kevin looked at me sympathetically and shook his head. This is creeping me out.
“What was so important that we had to run out of the airport? We were supposed to have a free month, weren’t we? I am tired. My head hurts. I want to take a shower and sleep.” Thirty-two days of hunting rogues in India are more than enough work for this year. We had just gotten to the airport and met Kevin when Anthony began laughing maniacally and told us to run to the car.
“Trust me. This will be interesting.” Anthony smirked.
Ugh. I am getting nothing from him. So annoying.
Kevin put a hand on my shoulder and smiled kindly at me. “This is not the ideal situation, but I know you will be glad to be there to solve it.”
“Shh… No spoilers,” Anthony said.
I narrowed my eyes to him. Each of my conversations with Anthony end up in me glaring, or rolling my eyes at him. In the good days, I punch him in the stomach.
We arrived at the pack house.
Alpha Tobias Maddox was waiting for us. He waved as soon as he saw the car. It’s funny how he is like a slightly more mature version of Anthony, but he is the younger brother. “Council member Amores-Lobo. Big bro and brother in law. Good thing you came.”
I laughed at his attempt of a serious greeting. Look at that smug smile on his face, he probably thinks he nailed it. This family is blessed and cursed with good genetics and goofiness.
“We were about to start an important meeting between several packs when those two went crazy and began fighting for some reason.” Tobias clasped my right shoulder and gave me a severe expression. “I am sorry we had to sentence your son to death for his unacceptable behavior, but rules are rules. You can go say goodbye now.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. I moved my numb and shaky hands to cover my wide-open mouth. “No…”
Laughter erupted around me. Anthony and Tobias were chuckling, gasping and snorting almost in sync. I seriously hate these guys. I wonder if they know. “I seriously hate both of you!”
“I know. I know,” they said still laughing like idiots.
Kevin pulled me into a side hug and rubbed my head. “Shh… I will help you take revenge,” he whispered.
I looked at the stupidly handsome, kind and caring guy hugging me. He grinned and pulled up his hand, showing me his pinky. I am lucky Anthony’s mate is not a jackass like him. He is centered and sweet. I laced my pinky finger with his, chuckling. “Pinky promise”
Tobias gasped for air once more and straightened up. “Aw, that is so cute. Your son really is in trouble, though. He is in the cells of the pack house.”
I looked at his serious expression and panicked. I need to get to my child. “Key!” I stood in front of Tobias with my hand extended. “Now” I squinted my eyes in a threatening glare.
His eyes widened, but then he smirked. “Okay,” he scrambled through his pockets and pulled out a set of keys. There were four in total. “We will be rooting for you.”
Why didn’t someone tell me that today was the Maddox’ day to be extra weird? None of that matters, though. Aiden has had a horrible case of claustrophobia after what happened with the bastard.
I sprinted to the basement of the pack house, thanking the heavens that I already have the layout memorized from the last time I visited.
As soon as I opened the basement’s door, his scent hit me like a wall of bricks. My eyes watered and Larentia howled and waved her tail in my mind. I ran down the stairs and stood in front of his cell. His eyes met mine and he looked almost as shocked as I was. He opened and closed his mouth repetitively and his eyes traced my face and my whole body. His inner battle reflected in his eyes, adoration, lust, remorse, fear, love, relief… Maybe I wasn’t the only one unsure of how to feel.
Wow… I let my eyes wander through my mate’s body. Some hints of his boyish looks left, but his perfectly defined muscles and subtle stub on his chiseled jaw show how much he has grown up, at least physically. He still looks perfect.
I noticed a shallow cut on his right cheek and a busted lip. His clothes were ripped and some of the skin underneath caught my attention. So much meat over there, and here I am starving. I want a bite. I shook my head. Focus! That was so corny. I am so glad nobody heard that.
He quickly walked my way and cupped my right cheek though the bars. His touch left tingles and sparks of happiness as he rubbed my cheek with his thumb. I took his other hand in mine and kissed his scraped knuckles. The corners of his lips arched upwards slowly in the most beautiful – I mean handsome smile I have ever seen. I did not miss the subtle grimace from his wounds, but his face reflected nothing but happiness and relief.
I got closer to the bars and tilted my head upward keeping my eyes locked with his mesmerizing crystal blue eyes. Even if he looks so changed now, these are the eyes of my love. He leaned down and I stood on my tiptoes. The height difference is even more noticeable now. He is taller than my brother and Anthony. “Mine,” he whispered. I smiled wryly. You have a long way before I accept that, little Alpha. I could not bring myself to ruin the moment, though. Our lips had brushed slightly when the quiet whimpering pulled me out of my daze.
My baby! I pulled away from Lancelot. His eyebrows shot up and he pouted. “Jolene, I am sorry. I-”
I dashed to the cell in front of his and quickly opened it. There, in one corner, was my Aiden curled in a ball whining and crying, sobs racking through his quivering body. I knelt in front of him and wrapped my arms around him. “Shh… I am here.”
A series of aggressive growls and snarls reverberated through the room. Oh, right, Lancelot had never met Aiden in person. Realization washed over me as the events lined up as small pieces of a puzzle. Aiden smells a little like me because of our mother-son bond. I am the mom, by the way. Did Lancelot think that Aiden and I were…? Oh my gosh. Yuck.
I rolled my eyes and kissed Aiden’s head. He turned around, looked at me, and immediately hugged me, burying his face in my left shoulder. The shaking of his body finally subsided.
Aiden sniffled. “Mom…” his voice was so quiet and frail that it broke my heart. “He attacked me and they threw me in here for defending myself.”
Finally, the annoying growling stopped. It was getting on my nerves.
I stroked his back. “Everything is good now. Mom is here to protect you.”
Aiden looked at me again and I noticed the crimson shade on his cheeks. Oh, c’mon. He cleared his throat and stood up.
“Thank you for coming for me.” His tone was stern. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he gave me a sheepish smile while extending his hands to me.
I grabbed his hands, while shaking my head and snickering. The Silver Fang’s Badass Beta cannot be found crying in his mother arms. Men. He pulled me up. I wiped some lingering tears on his cheeks and we walked toward the door.
My eyes locked with Lancelot’s again and I could not help but glare at him. It was his fault my baby was hurt. Lancelot flinched and his Adam’s apple bobbed. Yes, be afraid. If you were anyone else, your death sentence date would have been set already. I turned around and walked to the stairs.
“Mate, please. Forgive me. I was an idiot. I beg you, take me back. I will do anything for you!” There was so much desperation and anguish in his tone that I could not help but turn to look at him. My jaw dropped. My little Alpha was down on his knees with his head slightly lowered, showing his neck to me without pulling his eyes away. “I am in love with you.” A slow tear raced down his cheek.
In that moment, I knew that the only space pride could fit in our relationship was between the two of us; The only thing resentment could do for us is widen the already gigantic gap that separated us; The only thing I wanted to feel toward the person right in front of me was pure, unconditional, eternal love. Our bond is here, just the smallest, faintest thread, but enough for us to fix. There is still hope.
My feet mindlessly walked toward him. No longer in control of my body, I was walking on clouds. Why did we waste so much time? My heart clenched at the thought of all the happy moments we had missed already. I should have punched him some sense into him long ago.
He still didn’t move. I opened the insolent metallic door that dared stand between the two of us.