CHAPTER ONE
Daryl stood with the other betas as they watched Rachel drive off, heading to Cornwall and Sara. As pleased as he was that they got to have their happy ending, part of him struggled to understand how they could commit to a lifetime bond when they hardly knew each other.
Refused to understand,more like it.
Bonds weren’t everything they were cracked up to be. At least not in Daryl’s mind.
Cam clapped him on the shoulder. “You okay?”
Daryl startled, cursing inwardly at being caught unawares. “Yeah, fine.”
“You know,” Cam started, and his tone had Daryl instantly on edge. “I spoke to Carole yesterday.”
“Oh?” The mention of Daryl’s mum shouldn’t immediately have gotfair o his back up, but it did.
As much as Daryl loved Cam, this topic wasn’t one he cared to discuss, especially not out on the street with the rest of the betas.
“She’s going to be in the city in a few weeks for a meeting with the prison governor at Krillick Hall.”
Daryl waited, knowing what was coming, but a wave of guilt had him pre-empting it. “She wants to see me?”
Cam spared the others a quick glance as they trooped back inside, sighing as the door closed behind them. “She’s your mother, of course she wants to see you.” He scratched a hand through his hair, then gave Daryl’s shoulder a squeeze. “I wouldn’t normally interfere, but she’s worried about you and asked me to make sure you were okay.”
Daryl huffed out a laugh, only slightly more fond than bitter. “I’m a grown man, for fuck’s sake.
She shouldn’t be calling you to check up on me.” He loved his mum, but this kind of stuff pissed him off.
Cam raised an eyebrow. “Maybe if you were grown up enough to answer her texts or call her once in a while, she wouldn’t have to resort to contacting me.”
Fair point.
Daryl fidgeted on the spot, looking down at his feet. She might’ve been overbearing sometimes, but he’d been a shit son these past few years. Not that he didn’t love her, because he did, fiercely. It was just . . . “It’s hard sometimes,” he managed, the words sticking in his throat. The last few days with Sara and Rachel hadn’t been smooth sailing, and sleep refused to come easy. Seeing the damage a potential bond could cause brought back memories he’d rather not revisit.
Even last night, when they were safely back in their own beds surrounded by the warm familiarity of pack, Daryl had struggled to relax. At the back of his mind, he’d had a good idea why but refused to let it come to the fore.
Not wanting to acknowledge it.
But now Cam was forcing him to address it, and talking about shit like this was the very last thing he wanted to do. He met Cam’s gaze. “I know I should keep in touch more, but . . . it’s like I struggle with what to say without mentioning . . .”
Cam’s expression softened. “I know. But you don’t have to talk about the past, Daryl. I’m sure she’s got no wish to bring it up either.”
Daryl didn’t doubt it for one second. But how could he tell Cam that with everyone finding their fucking mates recently, it brought it all back to him, chipping away at that part inside that he struggled so hard to lock away? They were the reason he found it hard to face his own fucking mother.
He was pleased for all of them, they were his pack and he loved them. But they only knew the joy that came from a completed bond. He’d witnessed the ugly side to it, and seeing his mum now would be bad for both of them.
“Just think about maybe meeting her for lunch, or at least return her texts.” Cam gave him that look, and Daryl knew he’d have to at least give it some serious thought, whether he wanted to or not.
“Fine.” But not until they got the pack bonding out of the way.
One thing at a time.
Going for a change of subject, he said, “Are we waiting until Rachel gets back to discuss the final details for the pack-bonding trip?” Daryl had been party to most of the discussions with Alpha Cornell at the council headquarters, but that had been mainly suggestions, ideas of what the council could offer them. Only Cam knew the specifics.
Cam met Daryl’s gaze, green eyes filled with a mix of concern and hope. “No, I don’t want to waste the next two days. The sooner we get this pack headed in the right direction, the better.”
Daryl was about to agree when angry voices filtered over to them from the pack building next door. Both he and Cam turned, listening.
“This is your fucking fault,” one of them grumbled.
