Page 40 of Plus-Size Bullied Mate

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Mom shows up at three without calling ahead, which she’s done my entire life and apparently still hasn’t considered adjusting.

Cole is with her, and I see his truck through the kitchen window before the knock comes. I have a brief moment to predict how this conversation is going to go before I open the door, and I brace myself either way.

Cole stands behind Mom with his gaze fixed on me, and he gives me a subtle nod paired with a vaguely knowing look, as if he’s well aware of the complications I’m already facing. After Dad died and Cole took me under his wing as a kid, he seemed to develop a sixth sense to read me like a book. Regardless of the years, that hasn’t changed either.

I respect him, but that doesn’t make this conversation any easier.

Sensing Tessa through the bond, I can feel her out in the woods, but not too far away to cause any concern.

Instinctively, I wanted to keep her here, exactly where I could see her, but I knew that would be pushing things too far. I’ve already smothered her enough, and I don’t need to make it worse.

At the very least, if she ever tried to run, I’d be on her faster than she could hope to hit Coldreach.

Glancing between Mom and Cole, I murmur, “Coffee?”

“Please,” my mother says. Cole just nods and takes the chair at the far end of the table that he usually does.

Getting to it, I pour the coffee and join them a few minutes later.

“You’re back early,” my mother says. “Most couples wait until the end of the day to return.”

“We could spare a few hours,” I tell them as I take my own seat and prepare myself for whatever angles they’ll try to pry at. “Besides, with Hayes Voss being unpredictable, I didn’t want to be away too long.”

“Spoken like a true alpha,” Cole murmurs into his mug, which earns him a look from Mom. Regardless, he shrugs it off.

“How is she?” She asks, returning her eyes to me.

As genuine as it sounds, I catch the slightly harder edge to her gaze, like she wants to be supportive, but that part of her still can’t get past what happened.

“She’s adjusting.”

Mom gives me a flat look. “Hunter.”

“Tessa came back with me willingly, so that counts for something,” I say, more earnestly this time. “She’s out for a walk, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“It counts for what it is… but that’s not saying much,” Cole mumbles as he sits back and crosses his arms. “How do you feel at least?”

“About which part?”

“All of it. Any of it.”

I glance down at the coffee mug resting between my hands, and I gather my thoughts as well as I can. “The bond is settled. Whatever questions I had before about whether I was reading it correctly or if it would develop into something that warranted acting quickly, they’ve been answered. I’m not doubting it anymore.”

Both of them seem satisfied that I’ve jumped to the chase, but they swallow it in different ways.

Mom’s expression shifts between relief and something more careful. “And Tessa? Does she feel the same?”

“She acknowledged the bond. She just… hasn’t arrived at the same place emotionally with it yet.”

“She’s resisting it,” Cole says, knowing what that means.

“She has every reason to be resistant,” I return, keeping my tone as cool as I can. “So I’m not pushing her.”

Even with the bond completed and returning home with Tessa, knowing she’s safe and sound, the instincts and urges in me still aren’t completely settled yet. Talking about her in a way that even borders on being unsupportive has me on edge.

“Yes, she does,” Cole agrees.