“She is our omega,” Ryder confirms, grinning. “Our candy girl.”
Mom is staring at me. Slowly, a smile spreads over her face. “Look at the bites on your neck,” she whispers. “You convinced them.”
“No, you don’t get it. I didn’t have to. They see me as I am. Like me as I am. I have no secrets.”
“She’s perfect,” Atticus says and my eyes burn even as I smile at him.
I want my mom to get it, to understand, but even if she doesn’t, I’ll be fine because I’ve found my people.
“We promise we will look after her, Ryder says. “Those assholes are in prison, but it doesn’t matter. We won’t let her out of our sight.”
“Oh. Um.” I wince. “Mom?—”
“Which assholes? Prison?” She turns to me. “Coco, what is this about?”
“Shit. Look, Mom?—”
“What happened? I knew something had happened when you wouldn’t answer my calls and barely talked to me.” She starts to pace. “Why wouldn’t you open up to me? I’m your mother, I love you?—”
“Love you, too, Mom.” Stepping clear of my mates, I wait for her to stop pacing. “Sometimes you need to deal with a situation on your own.”
“But—”
“Find your own way. Clear your head and decide on your priorities. You know? You love me but you don’t always know what’s best for me, and I’m an adult, Mom. You can’t protect me. You can accept me and my decisions, and be my friend.”
“Oh, baby…” Her face crumbles.
I open my arms for her and she hugs me, trembling against me. “It’s okay, Mom.”
“I shouldn’t have tried to influence your life. I’m sorry. I only wanted what’s best for you.”
“I know.” Closing my eyes, I hold her, feeling everything. Her love for me, her regrets, her resolve to do better.
In the end, it was all up to me. Finding my strength and the determination to follow my heart, allowing myself to exist as I am. Allowing myself to believe everything would work out if I told my truth and found souls reflecting my needs and desires.
Letting go of doubt and fear to embrace what we could be as a pack. As a family.
The doorbell rings and it takes me a long moment to place the sound. Pulling back, I frown, trying to remember if we’re expecting anyone else.
“I’ll get this,” Zach says and saunters to the door. He checks, then throws it wide open. “Look who’s here.”
I peek around Mom and my mouth drops open.
“Oh, is this a bad time?” Sawyer’s gaze scuttles between my pack and my mom. “Should we leave?”
“No, but who is…?” I gesture wildly. “What’s with the crowd behind you?”
He grins. “Everyone. Your friends. Too many people to count.”
“But…”
“We brought drinks. And snacks.” Gigi waves a bag of chips. “And chocolate ice cream.”
Well, in that case, how could I say no?
They spill into the apartment. They’d never have fit into mine, but Atticus’ place is made for parties. Sawyer was right, everyone is here, even Bee, looking radiant with her pack. I see June, Ruby, and Sophie. There are even some tattoo artists from Ink and Shadow, and people from the gym.
Bottles are getting opened and snacks downloaded onto the tables and counters.
