Chapter 22 - Faye

The scratchy voice was gone. Thank the Gods and Goddesses that the voice was gone , and whatever demons had been trying to screw with me were defeated. Mate bites truly were the most powerful magic in the universe. Though much of my fight was internal, I had been able to transfer my power to Hector in that last lunge for victory. He caught my power through the mate bond and exploded with his affection, sending the demons running to the very edges of the universe. That was all last night—and it was hard to believe it was now a new day.

Hector hadn't stopped touching my stomach since last night. At every turn, he rolled his fingers across my lower belly or rested his hand on my solar plexus. Even now, as we sat down at the kitchen table with two people I hadn't seen in quite a few weeks, his hand remained fixed to my belly.

Blake and Troy looked the same as ever. I felt awkward sitting with them while Hector massaged my tummy. Neither of them seemed bothered by the gesture, so I tried to relax.

But that was hard to do. "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner."

Troy nodded. "We're just relieved you're alive."

I exchanged a couple of confused looks with Hector, feeling like maybe the alphas were performing. Blake had to be disappointed, and Troy had to have been worried, too.

Blake shrugged in his bad boy nonchalant way. "Yes, you're alive. But are you well?"

I laughed. "I'm more than well. I've been mated." I held Hector's hand. "I know it's not conventional, but… we're in love."

Blake reached for the pile of cookies in front of him. Biscuits were stacked neatly on another plate next to it and jelly rolls right next to that. There were several flaky scones made with raspberries. For me, there was a plate of bacon which I picked at without the same gusto as usual, but I picked at it nonetheless because I was very much hungry.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Blake bit his cookie as Troy reached for a biscuit. After chewing, Blake added, "Are you under a spell?"

I shook my head. "No, I fought off the demons." I squeezed Hector's hand. " We fought off the demons. They shouldn't bother us anymore."

Troy offered a sympathetic frown. "Can you walk us through that experience again?"

For the third time on the same day, I recounted last night's battle. A demon had attached to my uncertain feelings about being kidnapped and forced mating ritual, so I became susceptible to its charms. Though there was nothing charming about it, I had been truly lucky not to become fully possessed. The bite mark had thwarted the full possession and gave me the strength to fight back against the hoard.

The afternoon was late once I finished my recollection, and the sun was cascading through the back door, casting strong lines over the table. Some heat from the sun rays added to the chill of West Virginia's October weather.

Blake reached for my hand. "We're glad you're okay. Demons can tap into your power and pervert it."

I nodded. "That was exactly how I described it when it happened."

"We're also grateful that the mate bond protected you," Troy said. "If you hadn't been bitten…" He sighed. "Well, we don't want to think about what might have happened."

Blake shot Hector a sharp look. "Not exactly thrilled how the bite happened. You kidnapped one of my members."

Hector bowed his head. "Please, forgive me for taking her. It wasn't my intention to cause any kind of worry or anything like that. The only reason I did it was to save my pack."

I frowned at him. "You didn't tell me it was a save your pack. You told me it was so people would take you seriously."

Troy tilted his chin up, pondering quietly. "I can see how it would be to save your pack."

Blake shook his head. "Anything the alpha does out of selfishness is not something to save the pack."

Troy pointed his long forefinger at Blake. "Actually, if you truly think about it, the pack needs to respect the alpha to function properly. If the pack doesn't respect the alpha, then the pack falls apart. No one, not even the previous alpha, can keep it together once it crumbles."

I hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I hadn't thought of it that way."

"In such positions, a sacrifice must be made," Troy continued. "So, I understand Hector's motivations. And I offer my forgiveness."

Hector sighed with relief. He bowed his head again. "And I promise to always be an allegiance with both of you. If we unite our two packs, then we can get a lot done. We might have been opposed in the past, but that is all in the past. It's water under the bridge. I'm not worried about it."

Blake crossed his arms over his chest, puffing up a little bit. "Adrian hasn't exactly been a fan of our mixed pack. What makes him so keen on it now?"

Hector raised his head and smiled. "Because now I'm the alpha, and what I say goes."

Blake and Hector traded a quiet glance.

Hector cleared his throat and tugged at his shirt collar. "Within reason, obviously."

Without a word, my previous alphas continued to stare at each other. It was one of their famous silent debates, the two using their ability to duke it out in their brains. Troy was calm as a cucumber with a soft smile and radiance that told me everything was going to be just fine. He delicately reached for a scone and took a couple of bites, nibbling on it happily.

Finally, Blake nodded. "Alright, I can respect that."

Hector practically deflated. Everything was going better than expected. I understood that feeling, too. I understood the way it felt to be under so much pressure.

Speaking of pressure, I kept looking at my phone in my hands. I hadn't talked to Kylie a lot. I hadn't really talked to Fred either. I felt bad for putting so much space between us, but I just wanted things to be settled here.

Troy set a cup of tea in front of me. "What vexes you, dear Faye?"

I looked at Blake and then looked back at Troy. My gaze fell to the mug of tea between my hands. "I just feel bad that I didn't tell Kylie and Fred that I wanted to stay here. I don't think they would have believed me. Kylie thinks I'm under some kind of Stockholm Syndrome."

Blake laughed. "Clearly, you're not under any kind of spell. You're a very powerful magician to have fought off a demon with your mind, and given some of your power to your mate to assist that fight. You know that's incredible, right?"

I blushed. "I wouldn't call myself incredible." With a grin, I added, "But I would say amazing is a better word."

Hector guffawed. "You can literally tear my entire living room apart with a tornado. I think that word should be upgraded to terrifying ."

"Don't you mean our living room?" I corrected. I rolled my eyes. "And I suppose you're right about that. So, I guess you better not pick any fights with me."

Troy chortled while Blake laughed again. Even through the uncertainty, things were actually okay for now.

Blake gestured to the living room, which was now cleaned of any sign of damage. "Kylie and Fred are here. They came with us if you'd like to speak to them."

I nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

Before we could exchange any other information, my brother barged into the house. He zipped into the kitchen breathlessly with splotches on his face and his hair in his eyes. He bent over and held himself up on his knees, trying to suck gulps of air into his lungs.

Hector was at his side in an instant. "What's going on?"

Cliff pointed back, wheezing, sputtering, "You got… to come out… and see this."

The five of us piled out onto the porch and trailed after my jogging brother. Hector took my hand as we followed Cliff. I kept casting confused glances at Blake, Troy, and Hector. Something was up. I could feel it in the air, an apprehensive energy tingling in the air.

We came upon a crowd that had gathered near the guest houses at the edge of the neighborhood. Adrian was up at the front, chatting with such an animation I had never seen before. A few people parted to give us space to move into the group. The alphas were behind me, Cliff was leading us, and Hector was stuck to my side with his hand clasped in mine. It felt like a strange train going through the crowd.

I passed Daria and then Mortimer as well, the gargantuan man hovering over the crowd with a critical and watchful eye to make sure nobody was going to do anything stupid. Heads were in the way. I couldn't see what was up ahead. I could just hear the wave of chuckles that came back in ripples.

When we reached the center, where Adrian was standing with three other people, Hector froze in place with his fingers digging into my knuckles. I looked up at him, noticing the terrified look on his face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

He gulped. "I am seeing a ghost—two of them."

He pointed between two big heads toward a very frail and weird-looking woman wearing a cloak and trying with all her might to hide the flask that she was holding in her hand under one of the cloak sleeves.

Trying and failing.

That could only be one person. "Aunt Gerta."

I squinted at the two people with Adrian, noticing their worn faces. Hector pushed through the crowd to get closer, giving us a better view. One of the people had blue eyes and the other had violet. The way that they stood, their mannerisms, the way that the man tilted his head back and laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling reminded me of someone. The way that the woman smirked looked familiar. She held a bike helmet under one arm, wearing a leather jacket with leather pants and pointed boots. The man was wearing much the same except his boots had large buckles on them. He had a pair of drumsticks in his back pocket. Dark hair. Olive skin.

My jaw dropped. "My Goddess, those are your parents."

Hector mashed my hand. "What are they doing here? They're not welcome."

I hissed as I tapped his shoulder. "Hand."

He gaped in shock at my red knuckles. "Cherry pie, I'm so sorry…" He kissed my knuckles delicately. "I'm just angry that they're here and acting so friendly."

"Maybe that means they're willing to make up for their mistakes, whatever those are."

"Not possible."

I smiled gently. "Aren't we in the spirit of forgiveness right now?"

"You don't even know what they did to me."

I nodded. "That's true, but I think I have an idea—and I have another idea, too."

Without hesitation, I stepped toward the two people I had never actually met. I had heard about them. I had seen a few pictures here and there. But Hector didn't talk about his parents. Probably for a good reason.

Aunt Gerta had a scrawny frame and beady eyes. She was short, around the age of forty-two, and usually wore floral-patterned dresses. Today, her dress was covered with a giant cloak. The closer I got, the more I could smell the vodka wafting from her skin. She looked at me with a snarl. "Oh yeah, this is the floozy he picked up."

His parents suddenly focused on me, their eyes drilling, criticizing, and inspecting. I was used to that. So, I wasn't bothered in the least. I smiled gently and opened my arms. "Welcome home."

The woman looked pained. Her tired eyes looked over my shoulder at her child. Her hair was wiry and fluffy around her face, a tattered brown trimmed in layers that appeared like it had been bleached too many times. "I'm not so sure my son thinks the same."

I shrugged. "I guess that means we all should chat, shouldn't we?"

Hector's father stepped forward and jutted out his hand. "Call me Patrick." He pointed to his wife. "And this is Darla."

Aunt Gerta stepped forward. "I don't think you should—"

Patrick glared at his sister. "I don't think you should speak anymore. I'm having a moment with my family."

My smile widened. "Let's take this somewhere private, shall we?"

***

Hector couldn't have possibly looked angrier when I invited his parents into our home. There was so much tension in the air that I probably could have sliced it with a claw. I made some tea, refreshed the biscuits on the plate, and put some butter on the table. I heated up a couple more things, some leftover steak tips and potatoes, knowing that they were starving.

Wolves who travel ate pretty much triple that of a stationary wolf. Though Hector was incredibly frustrated, he sat stiffly in his chair, politely passed napkins, and refilled drinks as needed. Blake and Troy had bid us farewell for the moment, heading out to join Kylie and Fred in one of the guest cabins.

I still hadn't spoken to my best friend, but I knew I had to, eventually. There were just some other loose ends we had to tie up first.

I sat to the right of Hector, focusing on the woman in front of me, Darla. "So, what brings you back?"

Darla glanced at her husband. "The tour ended, and we were tired. We just wanted to check in on things."

Hector laughed rigidly. "That's rich coming from a couple of people who abandoned me."

Patrick struggled with his words for a second and then said, "We did leave you with Aunt Gerta."

Darla raised her forefinger. "It's not like she's a bad caregiver."

Hector clenched his fists on the table. "No, she just drinks a lot. And criticizes everything I do. And tries to tell me how to do things. And thinks that the only way to do things is her way. So, you know, I got a whole belt load of crap as soon as you guys left to live the rock star life. How's that been going so far?" Hector glared at his father. "You still doing cocaine?"

Patrick looked hurt for a second. But when he wiped his nose, he nodded forcefully. "Actually, I've been free of drugs for like three years now."

Darla nodded. "Same. We've been going to meetings."

I touched Hector's arm. "That sounds pretty good. I think it's always a great start to take care of yourself."

Hector flinched when I took his hand. "Right."

Some of the tension melted from his body.

"Yeah, it's always a good idea to take care of yourself," I said. "We've been trying to do the same thing here. We had a couple of hiccups, but…" I trailed off, feeling like something was lurking in the background, some kind of doubt that I couldn't pinpoint. I ignored it as best I could. "We had a weird encounter the other night."

Darla frowned with concern. "What do you mean?"

Hector took my hand in his. "We were just performing a ritual to make sure that we were mates and Faye here got attacked by some local demons."

Patrick growled viciously, though I didn't take the sound to be directed at us. "We heard some rumors in town about some demons coming through, but we didn't think that they would be bold enough to approach this pack."

"We've been dealing with increased attacks lately," I explained. "They were trying to get to me. Because of my power."

Darla reached for my hand. "Are you okay?"

It was weird to feel the concern in the room. Hector had suddenly dropped all his resentments and joined his parents in showing concern for me. I looked down at my plate, staring at the flaky biscuit there that I'd only taken one bite of. I was nauseous. I was tired. I wanted to do so many things to my mate right now while napping at the same time. "I'm sorry. It's just a little overwhelming."

Darla patted my hand. "Of course, it is. It's hard with demons. They're probably the most unnatural in our world."

I nodded as I thought about the details of my fight. The way I had to force myself to look at the light instead of falling into the darkness. It was tough and I was still tired from it. "I'm okay. And I understand how it feels to have problems with family."

Hector snorted while Patrick shook his head.

Patrick gestured around. "I don't see what the problem is."

Darla gave him a look of warning. "Patrick, don't start with that."

"No, no, I should start with it. We should talk about it, right?" Patrick sat up a little straighter. "This kid thinks that we abandoned him when we put him in a safe place so that we could go on tour."

Hector huffed. "You've been on tour for the last ten years. Maybe even longer. Is that your idea of good parenting?"

Patrick sneered. "It was better than you watch us overdose, wasn't it?"

I covered my mouth, feeling the nausea rise again.

Darla waved her hands. "Please, don't start arguing. I don't want this to happen again."

Hector mimicked his mother's movements. "No, this is the perfect time. Honestly, we should get it all out in the open, just like Patrick here said."

Patrick growled. "I don't think it's right for you to call me by my name."

"Well, it's not like you've exactly been a dad."

It felt like I had stepped back in time with my own parents. How similar it was to things within my own family. I understood now why Hector and I were such a strong match. I understood what it would take to heal each other's paths and to make sure that our family accepted us. It was going to take strength in numbers and committed connection. It was going to take understanding and patience.

And it had to start with us.

It had to start with me .

I squeezed Hector's hand. "I really think you all ought to learn how to get along if you're going to be grandparents."

The room felt so quiet that I could have probably heard a mouse drop a pin somewhere.

Hector stared at me in shock. "What did you just say?"

I smiled, chuckling as tears fell from my eyes. "You're going to be a dad. So, maybe you should start healing your relationship with your dad, don't you think?"

He trembled as he held me, reaching for my stomach and then reaching for my face. He pulled me into his arms, pulled me into his lap, and cradled me. He didn't speak, but I felt it in his soul. He was happy. We were going to be a family. A real family.

A good family.

Finally.