“Okay, Aunt Avaleigh. I’m sorry I made you worry.”
Avaleigh hugged her again, then headed inside.
Delilah looked at Maia, “Do you wish to know, Maia?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I do,” Maia answered.
“Riley?” Delilah asked.
“Are you sure you want to know? You will never be able to un-know. It’s pretty horrific, Maia,” Riley said.
“Yes. I want to know.”
Riley thought about it for a minute, then decided that maybe his headstrong Mate needed a little dose of reality to instill a little fear in her. Not to frighten her, but to discourage her from wandering off on her own without anyone to protect her. She was a young woman, but she still shared that same trait that all teens did; they all thought they were 10 feet tall and bullet proof. She needed to realize that danger was everywhere. You had to always be prepared.
“Alright, if you’re sure,” he finally said. “But if Maverik gets mad that you told her all this, it’s on you!” Riley said to Delilah.
Delilah smiled, “I will speak with Maverik-Ass; he will understand. Come, little Wolf, let us walk while we speak,” Delilah told her. And they walked off in the general direction of the creek, arm in arm, with Riley following along behind them.
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Maverik was so excited. He’d had a great day. He’d found the perfect home. He’d looked all day, even driven a couple of hours to some neighboring towns that had more of a selection, and finally, he’d found the one. He glanced in the rear view mirror at the huge truck that was following him. He’d bought the damn thing on sight, even paid extra to have them bring it today. And he’d spoken to Matty earlier in the day. Matter of fact, he’d been on the phone with him when he’d first seen the mobile home. He’d exclaimed, “That’s it! Matty, I found it! I’m going to see if I can pay them extra to bring it home today! I want to give Maia a home. And you, too, for whenever you come see us. Dude! It’s awesome!” As he walked through the home he’d described it to Matty, a double wide, four bedrooms, two baths, a little area for the washer and dryer, a nice sized kitchen and living room, and even a built in bay window in the front wall near the front door. He could just see Valerie sitting there, holding their child. He even said as much to Matty. “Dad, I hope you get that. I truly do,” Matty had told him. They’d had a really nice conversation. Matty had just wanted to check in and say hello, and it had added to the special day that today had become. He glanced in the rear view again and giggled. He just couldn’t wait ‘til tomorrow; it had to be done tonight. Maverik was like that, like a kid at Christmas. If he was excited about something, it had to happen now. And this was no different. It was getting dark now, would be dark by the time he got home. The damn fall days were much shorter and got dark earlier. But that was okay, after today, he’d have his own home. One that he and Maia could call their own. And hopefully Valerie would eventually call it home, too. He smiled as he watched the two trucks behind him pulling the double wide in sections, maneuvering around the curves as they approached their land. He couldn’t wait to get it settled. He’d called ahead to make sure that Kaid had the flood lights they could set up to allow the men that were helping him move it see well enough to get it maneuvered into the right place and the two sections married together again. Once he had it where he wanted it, he and the guys could adjust it and level it just fine. Kaid had said he’d take care of the flood lights and would get them set up. So when he got home, all he’d have to do is switch on the lights and get it in place. He smiled again; he couldn't wait for everybody to see it.
Chapter 16
Everybody was home except for Maverik, who had called to say he was on his way with a surprise. Avaleigh was in the kitchen cooking. Maia was playing with Remi and Cristie on the living room floor. Kaid, Daniel and Riley had just come in from setting up the flood lights Maverik had requested. When Maverik arrived, all they’d have to do is plug them in for whatever he had planned. Goldy and Sadie were there, relaxing and baby sitting Daisy, who was mesmerized with the other kids. She wanted so badly to get down and play with them. Bane and Janie had gone to their own home to take a little time for themselves. Bam was in the kitchen helping Avaleigh make hamburger steaks with smothered onions and brown gravy over mashed potatoes. He was learning to cook and was very good at it.
There was a knock at the door. Kaid got up to answer the door, “Valerie! Welcome, hon.” He wrapped her in a bear hug, patting her back, “Come on inside. Maverik’s not here, but he should be before too much longer.”
“Thanks, Kaid. I appreciate that,” she answered. She stepped inside; she was smoothing her hands down her jeans, and it was apparent that she was nervous.
Maia immediately got up and hugged her, which made her feel more at ease. Cristie toddled her way over to Maia and raised her hands to be picked up. Maia smiled down at her and lifted her to sit on her hip, “Hi, pretty girl,” she told the child. She didn't even think about picking the little girl up, it was just second nature to her, but Riley thought about it. He watched from the hallway where he was coming back from washing his hands after helping set up the lights. His heart almost burst from happiness at watching Cristie reaching for Maia and Maia so naturally reaching for her. He continued on into the room in time to hear Maia saying to Valerie, “Come on in the kitchen; we’ll have girl time while we wait for Daddy to get home.”
She turned to go down the hall, and Riley reached for Cristie, “I’ll take her so ya’ll can visit,” he told her.
“She’s fine,” Maia told him. Giving the little girl butterfly kisses on her neck and shoulder to make her giggle. “We’re going to have girl time, aren’t we?” Maia asked her.
Cristie nodded her head, “Gul time, Doddy,” Cristie told him.
Riley chuckled, shaking his head, “Alright, tell me if you need a break.”
Valerie followed Maia as she led the way into the kitchen.
Avaleigh looked up to see Valerie coming into the kitchen right behind Maia, “Valerie! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here!” Avaleigh rushed across the kitchen to hug her.
Valerie hugged her back, surprised and pleasantly so at everybody’s happiness at her being there. It didn’t take her long to relax, and she was soon enjoying being with everyone. It was easy. It felt like home. She laughed easily when there was practically a stampede to the table when Avaleigh told Bam to let everybody know dinner was ready. All he did was throw his head back and yell, “Food’s on!!!!” It wasn't exactly what Avaleigh planned, but it did the job. Everybody came running. They shoved extra chairs into the spaces between the regular places at the table and held kids on laps to be sure everybody had space to sit. Kaid looked at Delilah who’d come from the bedroom to take her place at the table, “Monster, I think we going shopping for a bigger table tomorrow. We keep growing,” he said with a very proud smile as he held her hand and looked around the table at all their clan.
“That is a good thought, my Kaid. We shall pick a larger table, with more accommodations,” she answered.
“We need one with benches on one side, so we can get more people on it,” Bam offered.
“That’s a great idea, Bam,” Goldy told him, “instead of trying to fit all these chairs, just get a couple of long benches, and put chairs on the ends.”
Bam smiled, looking down at his plate. He still blushed anytime anyone told him he had good ideas.
Avaleigh made sure that everybody was served and settled before she took her place beside Remi at the table. He immediately picked up the hunk of French bread that was sitting in a puddle of gravy beside his hamburger steak and held it out for her to take a bite, “Mommy, want a bite?” he asked her.
Everyone noticed that he called Avaleigh “Mommy,” and her boys especially were happy, grinning and each sending up little prayers of thanks to whichever deity they believed in for the little boy currently the center of her and Daniel’s life. Avaleigh beamed with pride and happiness; she leaned over and took a huge bite
, making sure to make piggy snuffling sounds that she knew would send him into peals of laughter. Once he was satisfied that she’d eaten some of his food, he held it out for Daniel, “Papa, want some?” he asked.
Daniel ruffled his hair, took a bite, then pressed his lips to Remi’s forehead. Meeting Avaleigh’s eyes over his head, they shared a happy, tear-filled smile. Daniel tapped his own chest with his hand, and told Avaleigh in a hushed, husky tone, “I didn't know…”
Avaleigh nodded and reached a hand out behind Remi, who was busily eating again, to caress Daniel’s cheek; she knew what he meant. He’d had no clue how much the love of a child could warm you, could make you love, make you feel things you didn't even know could be felt. He didn’t know how much he’d love a child, and he was completely bowled over by the emotion this little child calling him Papa caused.
Bam watched them, smiling sadly. Knowing that he’d never have a chance to share that emotion, that love for each other, for your child, with anyone. He’d never get to find his “Ever,” he just wasn't meant for a Mate. He’d almost convinced himself it was okay. At least he’d have his family; he’d get to be Uncle to some really great kids. And he’d give them all the love he’d never gotten. He spoke, “Remi?”
Remi looked up at him as he shoved more food in his little mouth.
“How about helping me make some homemade ice cream later on the porch?”
Remi broke out into a grin, nodding vigorously. He didn’t speak much yet. Not that he couldn't, he just seemed to say only what was necessary. He’d begun to jabber to Avaleigh and Daniel, but when anyone else was around, he seemed to hold back a little, unless, of course, his Papa egged him on in teasing the other males.
Valerie watched as they all fell into an easy rhythm. They shared dinner, talking, laughing and just being together. She even allowed herself to envision Maverik sitting beside her, his usual snarky self, holding her hand and sharing the food from his plate with her as he picked his favorite pieces from hers. She wanted this. She wanted Maverik.
Bam watched Valerie, smiling, knowing the basic emotion of her thoughts. She looked up when she felt like she was being watched. She saw that it was Bam. She didn’t know the big Bear very well, but he had always been so sweet and considerate to everyone at the bar. She offered him a smile. He smiled back, then he said, “He wants the same thing, Valerie. He’ll be here soon, you’ll see.”
Valerie's smile dropped immediately.
Bam looked down at his food then back up at her, grinning as he shoveled in another huge bite of hamburger steak.
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” she asked him suspiciously.
Bam finished chewing then opened his mouth to answer, before closing it again and looking to Kaid. Kaid nodded and said, “Go ahead. She’s one of us.”
Valerie’s heart gave a happy little tingle at Kaid saying that she was one of them, but she was still looking at Bam curiously when he looked back to her.
“I’m a healer Bear, Valerie. My Bear kinda knows what others are thinking, what they need to feel okay. I don’t hear words, but I see pictures of what your animal is thinking, and I kinda get feelings of what they’re feeling. Yours is thinking it would be nice to be here and be a family with Maverik and us. And I was telling you that he thinks that, too.” Bam smiled at her as she just looked at him with a stunned expression on her face.
“Valerie, we don’t make that public knowledge. There are some shifters with less than honorable ideas, and we don’t want any of them thinking Bam can do something for them that he can’t. He reads people and their beasts. That’s it. He can soothe an agitated shifter easily, but he can’t tell people lottery numbers or the future or any ridiculous crap like that. And Bam trusts, very easily,” Kaid smiled gently at Bam, “so we protect him by not letting any outsiders know. Do you understand?”
She immediately understood what Kaid was saying, others would probably take advantage of Bam and even possibly hurt him. She nodded, “Of course, I’ll never tell,” Valerie responded. She looked at Bam once more, “Thank you, Bam. I wasn’t sure if I should be here or not tonight.”
Bam smiled knowingly, “Oh, you should definitely be here tonight.”
Meal time in their clan was a very relaxed, bonding occasion, and tonight was no exception. They were just about finished up when there was another knock at the door. Kaid said, “Now why the hell would he knock instead of just walking in?” It was clear that he thought it was Maverik and yelled, “Just open the damn door! We eating!”
The sound of a woman’s boots clicking on the wooden floor had them all switching their attention to the hallway where it opened into the kitchen.
Kaid stood, with a slight snarl. Then a woman called out, “YooHoo!”
Maia immediately stiffened, and muttered, “Oh, Hell No!” When she stood as though preparing for battle, Riley moved to hand Cristie to Sadie, who was sitting next to him with Daisy sleeping in her bassinet beside her, and placed himself between his Mate and whoever the woman was that had put her on alarm.
Then the woman stepped into the kitchen and said, “Hi, is Maverik home?”
“Ah, no. He’s not. Can I help you?” Kaid asked suspiciously.
“Yes, perhaps you can. I’m his Mate. He called me and said that he was on his way here with our new home. Would you mind if I came in and waited for him?” the woman said.
Valerie’s stomach dropped. His Mate? She stood up. The rest of the room went silent. Kaid did not move aside to allow the woman to come the rest of the way into the kitchen. Rather, he stood his ground, his back to the table, blocking any further progression, “Huh, I don’t think so. And I think you need to back the hell up out of our house. Now.”
“What do you mean, ‘You don’t think so?’ I’m his Mate, and I’m here to pick up where we left off. He called me. He said to meet him here. He said he’d bought us a new house and was so excited he couldn't wait ‘til tomorrow. He’s coming home with it now,” the woman insisted.
“It’s okay, Kaid. Let her in,” Valerie said.
Kaid looked at her over his shoulder.
“Really, it’s okay. Let her in,” Valerie told him again.
He stepped aside slightly, and the woman made to enter the kitchen, but he only moved far enough to just barely let her enter the room, “What is your name, lady?” Kaid asked.
She announced very proudly, “I’m Malina.”
Goldy came up out of his chair; Bam did, too, both snarling. Daniel hurried to get beside Kaid, between them and Malina simply because he didn't want bloodshed in front of his son. His eyes flashed the orange of his Dragon as he faced the woman down, “You need to leave now, lady. Right now. You are not welcome here.”
About that time, they could hear the rumble of Maverik’s diesel dually truck as it came up their drive, followed closely by what sounded like a convoy of semis making their way up the dirt drive behind him.
A truck door slammed, and Maverik hit the porch running; the screen door yanked open and bounced against the outside wall before slamming shut. “Hey!!! Where is ever’body?! Turn on the lights! I got a house!!!!” he yelled as he ran down the hall and toward the kitchen. “I was so excited I couldn't wait for tomorrow! I paid them extra to bring it out tonight!” he grinned as he came through the archway of the hall into the kitchen.
The first thing he noticed was Valerie, “Valerie! Woman, I’m so glad you’re here!” his heart leapt at the sight of her sitting at the table sharing dinner with his clan, waiting for him. “Darlin’, we got so much to talk about,” he told her.
The second thing he noticed was all the color draining from Valerie’s face.
Valerie had indeed gone pale as his words sank in. They were almost verbatim those that Malina had spoken when she’d arrived. That could not be a coincidence. Her Lioness whispered, He believed we didn’t want him, he called first Mate. A little piece of her shattered.
She looked at Maverik smiling at her; she looked at Malina sta
nding there smirking at her. And she ran from the room, right past both of them. She didn't make it far though. Maverik turned as she went past reaching out to wrap a hand around her bicep, “Darlin’? Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you running? You came, why are you running now?” Maverik didn’t know why she was suddenly rushing out, but he couldn't allow her to leave. She was his world, his Mate, and she’d come to him. His Wolf whispered, Running from bitch. Then Wolf snarled, Kill bitch, Mate no more run.
Maverik’s brow wrinkled; then, he gave a gentle pull, making Valerie step closer to him to keep from losing her balance. He wrapped her in both his arms as he turned to see what his Wolf was trying to tell him. Then he saw her, Malina.
Rage overtook him, “The fuck are you doing here?!” he bellowed. In one smooth move he placed Valerie in Daniel’s arms and stalked toward a now seductively smiling Malina. She lowered her lashes and licked her lips as she leaned toward Maverik, pushing her breasts forward, but it was not noticed by a barely contained Wolf intent on destruction. And nothing could be heard over the snarls of his clan mates. Malina at least had the good sense to glance at them nervously before she changed her tactics and answered, “I’ve been missing you, and I’ve been worried about my Maia.” Then she turned her attention to her daughter. A daughter that she hadn't even bothered to address before now.
“Maia, sweetheart! Mom’s been so worried about you! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to see Daddy. I’d have come with you, dear!” Malina told Maia.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Maverik roared again as he got to Malina, wrapped his hand around her throat, and slammed her against the wall. He lowered his face to hers, snarling ferociously, nose-to-nose, so pissed off spittle was flying from his lips as he lost all reasonable thought. His only thoughts were feral, emotional, bitch almost destroyed us, try hurt us more. Then he heard one single sob from Valerie come from behind him, where Daniel still held her gently, and another thought hit him, She hurt Mate. Bad female. Kill. He opened his mouth, snarling even louder; he was now half-shifted, and he smiled, slowly, sinisterly, tightening his hold on Malina’s throat. Her struggling stopping as she realized that she was dealing with his Wolf and not Maverik. Struggling would only urge him on. She went completely limp, no sound at all coming from her.
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