They walked through the front door of Riley’s house and the scent of garlic bread and tomato sauce hit Riley. “Aw, man! I’ll never get tired of that smell. Spaghetti, right?” Riley called.
Cristie’s squeal of laughter came from the kitchen and was followed almost immediately with a, “We gots ‘sketti’s, Doddy! And beatballs!”
“Yayyyyy!” Riley did a little happy dance for her. “And I know who wanted ‘sketti for lunch. You, right?” he asked Cristie, leaning over to kiss her head.
“Yes!” she agreed, already halfway through her first plate. She grinned up at him, her little hands and face splattered in spaghetti sauce. She picked up another piece of meatball and popped it in her mouth.
Richie had already served everyone’s plate and placed them in their usual spots, so the men only needed to wash their hands and sit down to their meals.
About twenty minutes later, they were all on their second helping and laughing, enjoying each other’s company, when the front door opened, followed by loud, booted footsteps.
All three men looked at each other, hurriedly standing to go intercept whoever the intruder was, when a shrill whistle sounded, followed by a very familiar, very unexpected voice.
“Hey! Where ya’ll at? Poppy’s here!”
Cristie almost hyperventilated she was so excited, starting a constant scream and shaking her hands in front of her while she slid off her phone books and bolted from the room.
Riley made no move to follow. He stood there spellbound, his mouth agape.
“Who is it, Riley? What do you need us to do?” Lucas snarled, ready to attack whoever it was.
Riley just looked at him.
Richie started from the room, following Cristie, “Cristie’s in there, Riley! What the hell?”
Finally Riley found his voice, “It’s Maverik, my Mate’s father.”
Richie was already out of the room and rushing after Cristie.
Riley slowly turned and faced the doorway that led out of the kitchen and into the hallway, past the stairs then into the living room.
Lucas preceded him into the hallway, “Come on, man. It’ll be alright. Maybe she’s with him.”
Riley’s eyes met Lucas’, his heart was pounding. Please, oh please, let her be with him, he thought to himself. His next thought was, but what if she’s not?
Then his Panther became alert in his mind, Smell Mate!
Chapter 19
Maia followed Maverik up the cement stairs and onto the cement porch of a really old, but really nice house set back from the side of the old two lane highway winding its way up and down and around all the hills they’d been driving through for some time now.
He didn’t knock; instead, he threw open the door and walked right inside.
She followed thinking, Damn, I hope they know we’re coming, “Daddy! Don’t you think you should knock?” Maia rushed out in a whisper.
“Naw, they family.” Then he yelled, “Hey! Where ya’ll at? Poppy’s here!”
Her heart dropped. Nooooo. It couldn’t be.
Then her Wolf came alive in her mind, jumping around, twisting and turning as she jumped into the air, wagging her tail, Smell Mate! Smell Mate, go to Mate, kiss Mate! Now, hurry, hurry!
“What the hell have you done?” she yelled at Maverik.
“Told you we don’t curse, baby-girl!” he snapped over his shoulder, just as a very familiar blue-eyed, blonde-haired angel of a toddler came barreling down the hallway and launched herself into Maverik’s arms.
“Poppy, Poppy, Poppy!” she chanted over and over again between laughs and giggles interspersed with hugs and tomato sauce covered kisses.
Maia’s eyes filled with tears when Cristie’s eyes finally found hers, and Cristie’s little face skewed up into a pinched look before she burst into tears and reached her arms out toward Maia crying, “Mai! Mai!”
Maia didn’t think at that particular moment. She just went forward and took Cristie from Maverik, hugging her and kissing her while crying herself and rocking Cristie gently from left to right.
Cristie wrapped her arms around Maia’s neck as tightly as she could and sobbed for all she was worth.
Maia was holding her just as tightly and crying, trying to calm the child, “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here. I’m here. I missed you, too. I missed you so much,” she cooed trying to soothe her, smoothing her hair.
Maia realized that there were males coming down the hallway, the first she didn’t know. He was tall, slender, dark-complected with dark hair and eyes. And he was eyeing her suspiciously, or watching Cristie protectively. She wasn’t sure which — maybe it was both.
The second was a stranger, too. He was huge. He was a blonde, but more of a dark blonde, an obscene amount of muscles covered his entire body. Perfectly straight, white teeth and golden eyes, and he was watching her curiously.
Then her breath caught when she pulled her attention from the male who was obviously a Bear of some kind and found Riley standing there just behind him, watching her.
Her heart lurched at seeing Riley. Every bit of love she’d ever felt came flooding back. Every bit of denial she’d ever managed had been for naught. She was brought back to everything he was to her. But his face told the story — he was devastated, he was hurt, he was angry. Well, you know what? So was she!
Riley held her eyes for as long she did his, until Maverik finally broke the trance.
After having introduced himself as Poppy to both Richie and Lucas, he slapped Riley on the back, “Come to Poppy!” he crowed, grinning, standing back with his arms spread wide.
When Riley didn’t hug him, he grabbed Riley and yanked him into a hug, patting his back, “Thanks for having us, boy. Glad you invited us.”
Riley dragged his attention from Maia to regard Maverik, “You’re welcome, wait, what?”
“Is that spaghetti I smell? Hope you made enough for two more,” he announced, following his nose to the kitchen.
Riley slowly made his way up the hall. He knew, his Panther knew, Maia was in his home. He heard Cristie break into tears and sobs; he could hear Maia soothing her. He could hear Maverik introducing himself to Richie and Lucas. And then, Lucas moved aside, and he got his first look at Maia. She was holding Cristie, who had a death grip on her, and Maia was doing her best to calm her.
She was looking at his Pride suspiciously, then, she seemed to realize he was standing there. Her eyes met his, and his emotions went wild. All the love he’d had for her, all the love he’d tried to set aside so he could just function came rushing back. Along with all the pain he’d felt when she renounced him. It all rushed to the forefront, filling his eyes. He had no doubt that she saw a broken male standing before her. No, he wouldn’t allow it. He refused to be broken before her. He stood proud, his face becoming a mask. Only he knew the shattered heart he housed inside. How could she ever think him unfaithful?
Maverik was suddenly hugging him, thanking him for the invite.
He managed to force the words, “You’re welcome, wait, what?”
“Is that spaghetti I smell? Hope you made enough for two more,” Maverik announced, following his nose to the kitchen.
Richie looked back and forth between Maia and Riley, then said, “I’ll go take care of Poppy,” before following Maverik to the kitchen.
Lucas didn’t move. He wanted to know what the hell was going on, but it didn’t matter. Neither Riley nor Maia even saw him.
“Hello, Maia,” Riley said softly.
“Riley,” Maia replied. Then she rushed past him, careful not to touch him, with Cristie still in her arms, while calling out, “Daddy! Daddy, where are you? We need to talk about this right now! Right now!!”
Maverik answered, “They got meatballs, Maia! And don’t be rude. Daddy taught you better than that!”
Maia rushed into the kitchen, still patting Cristie’s back, “Seriously? This is your plan?”
Maverik, having just taken his heaping plate of food from Richie, grinned at h
er as he took an empty place at the table and sat down. “Yep. Pretty good, huh?”
“No, it’s not pretty good! You know what happened. You know this is not where I should be!”
Maverik had taken his first bite of food, and moaned his pleasure, giving Richie an appreciative glance, “Oh, man, this is amazing! You cook this?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Damn, you need to sell this stuff. Make a fortune.”
“Working on it, we’re opening a store and a diner,” Richie explained, immediately taking a liking to the tatted, mohawked Wolf shifter and his larger-than-life ways.
“Gonna do great,” Maverik said, nodding, as he shoveled in more food.
“Do you hear me speaking to you?” Maia demanded, not believing her dad was ignoring her.
Maverik looked at Maia, “I hear you. You’re wrong. This is where you belong.”
“Daddy! You know what happened! You know…”
Maverik’s eyes flashed, and he raised his voice, “No, I don’t. But I tell you one thing, neither do you. Look around you, Maia. There is no other female here. If you just renounced him, don’t you think he’d at least take up with his other female?”
Maia looked around the kitchen guiltily, then back at Maverik, but said nothing.
“Get off your high horse, Maia. Look at this from a point of view other than yours. Something don’t line up. I know what you heard, I know what you think. But I also know you’re dying inside. And so is he.” Maverik glared at Maia for a moment for emphasis then shouted, “Riley!”
“I’m right here,” Riley said, softly, standing just inside the kitchen door.
“Things ain’t going right at home. Maia needs to move on with her life. It’s time, she’s ready.”
Riley walked forward while Maverik was speaking, and he was now standing off to the side, but he said nothing.
“Fix it, Riley. Maia, you too. Ya’ll fix this shit. You’ll both be miserable if you don’t fix this mess.”
The feeling in the room was tense to say the least.
“Cristie, come eat some of Poppy’s lunch,” Maverik said, smiling at the little girl wrapped around Maia like a small octopus.
Cristie looked up at Maia, then to Poppy. She wanted both and didn’t know how to do it.
Maia kissed her forehead, “Go see Poppy. I’m not going anywhere for a little bit.”
Maia put her down, and Cristie wandered over toward Maverik, looking back over her shoulder at Maia as she went.
“You hungry, Maia?” Richie asked.
Maia looked from the dark-haired male to Riley and back. “I’m okay, thanks.”
“Aw, come on. Let me feed you; it’s what I do,” Richie said, smiling genuinely at her with that easy going way he had about him.
“It’s good, baby-girl,” Maverik mumbled, mouth full.
Richie didn’t wait for her to agree — he just made her a plate and placed it on the table beside Maverik and Cristie. “There you go, Reigna,” Richie said respectfully, paying homage to her status in their Pride. She was obviously Alpha and Mate to their Alpha.
“Reigna?” Maia questioned.
“Where I’m from, you’d be called Reigna in recognition of your status in our Pride.”
Richie didn’t give her time to answer, but rushed to pour her some tea, “Tea, Reigna? Or would you rather chocolate milk like our princess here?” he asked, smiling.
Maia, operating on auto pilot as her emotions were roiling and completely unbalanced, went with manners, “Tea, please — I’m sorry, what was your name?”
“Richie, I’m Richie.”
Lucas, who’d already retaken his seat and was stuffing his mouth, said while pointing his fork toward Richie, “Number 2.”
Maia looked his way, “I see, okay.”
“Eat up, Maia — damn this is good,” Maverik said, then to Richie, “What did you put in these meatballs? They are the best I’ve ever eaten.” Then a stricken look crossed his face before he pinned Maia with a firm look, “Don’t tell Avaleigh I said that.”
Riley had not moved any closer to the table. He was still off kilter, trying to figure out the emotions warring within him. Part of him wanted to rush to Maia and wrap her in his arms. The other part wanted to rage at her for doubting his character, his integrity. Both parts were hurt. And he still wasn’t quite sure how Maverik and Maia ended up in his kitchen having lunch like they lived just down the street.
Maverik seemed to realize his state of mind, “Son?” he said quietly.
Riley didn’t answer, he was busy staring at Maia as she delicately placed a bite in her mouth. He watched her lips close over the tines of the fork, the fork sliding from her mouth, her delicate jaw as she chewed. He was so fucked. No matter how resentful he was at her treatment of him, he was hers, utterly and completely.
Then he heard Maverik’s voice as he barked, “Riley!”
“What?!” he snapped, turning to Maverik.
“Have a seat, son. Let’s share a meal like the family we are before I have to head back to Valerie. She’s about ready to pop, ya know?”
Riley took the seat he’d vacated earlier and sat quietly as he listened to Maverik ramble on about Havoc and Hellion making Valerie sick as a dog,‘er Wolf, no pun intended. Though Maverik got so much of a kick out of it, Riley was sure the pun was intended.
“You’re really going to name your kids Hellion and Havoc?” Lucas asked.
Maverik shrugged, “Maybe. If they give me the birth certificate first,” he grinned evilly. Then he turned to Riley, “So, Riley, tell me about your plans, son. What do ya’ll have going on here?”
Riley forced himself to look away from Maia and engage in conversation with Maverik. He still wasn’t sure what had caused Maverik to bring Maia to him, but he had. And that in itself spoke volumes. Maverik had faith in him.
He told Mav all about the store they planned to stock with necessities and souvenirs, and about the adjoining diner. He told him about the property across the road and how they’d applied for permits to turn it into a mobile home park for the rest of their future Pride, and had scheduled appointments to have electricity poles installed along with the wells for water, and a private drive down the center with designated spots for several mobile homes to start with — then they could add more as needed. Riley told him about the acreage he owned on both sides of the highway and how they’d have plenty of room to grow and prosper.
Maverik watched Riley speak about his growing Pride and their plans and had no doubt he’d made the right call. This was where Maia needed to be, and would be respected and loved, by her Mate and their Pride. He waited for Riley to finish, then smiled at him, proudly. “You’ve done good, Riley. I’m proud of you. Got a good life set up here. Got good males with you.”
“Thank you, Maverik,” Riley said, smiling slightly. He’d not realized how important the male’s approval was to him until just this minute.
“What about construction? That still a possibility or you setting that aside for now?”
“No, it’s still in the plans, but right now there’s only me, Richie and Lucas. We need a few more bodies before we could take on any larger jobs, but it’s coming,” Riley said smiling.
“Maia, he’s doing good. You got a good one. He’s gonna take good care of you,” Maverik said, sitting back, patting his stomach.
Maia watched Maverik trying to fix this, the same way he did everything else. Instead of answering him, she turned to the behemoth sitting next to her, she smiled politely and asked, “What’s your name?”
The male seemed surprised to be the point of her attention and hurriedly swallowed his food before reaching for a napkin to wipe his mouth. “I’m Lucas. Only been here a couple of days, but already thinking of staying.”
“Nice to meet you, Lucas. I’m Maia,” she responded.
“Hello, Maia,” he said, gently shaking her offered hand.
“Where are you from, Lucas?” Maia asked.
“Up no
rth originally. Alaska. But from here and there, now, since leaving the military. Been drifting, not really finding a place to land.”
“How’d you meet Riley?” Maia asked.
Lucas looked up from his meal again, his eyebrows rising at her questioning, before shrugging, “He saved me, Reigna.”
Maia opened her mouth, but wasn’t quite sure how to respond. She turned her attention to Richie, “And how about you, Richie? How did you come to be here?”
Richie smiled, his twin dimples winking at her, “Alpha Riley saved me, too.”
“Naw, you saved yourself, Richie,” Riley said.
“And then you gave me a home. Gave me a future. You didn’t have to.‘Nough said, Alpha,” Richie said, grinning.
“He’s a good male,” Lucas declared, looking at her meaningfully.
“The best,” Richie agreed.
Chapter 20
Maverik looked from each of the males in Riley’s Pride to Riley, then Maia where they sat silently regarding each other, though some of the tension seemed to have dissipated. “Alright, well, Riley, you got a minute to show me around? I’d love to see what ya’ll doing first hand.”
“Sure, yeah, I’d be happy to. You done with lunch?” Riley asked Maverik.
“Yep, lead on.”
Riley showed Maverik everything they were planning from the mobile home park across the highway to the soon-to-be functioning store and diner, his excitement showing through the more he talked about it.
Richie and Lucas hung around while Riley was finishing up the tour in the store, but were sticking to their respective corner of the diner continuing to work where they’d been earlier in the day. Maia stayed at the house with Cristie — who had reestablished her hold on Maia’s neck and refused to let go — but they were now sitting on the porch in one of the rockers, watching Riley show Maverik around.
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