Once in her apartment, she paced. No way in hell she’d allow anyone to take Annie away from Jake, but she needed a plan.
Nathan appeared; his expression blank.
Her pacing ceased. “Hi, Nathan.”
“I think you should come with me.”
“Why? I mean…I can’t right now. I’m going with Jake and Annie. They need me.”
His eyes softened. “Val, this doesn’t concern either of them. It concerns you.”
She stilled. “What’s going on?”
“Your parents—”
Shaking her head, she swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I don’t have any.”
“Everyone has parents. Yours were absent, but it doesn’t change the fact they exist. They’re here now and would like to speak to you.”
Her jaw dropped. After twenty-three years? They’d abandoned her. She never put much thought into ever seeing them again. Her family was and always would be her coven, and they were gone now.
“Nathan, they abandoned me when I was a baby.” She took a deep breath hoping to steady her nerves. “I don’t have time now.” Without a pause, she asked, “How did they even find me?”
“While you were gone, we were approached by a couple of covens requesting to join the Guardians. As it turns out, your parents are part of one of those. They say they only recently discovered you weren’t killed along with your coven.”
Recently found out she hadn’t been killed? Did that mean they’d kept tabs on her?
It didn’t matter.
“Aren’t you even a bit curious?”
“No…I’m not.” The lie burned the pit of her stomach. She had often wondered what her parents were like, who she’d inherited her auburn hair and honey eyes from and the mother of all questions—why they’d abandoned her. But that wasn’t the point. Today wasn’t the day for a reunion.
“The announcement won’t come until later this afternoon. You can spare a couple of minutes for them, set another day and time to meet.”
He had a point. Besides, leaving Nathan, a Guardian, to deal with it made her feel guilty. He, too, had other, better, more important things to worry about.
She nodded. “Fine, I’ll see them.”
Headed into the elevator, she stood beside Nathan stiffly as they ascended. When the elevators halted on the kitchen and dining floor, she took a deep breath, hesitating. Nathan nudged her.
Reluctantly, she stepped forward and out of the elevator meeting a set of eyes so similar to hers. Except they weren’t her mother’s, they were her father’s. A warlock, tall and lean, the very opposite of Jake. Except for her eyes, Valerie was the spitting image of her mother, the same petite frame, heart-shaped face, high cheekbones, and auburn hair. Though her mother’s was styled shorter than her own, it felt like looking in a mirror. She didn’t need a DNA test to conclude they were her parents, the very ones who’d abandoned her.
She thought she’d feel something, yet she felt nothing, no anger, no love, no resentment. They were simply strangers—strangers, she didn’t have time for. There was a parent who cared about his child and needed her help.
“Valerie.” Her mother spoke first. “I’m Gwen, your mother, and this is Steven, your father.”
There, finally, she had something from them, the first and only thing they’d ever given her. It wasn’t much, but at least she now knew their names.
“We—” Together, they stepped toward her.
She held her hand up quickly to stop them. “I’m sorry you came all the way here, but I don’t have time today.”
Her mother’s eyes widened. “More important than your parents?”
“More important than the parents who abandoned me as a baby, yes,” she shot back. Anger sprouted from deep inside her. They’d abandoned her, but she had a beautiful life, and held no ill-will against them. Maybe the fact they were wasting time she had with Jake, and especially, with Annie.
Her mother flinched.
Valerie didn’t know why. Could anything truly hurt a woman who left her baby on someone’s steps? After months of feeling her growing inside her womb, how had she done it?
“We didn’t come to fight, Valerie. We came to help you in any way we can. I suppose you don’t want to live among demons forever. We thought maybe you’d like to join our coven,” her father said. “Witches and warlocks are meant to be a part of covens. Don’t you miss being around your kind?”
No. Maybe. Valerie wasn’t sure. She missed her sisters because they’d raised her and loved her, and she should probably be around her own breed, where she could continue to learn from them, but more than anything, right then, she missed Annie and Jake.
How long had it been? Less than an hour, and she missed a child who wasn’t hers, yet her parents hadn’t ever missed her?
It struck a nerve. The reason she never let herself think about them too much.
“I’m fine where I am.”
“You can’t possibly mean that,” her father said. “You’re angry with us, but you should consider—”
The cool calmness she tried to portray evaporated, and she snapped. “Why do you care now? You never thought to care before. You abandoned me.” Tears brimmed and spilled down her cheeks.
Val hated that she allowed them to see such emotion. She shouldn’t care, lost count of how many times she told herself she didn’t, wanted to believe it to her core. Why did she care? And what she’d give not to care, not to be hurt so much by the people who were supposed to love her unconditionally.
Light footsteps darted toward her. Suddenly a pair of small arms tightened around her waist. Annie. She squared her shoulders, released a breath, and wiped her tears, then returned the embrace.
Annie’s tender gaze met hers.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m fine,” she whispered.
She turned and spotted Jake, who stood with shoulders squared, his gaze smoldering, glaring at her parents.
“You mothered a child?” Her father’s eyes wide and panicked, like his tone. “You’re only twenty-four!”
Jake snarled, then moved. She reached out, grabbing his hand, and faced her parents.
The air around her sparked, her anger making her magic pulse and spill from her. “She’s none of your concern just as I am none of your concern.”
Much to her surprise, her mother’s green eyes welled. “Don’t…you can’t keep us away from our granddaughter.”
Her chest tightened. She couldn’t do it, couldn’t let her mother think she’d intentionally keep their granddaughter away. “She’s not mine biologically, but I would never give her up. I’d fight for her.”
Her father’s gaze settled on Jake. “So she belongs to this male?”
She set Annie aside, then moved at the speed of light. An inch from her father’s face, glaring at his honey eyes, eyes the color of her very own.
“Don’t you dare. That male is mine.” Her voice low and steeped in rage. Without turning to spare a glance, she said, “Jake, get Annie out of here.”
A second later, he stood at her side, his hand firm on her back. “I won’t leave you.”
“He’s a demon,” her father snapped.
Jake unleashed his anger. It swarmed around them, bringing her comfort.
She smiled. “What I need is Annie and Jake. And I have them, here. You know what else I need…for you both to leave.”
“You are royalty. The power you acquired from your coven, the gifts—”
“Is that why you’re here?”
“That’s not the reason we’re here, Valerie,” her mother pleaded. “Please, if you’d just listen to us.”
She didn’t tear her gaze from her father’s, fearing seeing the emotion she glimpsed in her mother before, knowing she didn’t have the strength to turn away from it.
“I don’t have time for this. What makes you think I’d listen to any of what you have to say after you came here to insult my choices and my family?”
“Your father didn’t mean the t
hings he said, Valerie. You have to understand.”
She finally tore her gaze from her father and met her mother’s eyes. Tears streaked her face. Like she feared, she caved.
“Fine, but I don’t have much time.” She moved. “I suppose we should have a seat.”
At the dining room table, they sat. Jake beside her, Annie nestled between them.
Her mother cleared her throat and wiped her face. “Your father and I met very young. We were four and five. Our covens had been warring for decades. On my sixteenth birthday, we decided we’d waited long enough. We mated and ran away.”
Another tear slipped out and rolled down her mother’s face. Her father wrapped his arm around her mother and said, “It was the only solution for us. Our covens weren’t just warring, they detested one another. Her coven was even more ruthless than mine. They did things I won’t mention in front of a child.”
He sighed. “Your mother and I snuck around for a while. I knew we were risking getting caught. No telling what they’d do. I didn’t care what happened to me, but I cared what happened to your mother, so we fled.”
His eyes held pain and fear. Without a doubt, her father loved her mother more than life itself. True mates. Rare within their breed, many witches and warlocks married within their breed for the sake of ensuring their offspring were powerful—a royal, those selected few who not only possessed the most power, but were blessed with special gifts.
“A year later, I became pregnant.” Her mother’s tears welled and flowed like a river down her face, a face so similar to hers.
Her stomach turned.
“We tried to join other covens, but they refused us, fearing retaliation from our former covens. We lived in squalor, Valerie. We didn’t have anything to our name. Mostly, we feared if they found us, they’d hurt you. We wanted the best for you. We wanted you raised in a loving coven who could give you everything we couldn’t, and ensure you wouldn’t get caught in the middle of a war you didn’t belong in. Giving you up was the hardest thing we’ve ever done.”
Her father pressed his lips to her mother’s forehead.
“It wasn’t until years later we became part of a new coven and settled. We wanted you back, but…it wouldn’t have been fair to you. We weren’t a part of your life. Your life was with your coven, and so your father and I agreed to wait until you were older, then we could fully explain the circumstances to you. Over the years, we kept tabs on you. We spoke to Shari often.”
“Shari? She knew?”
Jake’s long lean fingers wrapped around hers and held her hand tightly.
Her mother nodded. “Yes. Shari always wanted a child, but never found her mate…and then we heard about the explosion. We thought you were dead and mourned your loss. It wasn’t until a few days ago, we saw Glen.”
Jake’s jaw clenched. Her gaze darted toward him, but he wouldn’t look at her.
“He recognized me…the resemblance is uncanny really…” She smiled. “And he told us you were alive.”
Valerie rested her head in her palms. All her life, she thought her parents hadn’t wanted her, yet her mother and father claimed the opposite. Shari had known, and she never told her. Another thing Shari kept from her.
She shook her head, reminding herself she didn’t have time to think about it at the moment. As every second passed, the council meeting neared, and she still had no idea what to do. Too bad her gift of foresight had taken a backseat.
“We would like to get to know the daughter we were forced to give up, the one we thought dead,” her father said.
She lifted her head and met his eyes.
“We’ve made mistakes. Plenty. We never planned on becoming pregnant so soon. Nonetheless, while you were with us, we cared for you. We’ve always loved you, Valerie. We gave you up, but we did it out of love. We wanted a better life for you.
“I apologize if I’ve said anything to offend you or your choices. I was…just shocked. Shari never mentioned you had a child or a male. I have a temper, one you’ve apparently inherited. My apologies for that.”
Her father’s gaze darted to Jake. “My sincerest apologies to you as well.”
Jake nodded, then wrapped his arm around her and leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Her parents loved her. They hadn’t wanted to give her up. She didn’t know what to think of this revelation and couldn’t think on it then. “Thank you for telling me, but I need time…to think about this.”
Her mother nodded. “We understand.”
She stood and led them into the elevator down to the lobby. “I’ll walk you out.”
Her father and mother shook Jake’s hand and waved bye to Annie and Nathan. She walked toward the exit with her parents. Jake, carrying Annie, stood a few feet behind her.
Her mother embraced her. Shocked, she stilled.
“Tweak the protective spell,” she whispered. “So no one can near. Don’t worry.” Her mother drew away from her and winked.
“Foresight?”
Her mother smiled. “You’re a wonderful mother. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Her gaze shot toward her father who embraced her as well. “We love you. We always have.” He kissed her forehead, and then they left.
Chapter 27
Jake watched Valerie standing by the exit, cautiously, reading every emotion streaming from her. The shock, only natural. Disbelief made sense as well. But there was something else too—hope. For a new future? A new life with her parents? Would she leave him?
He shook his head. He couldn’t think like that. She belonged to him. She loved him.
He should be more concerned about the council meeting determining Annie’s fate. But worry for Valerie snuck in. He couldn’t help it. It was ingrained in his soul to protect, worry, and love the auburn-haired, fiery witch. After all, Annie’s fate had been decided. He felt in the deepest parts of his soul, he’d already lost her. Valerie was another issue. Yet despite the fact she claimed to love him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that once Annie was gone, she might have a change of heart.
He hadn’t claimed her, hadn’t even told her she belonged to him. He wanted to give her time. Not just because their relationship was still too new, and she was young, so young.
Mate or not, she was a witch. Witches and warlocks, especially, loved their freedom. Though her parents had married for love, many in her breed often married within their breed for the sake of ensuring their offspring were powerful—a royal. She told him about that a few nights ago.
Mostly, he held back because still she feared him. Jacob sensed it often and hated it. He didn’t have the heart to ask her why. He feared he did she’d shut him out, and she was opening up to him, reaching for him whenever she wanted, holding his hand, pecking him on the lips even around Annie. Jacob tried his hardest to erase that fear, telling her everything about himself, sharing his life and past. No matter what he shared, that fear hadn’t abated. He realized only time would wipe it away. He had hope when she trusted him completely her fear would fade, once and for all. Then he’d be free to tell her.
But time had run out. In less than an hour, Annie would be taken from him.
Val’s honey eyes met his. A soft smile spread across her lips. The air around her hummed with power and magic. Her hair floating with the intensity of it. The sunlight filtered from the glass walls into the ground floor like a halo from behind her where the exit lay. She appeared mystifying, yet her features were angelic, a sight.
Only the strongest witches and warlocks, the royals, had the ability to project their magic around them. He’d known she was powerful, but never realized just how powerful. He’d never cared to ask either. It didn’t mean anything to him. What mattered was her love.
“Are you okay?”
Her smile widened. “Yes, I am.”
“We’ll be leaving soon. You’re coming?”
“Of course.”
She neared, then together they headed up the elevator and into his apartment. Annie sat on the couch, a
nd he took a seat across from her.
His nerves a jumbled mess, he took a deep breath. “Pupa, you know I love you, and I’d do anything for you. I want you with me. I would do anything for you to stay with me.”
Annie’s face fell. Her eyes watered. A blow straight to his heart, he hated having to tell her, but he had to prepare her.
“I would do anything for you to stay with me, but…”
Tears running down Annie’s cheeks, her anguish struck him, making him lose track of his thoughts.
“You’re giving me away?”
Before he could correct her, Valerie spoke, sitting beside him. “No, sweetie.” Val clasped her hands. “Uncle Jake would never give you away.” She then sat next to Annie and wrapped her arms around her.
“Some people think I may not be the right person to raise you,” he choked out.
Eyes wide, Annie screamed, “But you are!”
The magnitude of her suffering sliced through him. His eyes misting, he caressed the side of her cheek, then wiped her flushed face.
“There may be someone better for you. Someone who—”
“No!” She sobbed. “No, Uncle J-Jake! I want y-you! I want y-you and Val! Please don’t l-let them take m-me away!”
“Pupa, I don’t want this any more than you do, but—”
She wailed, trembling with emotion. “No! I w-won’t go! I don’t…”
“Your uncle Samson and his mate, Claudia, they love you, and they’ll take good care of you, pupa.”
She shook her head. “I-I…d-don’t know th-hem! I n-never met them! And they…a-aren’t superheroes like y-you!”
A superhero? He wished. Had he been, he would know how to keep her with him, how to be better for her. He considered running away and taking Annie and Val with him, but that was selfish and cowardly. In the end, he wanted the best for Annie. If the council decided there was someone better suited to parent her, then he would swallow his pain and live for the moments he could see her.
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