“Ja . . . Maddie,” I said aloud. It felt strange yet familiar rolling off my tongue. I am Madelyn Collier. Maddie, I reminded myself. After so many years of being Jane, it was going to take a little getting used to. “I’m sorry I growled at you.”
Kelsey laughed. “It’s still early, girl. You have a lot more growling to do before it’s over.”
She was talking about us mating. I hadn’t let myself seriously consider all that. Could we even mate? To seal the bond, I’d have to bite him, and how could I without a wolf? I still didn’t understand fully what was happening to me.
“I’ve not seen you around here,” Kelsey added. “Where are you from? How did you guys meet?”
I didn’t want to answer all those questions, but I knew I’d have to . . . again and again. Too many in Westin Pack did know me and when word got around, everyone would know. Word would soon get to my father, my family. There was no way to avoid it now.
“Um, Liam and I have known each other since childhood. We ran into each other again in San Francisco.”
“Are there packs in the city? I thought they tended to stay more remote.”
“No, we were there for vacation.” I said, keeping it simple. I was interrupted by a loud squeal and before I knew what was happening I was being tackled into a bear hug.
“You’re here! You changed your mind!” Lily yelled so loudly it left my ears ringing.
“Hi, Lily,” Oscar said, taking a second away from the little boy he was playing with to run over and quickly side hug her while she was still squeezing the life out of me, before running back to his spot.
“Hey, O-Man. I’m so happy you and your mom are here.”
He just smiled and nodded before turning his attention back to his new small friend.
I stepped back to take in my dear friend. Her pink striped hair was fluffy, rocking the bedhead look, and she was still in her pajamas. It had to be pushing noon already and she was just rolling out of bed.
“Kels, this is my best friend in the entire world!” Lily started, quickly filling in gaps I wasn’t ready to talk about.
Mary took the distraction as time to get away. Prying me away from Lily, she explained we’d be in Kyle’s office talking for a bit. Then she escorted me down the hall. Liam followed behind. He was grinning, relaxed, and clearly happy.
As soon as the door was closed, she motioned for us both to sit. I knew a full-on interrogation was coming.
“Maddie, do your parents know you’re here?”
This woman was ready to cut to the chase. No pleasantries or small talk was going to happen in here. I shook my head. “No, ma’am. I haven’t talked to my family in eight years.”
She nodded. “Is it because of Oscar?”
“Mom, it’s not what you think, and she doesn’t have to explain herself to anyone. It’s really none of your business.”
I loved that he so quickly came to my defense, but if we were truly even considering a life together, this conversation was going to happen many times over. I knew there was no getting away from it.
“Liam,” Mary laughed. “When are you foolish, misguided kids going to learn? Everything is my business.” I wanted to laugh at her audacity, but Liam tensed and I could feel his rare aggressive side spike.
“It’s okay,” I told him, placing my hand on his thigh and reveling in the fact that it visibly calmed him.
“Yes, it does have to do with Oscar, but not in the way you think,” I said honestly, answering her previously asked question
She let that slide, but moved on to equally hard ones. “So where have you been the last eight years? Do you have any idea what it has done your family? Your mother? They still mourn your loss all the time. It changed each of them. Collier Pack wasn’t the only one affected either. It dimmed Lily’s spirit. Liam took to drinking for a while,” I glanced at him and he cringed. “Don’t think I don’t know about those things, son.”
I wondered it were true. Did my leaving affect Liam so drastically? We weren’t mates then. We were barely friends. Aside from being his obnoxious twin's best friend, I didn’t think Liam Westin had really noticed me. Lily had made a few comments otherwise, but I hadn’t really believed her. Heck, Liam had all but confessed to crushing on me as kids and I still hadn’t believed him fully, either.
I took a deep breath and decided to get this conversation over as quickly as possible. Just rip off the Band-Aid. I smiled, remembering that was an old saying Jason Westin would tell us when we were in trouble. “The truth is hard sometimes, but it’s best to just get it out there, like ripping off a Band-Aid. Quick and it’s over and you’ll feel much better.” It amazed me, all the little moments that kept popping up in my mind.
“The night I left, I was raped. By six guys. I was left broken and alone to die in a dumpster, but I survived. It was really . . . hard. I was ashamed and embarrassed and couldn’t come home. I found out a few months later I had conceived Oscar that night.” I paused to let that sink in. I had done it. I told her without breaking down. Granted, I had steeled my nerves and determination and shut off my emotions to do it, but I did it. The rest of my story flowed easily as I explained how I’d met and gone to live with Annie and Jacob. That was almost harder at the moment, given the fresh sense of betrayal I felt towards them. I didn’t tell her about that, though.
I hadn’t mentioned that my wolf spirit had died. Being here, with the familiar woodsy scents, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. It was my breaking point, so I left it out.
Mary had very few questions. I could tell my story overwhelmed her. Her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, fighting back tears by the end of our conversation. She hugged me tightly, but didn't press me for anything more. My instinct at her touch was to flinch away, but I didn't and it didn't take long until I relaxed into her, the loving arms of a mother I had missed so much.
Liam
Chapter 15
Seeing Maddie relax into my mother made my heart overflow with pride. I had a list a mile long of things I needed to do. It was Sunday, but I wasn't expected back in the office till Tuesday, so I didn't need to worry about work right away. I did need to talk to Patrick as quickly as possible. I didn't want to leave Maddie alone, though.
“Mom, we really need to go. Would you mind if Oscar stayed and played with Zander? They seem to be having fun and I need to talk to Patrick without little ears around.”
“Why? What's wrong?” she demanded.
I knew better than to make a rookie mistake like that with my mom. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It's nothing concerning. He asked me to report back when I got home. You know, after everything that happened with E last year.” It wasn't entirely true, but it worked.
“Oh, yes, yes, that's a good idea. You should get right over. Of course, as long as Madelyn is okay with it, Oscar is welcome to stay here. Though I won't promise not to spoil him while in my charge.”
I smiled. I wouldn't expect anything less, and the kid could use a little spoiling.
“Thank you,” Maddie told her, as we prepared to leave. “That would be wonderful, if you are sure it's no trouble.”
“Don't be silly. I've got Zander all afternoon, and he can help me entertain him,” she assured us as she shooed us out of the room and out of the house. Maddie left for only a moment, long enough to tell Oscar we were leaving.
Once in the car I took her hand and squeezed. “I know that was hard. I'm sorry.”
She smiled back at me. “Honestly, it wasn't so bad this time. Telling you was the hardest, mostly because it was the first time I had ever talked about it, but also because, well, it's you. Telling Lily wasn't as bad, and this time was even easier. I might as well get used to it. It's not like I can hide the fact I'm here.”
Everything she said made sense, though a part of me that only wanted to protect her hated putting her through it over and over again. We drove in comfortable silence to the cottage Patrick and Elise lived in on the edge of San Marco.
When we arri
ved and got out, she stopped me as we walked to the door.
“Um, maybe we should let your mom spread the word about me after all. I think it's going to get really awkward fast, having to explain myself to everyone.” She looked so uncomfortable it stirred my wolf.
“You don't have to tell anyone anything, Maddie. I will make sure no one makes you uncomfortable here.”
“You can't protect me from everyone, Liam. You can't protect me from any of this.”
“The hell I can't.” I was never so determined about anything in all my life. My mate didn't want to be harassed about her past, and it was my job to see that she wasn't. I kissed her hard on the mouth. “No one is going to bother you. I will protect you,” I told her, never meaning anything more in my entire life.
I wrapped my arm around her and kept her close to my side as we made our way to the door. I knocked and waited. I saw Elise peek out the side window.
“Crap, Liam's home and he brought company. Go get dressed,” I heard my sister demand in a whisper.
I shook my head. “Sorry, we really thought they'd be over this stage by now. Seriously, from the moment they mated, it's been call ahead or beware of what you're walking into.” I laughed. “They're pretty disgusting to hang around, can't keep their hands to themselves. It's bad.”
The door swung open and Maddie jumped back, caught off guard.
“Hey,” Elise said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Maddie stiffened next to me but I could tell she was fighting to hold back a growl. “I didn't think you were coming home till tomorrow.” She turned to Maddie. “Hey, I'm Elise, Liam's sister. I don't think we've m—” Recognition and shock flickered across her face. “Maddie?”
“E, can we come in or are you going to make us stand here all day? I need to talk to Patrick,” I interrupted her before she could start. I knew by the way I walked ahead, shielding my mate and being far more protective than my sister was used to. I knew the smell of testosterone was filling the air.
Elise's eyes widened as we passed her and sat down on the couch in their small living room. She wouldn't stop staring at her.
“Elise, stop staring,” I warned. “You're making her nervous.”
Elise glared at me. I knew I was going to get an earful later, but I could take it. “Come on,” she finally said. “I feel like I'm looking at a ghost. Just tell me I'm not going crazy, or introduce her to me already and stop being rude.”
“Elise, this is Jane. Jane, this is my sister Elise,” I said spitefully.
Maddie laughed and shook her head as Elise looked disappointed.
“It's a long story, Elise,” Maddie said. “But yes, I'm Madelyn Collier.”
Elise jumped up and ran to hug her. I tried to warn her off, but she ignored me and embraced Maddie anyway. My sister was crying and my mate was starting to cry when Patrick ran into the room to see what the commotion was all about.
“What is going on here?” Patrick demanded.
“Does Lily know?” Elise asked, ignoring her mate.
“Yes, she does. I spent some time catching up with her this week,” Maddie told her.
“But how? When? Where have you been?”
“Enough!” I said, louder than I intended.
Elise sat back and stared at me like I had two heads. Maddie smiled, reassuring me she was okay, but I had promised to protect her from stuff like this and my wolf wasn't backing down. My blood was pumping as my wolf surged forward to protect our mate.
Patrick started laughing. “Bloody hell, look at you. Found your mate, did you?”
Elise looked back and forth between the two of us before bursting out laughing.
“Oh, you lucky dog! What are the odds that your one true mate would turn out to be the only girl you've ever cared about?”
Lily had told her the same. Heck, I'd even confessed as much, but still Maddie looked confused, like she just couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Elise leaned in and sniffed my mate, frowning. “Seriously? Liam, you've been in love with her since you were like eight years old. Why have you not marked her to the start the bond yet?”
Patrick laughed. “That's rich coming from you, love.” Then, turning to Maddie, he added. “This one gave me the go-around for months. Of course, she's worth it, but put me through bloody hell first, she did.”
Elise rolled her eyes, but the love between them now radiated throughout the room. It began to calm Maddie, and therefore my wolf, too.
“It's complicated, E, and back off. She doesn't like people in her personal space,” I said, grabbing my mate by the wrist and pulling her closer to me and away from my sister.
“It's just so natural and you only ever get one true mate, so why are you fighting it?”
Patrick snorted and gawked at her in disbelief. I had had a front row seat for their mating period and she had no room to judge anyone on such things.
“Elise . . .” Patrick started, but she interrupted him.
“I know what you're thinking, but they've liked each other practically their whole lives. It's not the same as it was for us.”
“I told you, it's complicated.” I tried again, hoping she'd just shut up already.
“What could possibly be so complicated?”
“Oscar,” Maddie said swiftly.
“Oh shit, there's another man? But you're not mated to him, right?”
“No, Oscar's my son.”
“You have a son?!?”
Maddie nodded.
It wasn't quite the complication I was thinking of it, but seemed like it may be enough to ward off Elise for a while.
“Is his dad still in the picture?” she asked.
“No,” I said through gritted teeth, remembering what I knew of Oscar's sperm donor. I could feel my wolf getting more agitated. We hadn't even come over to see Elise. I still needed to talk to Patrick, but at this rate I'd have to go for a run to calm down first.
Maddie must have felt my irritation because she snuggled a little closer and patted, then squeezed, my upper thigh. I think it was meant as comfort but all it did was send blood flowing hard down south. I had to shift uncomfortably in my seat to hide the physical evidence of what her touch was doing to me. Right then I was very grateful my infatuation with skinny jeans with a thing of the past.
“Patrick.” I decided it was best to just change the subject. “We actually came to talk to you. Some things came to light in San Francisco that you need to be aware of.” I looked at my sister, knowing she wasn't going anywhere, and also knowing that he wouldn't keep anything important from her anyway, but I still had to ask. “Is it safe to talk here?”
“Yeah, sure, but how serious are we talking?”
“Life altering serious,” Maddie said, only half joking. What we were about to share with him had certainly altered the path of her life.
He took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, then, that sounds very serious. Let's head downstairs. Kyle had one of those cool soundproof devices installed there.”
We all got up and followed him downstairs. Elise, of course, followed me. It shouldn't have bothered me, but it did, mostly because she had annoyed me by putting Maddie on the spot the way she did. I did understand that it was like a ghost had just walked in the room and everyone was curious to know where she'd been and why, but it didn't change the way I felt about it, or my insatiable need to protect her. Irrational? Maybe, but then no one ever claimed a mating male to be rational.
The downstairs had been converted to an office, but a part of the old den feel that Kelsey had when she lived there still remained. It was woodsy and soothing. I liked it. Kelsey had lived in the cottage for years, before she mated my brother. She had used the space as her wolf den, not allowing her wolf out to run for fear her secret would be exposed. She didn't know she lived among other shifters. Heck, she didn't know she was a shifter. It had been a strange situation, but they had overcome it all and were happier than ever.
Looking around, I noticed the old couch from upstai
rs had been brought down, as well as a new big screen, even bigger than the one upstairs, and Patrick's video games. I hadn't been over in a while, but had noticed the new furniture upstairs, and wasn't surprised. Patrick had been rocking the coolest bachelor pad ever before Elise moved in, so it was only a matter of time before my control freak of a sister took over. I was thrilled to see it had all just moved downstairs. I made a mental note to set up a boys’ night with Patrick and my brothers soon.
“So, what's this all about?” Patrick asked, interrupting my thoughts as he motioned for us to sit on the couch.
I looked at Maddie, suddenly unsure of what and how much to tell them. To my surprise she just smiled back at me, took a deep breath, and started from the beginning. The very beginning. To say I was shocked was an understatement. It was difficult for me to sit there and listen to it all again, but I somehow made it through it and remained sitting the entire time.
She told them about the rape, getting pregnant with Oscar. She explained her anxiety and depression, and how Annie and Jacob, two humans, had taken them in. I knew the majority of it was more for Elise's sake than Patrick's. He had to hug E close and rub her back a few times to calm her. Mad's story wasn't an easy one to take in.
When she reached the part of me finding her in mid-anxiety attack, Elise couldn't take it anymore. She reached over and hugged my mate tightly.
“I'm so glad Liam found you. Everything's going to be better now. I promise!”
“So you've been living in the human world?” Patrick questioned. “Why do I feel like there's a whole lot more to this story?”
“Because there is. That was just the backstory so E would stop peppering her with questions,” I said as my sister hauled back and punched me in the arm.
I ignored her and focused on what Patrick needed to know. “So, obviously, I thought I had seen a ghost and I may have stalked her and found out who she was with and where they would most likely be in San Francisco. Made arrangements to include a work commitment and left. I found her the next day. I met Annie and Jacob, nothing seemed off about them, they genuinely seemed like good people.” I skipped through the details of the week; honestly, they didn't matter to pack security. “My cover for getting away with sneaking off was a charity ball hosted by Stephen Daniels.” I paused, seeing recognition flicker in his eyes.
Forever Mine (Westin Pack Book 3) Page 14