Felix lifted his head towards Katherine. She looked so much like Summer; he had to do a double take. “No, please. It’d be rude of me to let you.”
She smiled softly and took a seat at the island. “You’re Felix, right? Sonnet has spoken a fair bit about each of you. It’s good to put a face to the name.”
Felix turned away from her, trying to refocus on the dishes. “I’m sorry we had to be introduced during circumstances like this.”
Katherine made a soft humming sound, something Sonnet did, too. Felix found his hands hovering over a soaked bowl.
Summer had tried to be angry with Sonnet for disturbing the life she had, but what about Katherine? Here she was, consoling the daughter conceived from an affair. A paid affair, no less.
Felix stopped washing. It didn’t seem important. Instead, he grabbed two glasses, filled them with wine, and took a seat across from Katherine.
“Will she be okay?” Felix finally asked.
He wanted her to be. He had convinced himself she would.
But what if this kills her?
Katherine rubbed her finger against the rim of her wine glass. “You know, I went with my husband to pick her up from the station. I insisted. I wanted to see the child he conceived outside of our marriage. I was hoping it would be this pathetic, terriblethingthat I could laugh at. Turns out, I was the pathetic, terrible thing because the moment I saw her, I had forgiven my husband instantly. Well,” her nose wrinkled, “maybe not completely. But as much as a woman can.”
“You should know, Sonnet holds a lot of love and respect in her heart for you. From what I could tell, she holds so much space in her heart for loving you that she feels overwhelmed by what her existence has done to you.”
“What has her existence done to me?” Katherine’s face was set in a deep frown. “She has only brought me the greatness of being a mother to two beautiful girls whom I love. I have never once looked at her and considered her to be the source of my greatest pain. In fact, I fear she helped heal me in more ways than one. Before, I was a lost housewife still struggling with the depression of being a mother with a husband who felt more likea ghost. When Sonnet came, she demanded change, and I am forever grateful for it. We were able to become a true, dedicated, genuine family because of her.”
“Have you ever told her?”
“No. I had hoped everything I had shown her was enough. I think every mother on the planet hopes her actions fulfill more than words. I should tell her. Especially now.”
Felix nodded his head.
She deserves to know everything.
Katherine was looking deep into her wine glass with a faint smile. “She was such a beautiful little girl. I still remember bringing her home, bathing her, and putting her to sleep in Summer’s bed. She was so delicate, like a fairy. I remember feeling, deep in my gut, an overwhelming rush of love and protection. It was as if she had come from my own womb, and I vowed I would raise her with the dedication I know her real mother had wanted for her. I hope she knew,” Katherine’s voice cracked. “Oh, I hope she knew how well-taken care of her daughter was.”
Felix did, too.
He wished he could have met the woman who helped bring Sonnet into this world, especially because he could tell how much Sonnet loved her. There was respect to be given to the woman who tried, and Katherine, the woman who succeeded.
Felix would succeed. He would be the alpha his mate needed, deserved, and owned completely. Sonnet had her fingers tangled in his soul, and he would spend the rest of his life making sure she knew that’s exactly how he wanted her.
Chapter 51
I called my mom today. Just to hear her voice. And I just ended up crying because I love Sonnet so much and none of this is fair or kind.
Jude had been cuddled up with Sonnet since she finished her bath. Much to her scary sister’s dismay, Summer left and allowed Jude to do his job as her alpha. He held her in his arms, calmed her with his scent, and she fell asleep to the sound and vibrations of his purr. Neither of them slept for very long, but when Jude woke up again, Sonnet wasn’t beside him.
Jude walked softly towards the entrance of her nesting room, where she stood in the soft moonlight from her stained-glass window. Her nest, which she had put together not that long ago with her sister and best friend, was now a complete mess.
“Baby?”
“It’s not right,” she sniffled. “It’s not right.”
“Okay.”
Jude stepped into the room and began bundling things into his arms. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he hated doing nothing.
Sonnet sniffled again before finally joining him. She allowed him to move everything before carefully rearranging things and rearranging them again. Jude didn’t judge or sigh or scold her. He didn’t rub his tired eyes or yawn or sit down. From midnight to 2:00 am, he was on his feet, moving everything around, until finally Sonnet paused, stepped back, and sighed.
“Okay. Okay. I think it’s okay. Do you like it?”
