AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, we can’t, princess,” Topher says. “Sure, we understand her as a wolf, but you are her mother, and that is the most special relationship she will ever have. You know what she needs, Maia, you can give her the world, and you would. She relies on you, she loves you, she’s known you for so much longer than you have known her—because whilst she was inside you, she learnt your voice and heard your love, she learnt that you’ll do anything for her, and she knew from day one that you would protect her. You’re her mum, princess, and that’s something nobody can ever take away from you.”
I blink back the tears and turn to face him properly this time. “You can’t promise that, Toph. The whole reason I’m here is because we’re terrified Ryan’s family are going to try and take her away.”
“That is not the reason you are here,” he says firmly. Topher crouches down next to me, and his eyes are full of an intense feeling I refuse to acknowledge. “You’re here because you are ours, because there’s a future here, when you are ready to accept it and us. We want you, Maia, because you’re you—not because of anything else. Sure, you’re here so that we can help you learn about our world and can provide you help with Phoebe.”
He reaches for my face, gripping my jaw in his large hands, his touch surprisingly gentle. The sparks between us are frenzied as if they, too, can sense my upset. “But the reason you are here, Maia, is because you love your daughter so much that you’re willing to give her the pack and the support that her wolf needs, no matter the cost to yourself. You are a good mum, a beautiful mate, and one day, you’ll never doubt the love we give you.” He gives me a sad smile, and I can sense he wants to say something else, but holds himself back. “Phoebe is yours, and nobody will take her from you.”
I blink, and tears trail down my cheeks. I don’t know how to reply to that, not in my current mood. He’s trying so hard, and it confuses me that much more.
How is the man who says words as beautiful as this the same man who has kept such a huge secret from me?
“Your words are pretty,” I say, leaning away from him. Hurt flashes across his face for a brief second before he covers it with a mask. “But you can’t promise that, and you know it.”
“No, we can’t,” Alex says, reaching over the back of the sofa to hand me a glass of water. I take it with shaky hands and bring it close to me, using the cup as a deterrent for the touches Topher wants to lavish me in.
Alex moves into the room, a sense of confidence surrounding him, and it pisses me off. He’s taken his shoes off, and his socks have a small hole in the toe, and yet, he still seems like he’s in control of the situation.
He doesn’t get to feel this… secure. Not when I’m drowning the way I am, not when I’m so mad at them I could kill them and not even feel guilty.
At least, immediate guilt.
They broke my trust, and here I am playing nice.
I’m a fool.
They’re letting the cuteness between Ben and Phoebe calm me down enough that I’ll not be so mad. I can’t blame them, it’s a smart plan, even if it annoys me further.
“Can you encourage her to change back into her human form, please?” I demand, sitting up properly in the chair now. My tone is more tense, my words sharp, even with the added please.
Ben whines, but I don’t back down. I can see the hesitance from his wolf, but eventually, he gives a small bark, and Phoebe lays down onto her tummy. She gazes up at Ben with pure adoration, and he leans in and licks the side of her face. I scrunch my nose up, but she lets out a delighted whine.
Then, in front of my very eyes, she shifts from her wolf into her human form. My eyes widen as I see the changes in her. Her dark hair seems a little longer, a little thicker, her grey eyes are a little bit brighter. The intense colour fades from them with a blink, but she’s still so alert as I crouch down to pick her up.
“Can someone grab her swing from upstairs, please?” I ask, bringing the little girl in close to my chest. I offer her a feed as Alex bounds up the stairs, and Ben shifts back into his human form, too.
His clothes are still in place, one thing I’m grateful for because I couldn’t handle a naked Ben right now. I’ve read up on werewolves—you know, for research… it totally isn’t something I’ve been reading since I was thirteen—and in a lot of the fiction, they lose their clothes. It seems so inconvenient when compared with the gift they’ve been given, and it was always the thing that annoyed me the most about those stories.
In the real world, I’m grateful it’s not like that. I’m extremely glad my infant daughter—my rare, female, wolf-born child—won’t be exposed to anyone that way.
Phoebe unlatches, and I take a moment to resettle her as Ben awkwardly shuffles on the heels of his feet. The nervous energy he’s emitting has my heart fluttering.
“Thank you for letting Fluffy and I play with her. It was thrilling, even if she doesn’t pose much of a challenge,” Ben says, his voice quite small, and I give a curt nod.
Phoebe unlatches from my boob again, and it’s clear she’s just messing and not wanting an actual feed right now, so I fasten my top back in place. She gazes around the room, not settling on anything.
When Alex brings her swing down from upstairs, I place her in it, and then set up the vibrations. Without prompting, Topher turns on her projector, giving her something to watch, and the four of us settle in for what I hope is going to be an enlightening conversation, even if my heart hurts that Seb isn’t home.
No matter how mad I am, I really hope he’s safe.
19
MAIA
The mood in the room is sombre. Topher is sitting on the armchair, with Alex and Ben sharing the long sofa. I’m in another arm chair with Phoebe in my direct line of sight. She’s in her swing, watching the little sea animals float along the room.
Alex pulled the curtains closed, giving a darker tone to the room, making it easier for the lights to be seen by Phoebe. She’s enthralled, which means as long as we keep our tones quiet and calm, she won’t be disturbed.
Unlike me. I’m just pure disturbed.
