Ben yawned, making Eric grin. “It seems you are still recovering a little.”
But Ben just shook his head. “No, you wore me out.”
Eric raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I did, did I? You’re saying I have more stamina? I can last longer? I’m—”
Ben rolled his eyes, poking Eric in the side. Do not get too full of yourself, cariño, or you will sleep on the couch.
Eric held a hand up. I have no intention of ever sleeping separate from you again. I promise to behave. He smirked. Mostly. But you’ll forgive me.
Ben laughed. Mostly…. So sure I will….
You will. Eric kissed him again, keeping it soft and light.
Ben sighed and shook his head, but he was smiling. I will.
CARIÑO?
Downstairs, baby. Just getting coffee. Eric grinned as he waited for the cup to finish. He was being sappy as hell and didn’t give a single damn.
He allowed himself a moment of regret that he’d waited so long. So much hurt could have been avoided, so much frustration—and the pain his mate went through—if he’d just listened to what everyone else had told him. He sighed. If only—
Do not do that.
Eric chuckled. Then again, knowing his mate could read him so well all the time was bound to get him in trouble. Yeah, yeah.
That got him a mental snort.
Just as he pulled the cup out of the coffee maker, he heard the sound of tires crunching over gravel. They’re home.
Should I come down? Never mind, I will. I want to hear this.
I’ll wait in the living room. With your coffee, so don’t take too long.
A moment later Ben joined him just as Tanner and Finley came through the front door. Both noses twitched at the same time and, also at the same time, they grinned.
“Congratulations!” Finley said as he crossed the room. He hugged Ben first, then turned to Eric.
“Yeah. Congrats, man. About damned time.”
“Shaddup,” Eric grumbled, ignoring the snickers, and hugged each of them.
“I need coffee,” Finley declared. “Then you’ve got to hear it all.”
Tanner hung his and Finley’s jackets up as Ben and Eric settled in on the couch together. Eric ignored Tanner long enough to kiss Ben thoroughly, getting a grin and blush for his trouble. He finally turned back to Tanner when he flopped down onto the other couch.
“That was… a very not fun couple of days.” Tanner rubbed his face and sighed.
“What time did you get back?” Eric glanced at the clock, but it wasn’t even fully ten yet.
“Oh, we got in last night,” Finley said from the kitchen.
Eric raised an eyebrow at Tanner.
“Yeah, we landed at Latrobe around seven, I think. We just decided it would be more prudent to stay at a hotel. Turns out that was a good decision.”
“Asshole,” Eric muttered.
It is a good thing, though, cariño. We would not have wanted to claim if they could hear us. If the teasing is bad now—
Ugh, yeah. Have I mentioned this morning I love you?
Ben grinned at him. Not in the last five minutes or so.
Eric laughed.
“You could, you know, talk where we can all hear.”
Eric scowled at his best friend, but Tanner just grinned and didn’t reply to that.
“So—”
“Wait for me,” Finley called. “Almost done.”
“Fine,” Tanner said, sighing. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the couch. “The trip back wasn’t fun. Even with the tea, it was rough. Hit turbulence somewhere over Ohio and my wolf was not happy.”
Eric wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, doesn’t sound too fun. I’m not sure when I’ll want to try the flying thing. Glad it wasn’t me.”
“Be glad for a number of reasons,” Finley said, coming back in. He handed Tanner one of the coffee mugs before settling in next to him.
“So… her mate broke the bond,” Tanner said without preamble.
Eric blinked. “The one she left me for?”
Finley nodded. “The very same.”
Eric frowned. “But she didn’t shift like I did?”
Tanner shook his head. “No. I doubt she was invested in that mating as much as you were in the bond with her.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t surprise me. But it still messed with her?”
“That’s what she claims, and really, one look in her eyes and you can see it.”
Eric thought back to that day but shook his head. “I think I was just too pissed she’d show up to notice. I mean, I saw she was off, but it didn’t register how serious it was.”
“I didn’t either then.” Tanner shrugged a shoulder. “Her arguments at the hearing were a little too… scattered, I think is a good word, to be faked.”
“She most definitely wasn’t right.” Finley took a sip. “And… yes, it was your parents. They’d called her.”
“Not my parents anymore,” Eric said, scowling.
Ben put a hand on his and squeezed. “You have other family,” he reminded Eric.
Eric blew out a breath. “Yeah. I do.” He turned and kissed Ben’s temple, sending gratitude to his mate for the calm Ben was projecting to him.
“I suspect he broke the bond with her when she took off to come back here,” Tanner said, frowning.
“Or it’s possible she talked about you and he broke it and that prompted her to come back here,” Finley suggested.
Eric shrugged. “I don’t care that much. She deserves to have the bond broken on her, not that it did a fraction to her what it did to me.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “And now for the $64,000 question.”
“Locked up. For life,” Tanner said. “She confessed to the attempted murder—actually still seemed a little… righteous about it. Insisted all the way up to sentencing that she was your mate.” He shook his head.
“Locked up?” Ben asked, blinking.
“Yeah, headquarters has the only jail we have in the United States for wolves who break laws,” Eric said.
“It doesn’t happen often,” Finley added. “Most things are handled on the pack level. The alphas have a lot of autonomy for punishment. But some laws—well, really, only a couple of major ones—are handled on a national level.”
“Murder, attempted murder, and lone wolves who refuse to join a pack,” Eric said, nodding.
“And she was charged with attempted murder, so she’s locked up. Not a death sentence like proven murder would be, but bad enough. The cells are… humane enough. There’s a door she can use to go between inside and outside, big enough for her wolf to go through. The outside is entirely enclosed in fencing, which is buried some fifty feet underground.”
Eric raised his eyebrows. “She’s not digging out from under that.”
“No, she’s not. It’s still locked up, no matter how nice.”
“She’ll go wild before too long,” Eric said.
“Probably. But… she made the choice to go after Ben.”
“I don’t feel pity for her.” Eric shook his head. “I guess I should, as off as she was, but… I just can’t. After everything she put me through, after what she did to Ben…. Hell, I think once she does go wolf, she’s almost getting off easy.” He scowled.
Ben kissed his temple. “I’m just glad she is not capable of causing more harm.”
“Well, she won’t do that, no doubt.” Tanner stood. “I’m beat, despite the sleep last night. Rough couple of days.”
“We’ll get a mating party planned,” Finley said, standing. “If we had to go through it, so do you,” he said at the frown on Eric’s face.
“Hey, you’re the alpha and his mate!”
“Not being the alpha just means you don’t have to mate publicly,” Tanner said with a smirk. “Doesn’t get you out of the party.”
“Asshole,” Eric muttered.
Tanner and Finley both laughed as they went up the stairs.
Ben frowned. “Pa
rty?”
Eric nodded. “Yeah, kinda like a wedding reception but for matings. Oh well, at least if Finley’s in charge, we don’t have to worry about pink ribbons and flowers.”
Ben let out a sigh of obvious relief. “That is good.”
“They’ll do their damnedest to embarrass us, though.”
“Yay.”
Ben sounded so bummed, Eric couldn’t stop the chuckle. “We’ll forgive them. Then get them back.”
That brought a grin to Ben’s face. “I like that idea.”
Chapter 19
IT TOOK everything Ben had to focus on the road and not his nervousness. It was only the knowledge that if he wasn’t careful they’d end up in the hospital, trying to explain why they were healing already, that made him able to concentrate. He took the turns almost on autopilot, but before they got to the last road, Eric put a hand over Ben’s on the steering wheel.
“Pull over, baby.”
Ben frowned but turned into the next parking lot. He let out a humorless chuckle when he realized it was the same Taco Bueno he’d eaten at when he left home before meeting Eric.
“Baby?” Eric asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ben put the car in park and turned in his seat to look at his mate. “This was the last place I stopped in Dallas before coming to Pittsburgh.”
Eric took his hand. “Ah. Listen, I want you to remember something.”
“Oh?” Ben stared at Eric’s hand, trying to calm his pounding heart.
“Yes. First, I know you’re terrified.”
Ben frowned, looking back up at Eric. “Mierda. I had been—”
“You can’t hide from me. You couldn’t very well before we mated, and now that we’re fully bonded, you can’t at all.”
“I… you do not need to worr—”
“Don’t. That’s what we’re for. Do you remember when I went to see my parents for the last time?”
“Of course.” Ben scowled. “How could I forget how horribly they treated you?”
Eric smiled and brushed at the hair falling over Ben’s forehead. “You wouldn’t. But it was your support, you being there, that kept it from being as horrible as it could have been.” He put a finger under Ben’s chin, and Ben looked up at him. “You know your papá will still love you. Your sister still cares about you. And we have a family in the guys back in Pittsburgh. And no matter what, I’m going to be with you.” He gave a crooked smile. “You’re not getting rid of me now.”
“As if I would want to, cariño.”
That brought a grin. “Right. So… you won’t be alone, no matter what happens. But… I have a really good feeling about this.”
Ben blew out a breath. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am. I’m right a lo—”
Ben elbowed him. “Do not get too full of yourself, cariño.”
Eric laughed at the familiar words. “I’ll count on you to keep me humble.” He leaned in and kissed Ben softly. “Now. Take me to meet your parents.”
With one more deep breath, Ben turned back in his seat and put the car once more in gear. Sending a soft prayer to Diana to help him calm down, he pulled out of the parking lot.
It was still too soon when they turned onto the gravel drive leading up to the house. The hand Eric put on Ben’s leg gave him a little more calm and courage, so when he pulled to a stop at the end of the drive, he didn’t, at least, feel like he was going to fly apart into a million pieces. He had to count to thirty before he could bring himself to turn off the car, but finally he managed and climbed out.
Before Ben could even take a single step, the front door opened. As his mamá stepped out, Ben’s feet turned to lead and he couldn’t so much as move an inch. He held his breath, vaguely aware when Eric stepped out of the car, but his entire focus was on his mamá as she stopped on the top step.
“B-Ben?”
Ben wasn’t sure what it meant that she used that name instead of Jesus, but he thought it could only be a good sign. He swallowed and managed to take a step forward. It seemed to unlock something in her, and she nearly flew off the porch and launched herself into his arms.
“Mijo! Oh, mijo!”
He wrapped his arms around her as she launched into a string of rapid-fire Spanish that even he had trouble following, as punctuated with sobs as it was. He caught several repetitions of I’m sorry and at least one or two pleases, but he wasn’t quite sure what she was asking for.
Finally he managed to extract himself from her. She took a half step back but didn’t let go of his arms. Her gaze flew all over his face, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
Swallowing, he took another chance. “Mamá, my mate cannot understand you yet.”
She blinked at him, then looked over at Eric as if she hadn’t seen him. Ben guessed she probably hadn’t paid attention to anyone else. “Mate? He is your… mate?”
“Sí, mamá. He is my destined mate.” Ben held his breath, praying harder to Diana than he ever had in his life.
She turned to Eric. “You are… Ben’s mate.”
Eric glanced at Ben, and nervousness not his own came across the bond. It did good things to know Eric wanted to impress his parents so much. Ben sent calm back, though he couldn’t tell Eric if it would be okay until he knew what his mother would do.
“Sí. Me llamo Eric.” Eric swallowed. “Mucho gusto.”
Mamá’s eyes widened. “¿Hablas español?”
Eric cleared his throat. “Uh, not much yet. But I’m learning.”
She looked back at Ben, then at Eric once more, a smile spreading. “Mucho gusto. Welcome to our family.”
That was all it took. Relief, joy, and a mess of other emotions filled Ben, and tears he didn’t know he was holding back fell.
She welcomed me!
Yes! Ben grinned through his tears at Eric as his mamá went around the car.
“Gracias, Señora Arellano,” Eric said, his voice rough.
“Por fa—please, call me ‘mamá,’” she said, then held her arms out.
A somewhat shocked-looking Eric hugged her. “Gracias.”
“Come. Let’s take this inside, mijo.” Papá waved toward the inside of the house. Ben hadn’t even seen him come out, so focused on his mamá as he was.
“Papá!” Ben followed Mamá to the porch, taking Eric’s hand when they met at the bottom step. At the top, though, he stopped to hug Papá.
“So glad you’re home, mijo. Welcome, Eric,” his papá said, holding a hand out toward Eric, who took it and shook.
“Good to meet you, sir.”
Papá waved a hand. “Papá, please, since I am yours.”
Mine?
He knows what happened with… them. I told him over the phone.
Oh. Wow. Eric cleared his throat and smiled. “Uh, thank you.”
Despite the welcome, Ben still wasn’t entirely sure what to expect of his mamá. She’d greeted Eric, that was true, and told him to call her mamá. He figured that meant she dealt okay with the bisexual thing. But she hadn’t said a word about wolves, and that, even more than the mate thing, was the problem.
He didn’t get answers right away, though. Mamá insisted on getting iced tea for everyone as they found places to sit in the living room. Eric sat next to Ben, taking his hand, and Ben was glad for the closeness.
“How was the flight?” Papá asked.
“Smooth, thankfully,” Ben said. “Which I was glad for, as it was my first.”
“How does it work?”
Eric answered for him. “The tea Miles has makes the wolf side of us sleepy, so it’s calm. He doesn’t have the opportunity to get so freaked out.”
At the mention of “wolf,” Ben shot a look toward the kitchen. His mamá was coming out at the same time. She swallowed, but her hands were full, and Ben waited to see if she crossed herself after setting the tray down.
But… she didn’t. She handed a glass to Eric, then to him and his papá before taking a seat. Papá put an arm around her, and Ben was wa
rmed to see them touching. It wasn’t that they didn’t, but they seemed closer somehow than they’d been before Ben left. He wondered if it was his leaving that did it.
“I wondered…,” Mamá began, glancing between them. “Um… I wondered if later, you might show me your wolf. I have not seen him since you were little. He is bigger now, yes?”
It took Ben a full minute to answer. When Eric squeezed his hand, it broke the lock on Ben’s brain and he swallowed, then nodded. “Uh, yes. He’s the same size I am in human form. Different shape but same mass.”
She nodded. “That is what your papá said. It seemed like that with him too.”
“Mamá… I… you….” Ben shook his head.
She smiled, a little shyly, but her throat worked at the same time, and Ben guessed she was trying not to cry. “Mijo… I have been so wrong. I… I thought I had lost you. I was hurt and angry.”
Ben tried not to let that bother him. He still felt she’d had no right to be, and it was only Eric’s hand on his that kept him from letting that frustration take over.
“Tina came home for Thanksgiving and gave me an earful too.” She lowered her gaze. “It is no excuse. I know this. I was raised Catholic. It is hard to undo a lifetime of beliefs. But I should have listened a long time ago. I should have learned, should have tried. I am so sorry.”
Ben took a deep breath and had to clear his throat before he could speak, but Eric beat him to it.
“It is hard to get past something like that. I… I have to be honest, Señ—Mamá. I was ready to be angry on his behalf.”
She smiled at this and nodded. “I… I believe firmly in respecting your parents, but I am glad to know you care and that you would defend him.”
“I’m glad I don’t have to.”
They sat in silence for a moment that wasn’t entirely uncomfortable, drinking their tea. For Ben, at least, he was swinging from tired to relieved and trying to deal with everything in between. But before long, his mamá put her glass down and looked up at Ben again. “Mijo?”
Ben raised his eyebrows.
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