“Well, first, there's something I've been wanting to ask you. And I haven't run this by Mommy yet, so I really hope she doesn't kill me for asking.”
Okay, he had my full attention. What was he up to? I wondered as he shot me an apologetic look.
“Oscar, you know I love your mom, right?”
He nodded. “I sorta figured that out already.”
“And I love you too, kid.”
Oscar hugged him. “I love you too, Liam.”
Liam pulled him back to look at him again. “How would you feel about me being your dad?”
“I guess if you and mommy are together and we're building a house to all live in, you kind of are?” Oscar asked with a hopeful voice that made me want to cry.
“I mean, how about we make it official. I'd like to adopt you. How would you feel about that?”
“You mean it? You really mean it?”
“Yes, I do. I want you to be my son. A real Westin. Would that be okay with you?”
Oscar threw his arms around Liam with tears in his eyes. “I love you, Liam.”
“I love you too, kid. And before we get too crazy celebrating, I have something else I need to ask.”
“There's more?” he asked. I was thinking the same, still trying to wrap my mind over what just happened. Liam wanted to adopt Oscar and give him his name
I wiped my damp eyes and looked up to see Liam kneeling before me. “I want you to know, I heard you. Both of you”—he included Oscar—“and I want to do this right in every way. So, Madelyn Amanda Collier, will you make me the happiest man alive? Be my mate, and my wife?” He held out a beautiful diamond ring between shaky fingers.
I was so overwhelmed I couldn't speak, only nod and smile as the tears fell. He kissed me as Oscar cheered us on.
“I love you, Maddie. I've always loved you. For better or worse. I'm all in.”
It amazed me how quickly life could change. One week. It had been one week since the moment my eyes connected with Liam's and my whole world changed. It was all happening so fast, and yet it didn't scare me one bit. I was excited for our future and knew it was exactly right.
Liam
Chapter 23
I called E and asked her if she'd mind watching Oscar for about an hour. She said she didn't, and both she and Lily arrived at my office to pick him up.
“Guess what?” Oscar announced the second he saw them, before even saying hello. “I'm getting adopted!”
Both girls looked at each other, confused, then turned their attention to me and Maddie, but Oscar was quick to fill them in further.
“Liam wants to be my dad. My real dad. He's adopting me to make it official,” he said proudly.
My sisters looked at me. “Really?” Lily asked.
“Really,” I told them.
“And he's marrying Mommy, too!” Oscar finished the announcement for us.
Elise snorted. “You're getting married?”
“Yup,” I said.
“Why?” Lily asked. “I mean, I don't have anything against marriage, but you're mated, you'll be bonding soon, you don't need marriage.”
“Wait, like white dress, flowers, party, the whole deal?” Elise asked.
“That's the plan,” I told her. “And why, Lil? Because it's important to Oscar. He's new to our ways and if it's easier to understand for him, then we're going to do it.” They looked at Maddie to see how she felt about it. “Oh, she already said yes, no take-backsies.”
Maddie giggled. “It'll be fun.”
I knew the moment it sank in and Lily heard what we were telling her. She squealed and clapped, jumping up and down. “I get to be the maid of honor!”
I didn't think it was really a question. “Dork, you can't nominate yourself for something like that.”
“Wanna bet, little brother,” she said with a smirk. I groaned and rolled my eyes.
“Yes, you are going to be my maid of honor,” Maddie said, and the three girls sat down on the couch in my office and began planning it out.
“Wait,” Elise said. “Where are you having it and who's officiating?”
“That's up to Mad, but I was thinking the new house. Oh, and Cole Anderson is officiating.”
“Cole?” Lily asked. It was no secret she'd always had a huge crush on him, even though he was far too old for her, and definitely not her one true mate. The entire world would have known about it long before now if that had been the case.
“Yes, Cole is getting certified so he can perform the ceremony.”
“When did you plan all this?” Maddie asked, laughing.
I shrugged. “Yesterday.”
I sat down at my desk and tried to get some paperwork done, knowing they weren't going to leave anytime soon. After awhile the distractions and the giggling became too much, and I would have been lying if I wasn't getting a little stressed from all the plans they were quickly making over this wedding.
“Hey, I did call you over to take Oscar on a tour, not bore him to death with your babbling, and don't you two have work to do, too?”
Lily rolled her eyes at me. “Come on, Oscar, I'm thinking someone wants a little alone time with your mom.”
I wish, I thought. What we were going to be doing was nowhere near as fun as what Lily was thinking.
They finally left. Maddie was beaming with happiness. They had done that, and for that I was thankful. No, I had done that. Who knew a wedding would mean so much to a girl? I noticed she kept looking down at her hand that was now wearing my ring. I didn't think anything could wipe the smile off my lady's face. I hated to bring Annie and Jacob up, fearing it would burst her joy, but it needed to be done.
“You ready to call Annie?” I asked anxiously.
“Yes! I can't wait to tell her, she's going to be so excited.” Then it hit her. Life with Annie was very different now. She looked a little sad, but determined not to let it get to her.
I put the phone on speaker, and she dialed the number she knew well.
“Hello?”
“Annie, it's Maddie,” she said.
I could hear Annie crying. “Janie—er, Maddie, whatever you want, I'm so happy you called. Jacob and I weren't sure we'd ever hear from you again.”
“I was upset at first, but I'm trying to let it go. I know it's only been a few days, but honestly it feels like a lifetime ago,” she told her.
“I know exactly what you mean,” Annie exclaimed. “Is Oscar there? Can I speak with him? We miss you both so much.”
“Miss you too. Oscar's not here right now though. And Annie, I have some questions I really just need answers to. Can you do that?”
She sighed. “I'll try.”
I sat back and just listened, taking in their conversation.
“You really didn't know what I was, even knowing all you know?”
“We really, truly didn't. I don't think either of us has ever been more shocked in our lives. I mean, of course we recognized the Collier name, and vaguely remember when the youngest daughter went missing, but never once did we ever suspect that was you.”
“How much do you know about people like me?”
“Everything. The Verndari have been passing down the knowledge from generation to generation since the beginning of time. I told you, our job is to protect you. Almost all legends and lore exist as ways to protect your kind. The Verndari did that.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, forgetting she didn't know I was on the line, too.
“Liam?” she asked hesitantly.
“You're on speaker, Annie. It's just the two of us. If you truly know anything about our kind, you know I can't keep any secrets from him.”
“Because he's your mate?” she asked.
“Yes, and soon-to-be husband.” Maddie beamed.
“You're getting married?”
“We are, and I'd really like you and Jacob to be here for it.”
I quirked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, giving me a sheepish look.
“Is that really what
you want?” I mouthed to her. She stared at me for a moment and then nodded. I sighed. “Okay,” I mouthed again. Whatever Maddie wanted or needed this wedding to be, I was damn sure going to give it to her.
“You really mean it?” Annie said.
“I do,” Maddie confessed. Both women began to cry, and plan, and I sat back in my chair, knowing we weren't going to get any further anytime soon. They talked for nearly an hour before things started to turn serious again.
“Annie, I have a few more questions for you. I'm not sure you're going to like them though,” Maddie said, drawing my attention back. She walked around my desk and sat in my lap. It was clear she needed my touch to get through the next part. I wasn't sure that simple gesture should have brought me so much joy.
“My friend, her aunt is missing. It's been alluded to that the Verndari are researching, perhaps even experimenting on, our kind. Is that true? We think they may have Raina.”
Her quick intake of breath through the phone was heard loud and clear. “I-I can't talk about that, Janie.”
“So it's true then?” she demanded.
“It's not safe to discuss that here, Janie.”
“Annie,” I said, “what did you mean about the legends and lore? Can you answer that?”
There was relief in her voice when she responded this time. “There are so many, I don't even know where to begin. Nearly every myth or legend in existence is a cover-up by the Verndari to protect some shifter or another.”
“Can you give me an example?”
“Okay, how about werewolves. A silver bullet will kill a werewolf. Have you ever touched silver, Liam?”
I laughed. “I have actually. We are entirely immune.”
“Exactly!” she said, like that was precisely the answer I was looking for. “Do you know that your metabolism runs seventy-five percent faster than a human’s?”
“I'll take your word for it.”
“During the medieval period, shifters were struggling. It was a hard time for everyone and it was easier to find food as a beast than as a human, if you get my point. So more and more began appearing and the humans were taking notice. Several wolves were even killed. What we observed was that the lead from the bullets would enter your body, and because of your high metabolism, would speed through your circulatory system at an alarming rate, causing severe lead poisoning. Many died from this. Silver, on the other hand? Nothing, so the Verndari began the story that the only way to kill a werewolf . . .”
“Was to shoot it with a silver bullet,” I finished for her.
“Exactly. Therefore, in reality, saving the poor creature from a miserable death.”
“Are you aware that, even to this day, we rarely keep silver around? It's almost a rite of passage with young men to handle it, because they are so fearful because of that myth. Now, I know it was bullshit, because I have touched it and even swallowed some on a dare, but it is still a common fear.”
Annie laughed. “I promise, that was never the intent.”
“What else?” I asked, growing more curious.
“Um, how about vampires.”
“Don't tell me vampires are real!” I said, smelling the bullshit on that one.
“No, not at all. But, well, you're aware of the bonding practices of shifters.” Her voice softened. “You and Janie will be experiencing it firsthand soon, if you haven't already.”
“I'm aware,” I said, neither confirming nor denying her real question.
“So, anyway, during the age of exploration, people—shifters too—were traveling about more, and spreading out across this planet. Now, wolves are pack animals and largely moved together, but that's not the case with most shifters. Many had dispersed, leaving others desperate to find a mate. In the search for their mates, there became a practice among some that would leave them biting anyone they could find. A small few took it too far and humans began to notice as bodies were found drained almost entirely of blood at times, and so began the legend of the vampire as a smokescreen to protect the shifters.”
Everything she was saying made so much sense, and yet it was unbelievable to fathom at the same time.
“Wait, I thought the vampire legend came from the Dracula book, didn't it?” Maddie asked.
“Well, yes, there's some truth to that. It didn't actually come from the book, but he certainly heightened our cause with that one, didn't he?” Annie said with a smile in her voice.
“So you're saying he was Verndari?” Maddie asked.
“That's exactly what I'm saying,” Annie confirmed.
“So, if what you're saying is true, and the Verndari have been protecting our kind for all these generations, why the shift to testing and researching now?” I asked.
“Hold on, someone's at the door,” Annie said. I heard some commotion in the background coming through her line. Hushed voices I couldn't make out. “Janie, sweetie, I'm so happy you and Oscar are enjoying your vacation. We can't wait to see you both soon. Miss you. Love you. I'll be in touch again soon.”
“Goodbye, Annie,” Maddie said.
“What just happened?” I asked.
“Someone was there. She warned us it wasn't safe to talk on the phone. I just hope we didn't get them into any trouble.”
“You think their phone was tapped or something?”
“I don't know what to think, Liam, but she said she'd be in touch, so we have to believe they'll find a way.”
That was the last we heard from Annie and Jacob. Weeks went by and we settled into our new life. Oscar had his friends he spent a great deal of time with. Maddie and the girls were busy planning the wedding, which was coming up quickly. The house was on schedule to be completed in another month. They were knocking it out in record time. And Maddie and I still hadn't bonded. With each passing day I worried we never would. I feared it wasn't physically possible.
Love, desire, and intimacy certainly weren't our problems. We were growing closer and more comfortable and confident with and in each other by the day, but I still couldn't bring myself to try having actual sex again. Every time I even thought of it, I'd remember the fear in her eyes the day we'd tried and it made me sick. I had no problems pleasing her and loved how responsive she was to me, but for me, I'd taken to handling things myself in that department. It was never the same and seemed to be lacking more and more each day.
Just last night, Maddie had caught me jacking off in the shower. To my surprise, she'd stopped me and taken care of things herself. If I couldn't have her, that was definitely the next best thing. It made me hard as a rock just thinking about it. I wasn't sure which of us had been more shocked by her boldness, but I had loved it.
She was still asleep next to me as I grew harder and more and more uncomfortable from the memories of that shower. I tried to ease out of bed without waking her, but when she was using my chest as her personal pillow, it made it a little difficult. I felt guilty touching myself with her right there, but I was getting desperate and needed relief.
I started stroking myself and closed my eyes, willing back the groan wanting to escape. I was startled and my eyes flew open as I felt her soft hand wrap around mine and join me. She was watching me closely and I'd never felt so exposed. I wasn't exactly used to being vulnerable, not even in front of my mate.
She kissed me and increased the pressure as I groaned.
“I want to try something. I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a try.”
I couldn't talk, I was raw with so much need, and simply nodded. She smiled, looking a little relieved. As if I'd ever tell her no.
She sat up and moved to straddle me. I was once again surprised by her boldness but I just watched as she rubbed herself against me. I had to grip the sheets in fists to keep from reaching for her. I wanted her so bad. She seemed to be testing herself, or maybe me; I wasn't sure, but I could feel how hot and ready she was, too.
She grabbed hold of me and started to lower herself down on me. She froze and I thought she was going to panic again,
but she didn't. She smiled and began to move, searching for a rhythm that felt right. I only lasted another minute before I had to touch her. I had to move with her.
Our breathing increased. My heart was pounding in my chest. Sweat shone on her body, giving her a beautiful glow as she rode me to her release and I followed her into ecstasy.
She collapsed onto my chest. I thought she was going to cry, but she didn't. She looked up and grinned. She was so unbelievably beautiful. “We're going to be okay,” she said.
“I'd say okay is a huge understatement.”
Maddie
Chapter 24
Liam and I had been together a full month already. Oscar had begged to go to school with his new friends at the start of the new semester. I was skeptical at first, and by far it had been a harder transition on me than on him, but he seemed happy, and was fitting in famously. Overall life was good.
I had done a lot of soul searching and growing since coming to San Marco. I came to the realization that the boys who raped me had stolen my control. No matter how much I loved Liam, feeling him press down above me, pinning down my arms, any movement that made me feel trapped, was a trigger back to that night. It wasn't that I didn't trust him. I knew he would never hurt me, but the irrational fear from the memories always seemed to surface. Sometimes I was better at hiding it than others and I'd gotten good at changing positions when I started to feel the panic.
The thing was, I wanted my mate. I wanted a normal relationship without the fears from my past. I didn't know how to fully explain all of that to him, so I began exploring opportunities to take control myself. When I was in control, I felt invincible and free to explore myself and my mate. It had worked, and I couldn't keep the stupid grin off my face, which probably wasn't a good thing since I was having a late lunch with Lily.
Lily was meeting me out at the new house. The foundation was done and the framing was complete. When I arrived a little early, I was excited to see we even had floors now. Troy kept reassuring me it would all be complete before the wedding in just four weeks. I could not wait to start our life together.
Forever Mine (Westin Pack Book 3) Page 21