Holding Honor (Ashland Pride Book 9)

by R. E. Butler

  “That’s good,” she said. “I’m so happy she’s not like I used to be.”

  “Me too, trust me. It nearly destroyed me when you left at sixteen.”

  Honor looked devastated as she realized how awful it had been for her dad to watch her leave.

  “I don’t think I could stand to lose Hope, too. So when are you coming to King?”

  Honor glanced at Jax and Holden, then back to the screen. “We’re going to Ashland for a few days, and then we’ll come to King.”

  Jax did some quick calculations in his mind and said, “We can be there Saturday if that works for you.”

  “Of course,” Elijah said. “And you’ll stay?”

  Honor paused for a moment and squeezed his and Holden’s hands tightly. “I don’t know what our plans are yet, Dad. I’ve only been free of the females for half a day.”

  Elijah chuckled. “Right, right, sorry. I don’t mean to push, but I haven’t seen you in so long. I miss you, baby girl.”

  “I miss you, too, Dad.”

  He looked thoughtful. “I want you to talk to Hope, but I don’t want to ambush her with a video call right now. Let me ask her and see if she’d like to speak to you on video or wait to talk to you in person.”

  “That sounds good,” Honor said. “I don’t want to push her too fast when she knows nothing about me being uncursed.”

  He nodded. “I’ll call you after I check with her and let you know what’s going on. I’m so thankful that you’re okay, Honor. I can’t believe you’re talking to me on the phone; I’ve wanted this for so long.”

  “It’s surreal, isn’t it?”

  He chuckled. “Definitely. Take care, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

  The video call ended, and she stared at the blank screen for several moments. “I can’t believe it. I honestly can’t believe that my dad is raising my daughter. Do you think she’ll want to talk to me by video call?”

  Holden gave her a gentle smile. “Hopefully she will, so you aren’t worrying and wondering about it for the next few days.”

  “Yeah, I would totally do that.” She was quiet for a moment and then she said, “There’s something I need to mention.”

  “What?” Jax asked.

  “I’m not on birth control.”

  He blinked a few times and glanced at Holden, who looked equally confused.

  She groaned. “That was awkward, sorry. I wasn’t really sure how to bring it up. But we had unprotected sex last night, and I wanted to talk to you guys about that. It’s kind of early to talk about this sort of thing since we really just met, but we’re truemates, and if we keep going this way without birth control then I’m likely to get pregnant at some point.”

  “Love, what are you saying?” Holden asked.

  “I’m… Do you want to have kids? I’m only thirty-five, there’s plenty of time for me to have a couple of babies. Hope would be your step-daughter, but that’s not exactly the same as having children of your own.”

  “Do you want to have kids?” Jax asked.

  “To be honest, things are still new and kind of crazy for me, so I don’t necessarily want to have a baby right away. I’m still figuring out who I am without the curse. But yeah, in the future I’d like to have a baby with you guys. To get a chance to start over the right way with a newborn, while having my emotions intact and you two by my side.”

  “I definitely would love to have a baby with you, sweetheart,” Jax said.

  Holden kissed her. “Me, too. I can’t think of anything better. But I do think that we could use protection from now on and wait a while before we actively start trying to get pregnant. That way we can get to know each other better.”

  “I like that idea,” she said.

  “Me, too,” Jax said.

  Two hours later, as they were finishing packing up, her father texted to say that Hope wanted to speak to her on video call.

  Jax set up the phone again. The app beeped to alert them to the call. She smiled at her mates where they sat on either side of her on the couch, and pressed the button to connect the call.

  “Hi Dad,” she said.

  “Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Hope was at a friend’s when we spoke originally.”

  “Thanks for arranging this.”

  “You bet.” He looked to the side and said, “Come here, honey.”

  A young female with striking blue eyes and bright blonde hair sat next to Elijah. Honor gasped, covering her hand with her mouth.

  “Honey, these are my friends, Jackson and Holden Whitman. They used to live in King. And this beautiful lady is my daughter, and your mother, Honor.”

  Hope’s eyes went wide. “Is it really you?”

  Honor dropped her hand and smiled. “Hi, Hope. Yes, it’s really me. You’re even prettier than I imagined. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Pop said that you’re different now because you have two mates. Is that true?”

  “It’s true,” Honor said. “I was cursed by the females when I was a child, but Jax and Holden broke the curse. I got all my memories and emotions back. The first thing I thought of was you and Pop.”

  Holden said, “Hope, my brother Jax and I are your mom’s mates. We broke the curse over her. We found her up in Canada, and we’re on our way home to Ashland, where our pride lives. She’s not like the others, we promise.”

  “You’re really mated to two males?” Hope asked.

  Honor nodded. “Yes. Without them I would still be with the females, not aware of you or my dad, or even caring. Now I’m different and I remember everything that happened to me, including having you.”

  Hope stared at them in silence for a moment and then said, “I don’t know what to say.”

  “We’re going to come to King this weekend,” Honor told her. “We can get to know each other, if that’s okay.”

  Hope’s eyes shone with unshed tears. “All I ever wanted was a mom. You’ve missed my whole life up until this point, though. I don’t know if I should trust you, just because you say you’re different.”

  Jax’s heart broke at the soft sound of pain that Honor tried to stifle.

  “I’ll give you a chance, I guess,” Hope said. “Pop said that we’re supposed to give people second chances.”

  Honor breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Hope.”

  “Okay, bye,” she said, slipping away without waiting for Honor to say goodbye back.

  Elijah sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes. “Sorry if that hurt your feelings. She’s a teenage girl, and that’s kind of all the explanation I can give you.”

  “She’s willing to meet me, though,” Honor said. “That’s something.”

  “It sure is,” Holden agreed.

  “Can I call you to chat sometime this week?” Honor asked.

  “Sure, anytime,” Elijah said. “I’m at school from seven to three during the week, of course, but if you send me a text I can check it on my lunch hour.”

  “Oh, texting.” Honor frowned. “I don’t have a cell phone.”

  “We’ll get you one,” Jax said. “No worries.”

  “Send me a message when you get your new phone and then we can talk whenever you want,” Elijah offered. “Honey, it’s so good to talk to you. It’s like a dream come true for me.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I know you didn’t do it because I asked you to or anything, but thank you for being Hope’s guardian.”

  “It was my pleasure. Safe travels,” Elijah said, blowing Honor a kiss.

  She smiled and waved, saying goodbye to her father. The call ended, and Honor sat back against the couch with a sigh. “Wow.”

  “How do you feel?” Jax asked.

  “Good. I’m glad my dad was so willing to talk to me.”

  Holden tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Your daughter is beautiful. She looks just like you.”

  “I didn’t know what to expect with her, but she’s open to meeting me, so that’s something.”

  “You can bu
ild on that,” Jax said.

  “Yeah. It’ll be a start. How long can we stay in King?”

  Holden looked at Jax and then answered, “We can take a leave of absence from the shop. We never use our vacation time, so we could visit King for a week or two.”

  “You won’t lose your jobs?” she asked.

  “We’ll be fine,” Jax promised. He and Holden both worked for Ashland Automotive as mechanics. They had a joint savings account, which they both put money into each paycheck, with the intention of someday buying a home once they found their mate. If the shop owners decided to let them go for taking a leave of absence, they’d find work somewhere else.

  And judging by Honor’s desire to get to know her dad and daughter, he wondered if she might want to be in King permanently.

  Chapter 6

  After Honor’s conversation with her dad and daughter, she’d declared she was hungry, so they grabbed their things and went for breakfast in the hotel’s café. While Honor was busy making a custom omelet for herself, he and Jax talked quietly at the table about their plans for the future.

  “Do you think she’ll want to live in King permanently?” Holden said in a low voice.

  “I don’t know. But if you had a kid, wouldn’t you want to be where she is?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s not like it’s a hardship to live in King. And if it gives Honor a chance to get to know her daughter and reconnect with her dad, I say we should do it.”

  “What about Melody?”

  Jax stopped spreading jam on his toast. “I think she’ll understand. It’s not like we’d be leaving her all alone. She has her mates, and the pride. And there’s always video chatting and texting. Distances aren’t so distant anymore.”

  “That’s a good point.”

  Honor joined them, setting her plate down as she took a seat. “Isn’t it a thing of beauty?” she asked, gesturing to her omelet. It was stuffed with ham, cheddar, mushrooms, and bacon.

  “Looks great, sweetheart,” Holden said.

  “I love omelets, they’re my favorite breakfast meal.”

  “I’m a pancake guy myself,” Holden said.

  Jax gestured to his plate. “I’m a classic scrambled eggs and toast man.”

  No one spoke for a few minutes as they started to eat. Holden was lost in thought, wondering about the future. He wouldn’t mind living in King again. It had been their home until a few years ago, when they’d moved to Ashland because of Melody. He was sure she’d understand if they left because of Honor.

  “What will happen when we get to Ashland tonight?” Honor asked.

  “Well, James, John, and Rue are going to meet us at the house. We’ll grab some shuteye, and then the pride wants to meet you in the morning for breakfast.”

  “The whole pride?” Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.

  “Well, whoever’s around and not at work,” Jax said.

  “Do they know I’m not the same person I was before?”

  “Absolutely,” Holden said. “Plus, they’ve been listening to us bitch about not being with you for the last seven months. They’ll be happy to see you.”

  “You think,” she said.

  “No,” Jax said firmly, “we know. The pride knows about the curse and is ready to start over with you again.”

  “And then we can go see my dad and Hope?”

  “We can leave Friday night after Holden and I get home from work. It’s an eleven-hour drive.”

  “Ugh,” she said. “Another road trip.”

  Holden laughed. “Yeah, but the one to King is for a very good reason: so you can reconnect with your family.”

  She gave him a nudge with her shoulder and smiled. “You and Jax are my family now, too.”

  “Yeah, we are, sweetheart,” he said, his heart soaring.

  When they were finished eating, they checked out and got into the truck, heading toward Ashland. He and Jax took turns driving, and they made frequent stops to stretch their legs. They took the opportunity of the drive to get to know their mate better, and to give her a chance to get to know them. He’d spent the last few months without her imagining their life together, but already she’d surpassed his expectations. He hadn’t known what to expect when they found her – how she’d react to them or what she’d want their life together to be like. She’d shown herself to be open and honest, curious and sweet. She was quick-witted, with a subtle sassiness that he adored.

  And she wanted them. He was still amazed by that. They’d marked and mated her, and she’d been so incredible to be with. Anything he’d experienced in the past was obliterated by their mating. No kiss was as good as the ones he shared with Honor. No other female could set him on fire with a touch of her fingers or a lingering look. He wanted to be that for her, too. It wasn’t always going to be easy to share her, he was certain. He and Jax were best friends, but now they had Honor.

  He saw them already falling easily into roles in their new family. Jax was older and a little more strong-willed, while Holden was more laidback. Jax liked to plan; Holden liked to see what happened. Now with Honor and their family, Jax was taking on the role of leader and Holden was happy to be the caretaker.

  They’d watched it happen many times over the years with the multiple-matings in the pride: one male was the leader, the other was the caretaker, and the female was the center of their universe. They worked together and lived together, the males ensuring that their female was happy and loved. He didn’t mind letting Jax take the lead, because he was happiest making sure that Honor was taken care of. When they were sleeping after making love, he’d woken to find her skin cold because she’d thrown off the blankets. As he drew up the covers, he marveled at his cat, who seemed to know that she was cold and woke him up to deal with it. It had been his pleasure to warm her up and cuddle her close.

  By the time they reached Ashland, he was head over heels for her. He’d already been half in love with her for the last seven months, but he realized that the emotions he’d felt for her had been based solely on finding her, not actually knowing much about her. Now that they’d spent two days together, and had mated and marked her, the connection he’d felt to her since the end of September had strengthened. She was amazing, and he was damn lucky to have her.

  Jax parked in front of the boarding house. It was mostly dark inside, except for a dim light on the first floor, in the kitchen. Someone had left the front porch light on as well.

  “How did the pride find this place?” she asked.

  “Callie, Ethan, and Eryx moved to Ashland first. They live on Rhett and his mate Lisa’s property in a converted barn. James wanted to move here to be close to his kids, so they had a realtor find them a home large enough for him, Grant, Aaron, and their five kids. John, Henry, and Alek stayed behind in King until Jilly turned sixteen and moved out, and then they came here. Before the Depression, it was a wealthy banker’s home. His wife converted it to a boarding house, which helped them make it through the Depression. It’s a hundred years old. We live on the second floor, along with most of the mated groups, including our niece Melody and her family.”

  “When we went to Canada, we looked for a similar place, where we could all live together. But we didn’t pick it because we were a family; we wanted to have control over where the females lived. It’s easier to keep an eye on people when they live in the same place.”

  “I don’t think James and the others expected so many people to want to live here, but there’s plenty of room. Only my room has an attached bathroom; Jax’s doesn’t,” Holden said.

  “I’ve never had my own bathroom,” she said. “The house I grew up in had a bath and a half, and I shared a bathroom with the females. I don’t mind.”

  “Are you ready?” Jax asked as he opened the truck and stepped out.

  “Yes and no.”

  “It’ll be fine, sweetheart,” Holden said as he got out. “We’re by your side no matter what. And there isn’t anything here in the boarding hou
se but the pride and their acceptance.”

  Honor scooted slowly out of the truck, keeping her gaze on the house. He and Jax grabbed all their bags and walked with her to the front door. Jax opened it, and they stepped into the foyer. There were quiet voices coming from the kitchen, which went silent as Jax shut the door.

  Holden could hear Honor’s heart pounding. He and Jax put their bags down and took her hands, which were clammy and shaking. Holden took a moment to raise one to his lips and kiss her knuckles. “It’s going to be okay, Honor. Trust us.”

  “I do,” she said, licking her lips. “It’s just not a place I thought I’d ever be.”

  “Well, you’re here with us now, and that means you’re safe. We’d never let anything happen to you,” Jax said.

  She exhaled sharply and straightened her shoulders. “I’m ready.”

  Holden smiled at her bravery. Despite her obvious fear, she was still going along with them.

  They walked into the kitchen and found James, Rue, and John standing on one side of the island. Honor froze in her tracks. He and Jax gave her hands a little tug, and she continued with them to the island.

  “It’s been a long time, Honor,” James said. “Welcome to the pride’s home.”

  She opened her mouth and nothing came out but a squeak. Her cheeks flushed, and she grimaced. She cleared her throat and said, “Thanks, James. I don’t deserve a welcome, but thank you.”

  John said, “This is our mate, Rue.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. How was the trip?”

  “Long,” Honor answered. “But good.”

  “I’m sure you’re tired after the drive, but we’d like to chat for a few minutes before you head upstairs,” James said, gesturing to the table.

  “If it’s okay, I would really like to go to the bathroom,” Honor said.

  “Of course,” John said.

  Holden showed her where the bathroom on the first floor was and returned to the kitchen. Jax and the others were talking quietly at the kitchen table. He sat down, leaving an empty seat for Honor between him and his brother.