Chapter 16 - Robyn

"I don't need help," I said for the third time in a row. Faye was a curvy rendition of her brother with hazel-brown eyes that sparkled like gems when she was concerned. "I promise I'm fine."

With a hand propped on her round hip, she sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Faye, please."

Gentleness echoed from her expression that carried a hint of anxiety. "So, you're an heiress. How does that happen?"

"Usually, by accident," Hector chimed, his blue-violet eyes a soft contrast to his onyx hair and muscular arms. "Get with the times, Cherry Pie."

I snorted when Faye pierced Hector with a critical glare. "I am a perfectly modernized woman, thank you."

My hands felt weird, hanging in the air. Why was I holding them like this? Everything felt awkward and compact, with three extra people in the house. While one of them may have been the size of a growler jug, I didn't discount her energy, especially being a possible witch-wolf hybrid with superpowers.

Speaking of, that girl was captivating both Cliff and Sydney simultaneously. They were sitting snug at the table, crowded over the baby like she was the most precious thing on the planet.

Cliff cooed at her. Sydney touched her tiny hands. Sydney laughed whenever she squeezed too hard.

That was the perfect picture there, wasn't it? My mate with our daughter cooing at a sweet baby like they had never been apart their whole lives. Pain came swiftly then to remind me about the lonely nights I spent with Sydney by myself in this house without any help. Even my mother had been less than thrilled to participate in caring for her grandchild. Dad visited a few times. Mostly, he was preoccupied with his life.

Everybody seemed to know where to stand and what to do. They knew what to say to each other. But me? I was stuck in the middle of the kitchen with my hands up like a T-rex who was trying to dry dishes.

Cliff gently rocked Sierra in his arms. "Who's the prettiest baby?"

Sydney lightly tapped Sierra's arms. "Yes, the prettiest baby princess baby."

"You said baby twice, Sydney."

"Because she's a baby!"

Hector and Faye chuckled admirably. I stepped back and shrank into the corner of the kitchen while trying to share the laugh. I couldn't.

I didn't want to.

I pressed myself against the counter and tried not to think about the days I spent with Sydney in my arms in the living room when she wouldn't stop crying. I would stare blankly at the wall until I could manage to soothe her with something—a lullaby, cartoons, the baby wolf mobile—and then I would do a round of crying myself.

Daddy is here now .

Yeah, he was here now. But somehow, that felt more painful.

"Robyn, are you alright?"

I raised my eyebrows at Faye. She was so pretty, so motherly, so faithful to her mate. The way she carried herself with confidence made it look like she had this whole mated-to-an-Alpha thing figured out.

I breathed deeply and smiled. "Yeah, I'm just fine."

Faye nodded with a knowing grin and then turned to Hector. "Why don't you take Sydney and Sierra outside with Cliff?"

"I was going to start the burgers." He pointed at the stove. "I know how you get when you're hungry and—"

Faye cleared her throat and nodded to the living room. "I think the girls would love to go outside and bond with their uncles."

Hector squinted at his mate, chuckled softly, and then kissed her forehead. "Yes, Dear."

I stared at Faye long after everyone left. "Alright, you have to teach me whatever spell made that happen."

"Made what happen?"

"Made him listen to you."

Faye laughed as she settled in at the table. She pushed out the chair closest to her. "Come on. Sit down. I know you're exhausted."

"I'm just fine."

"Respectfully, Robyn, if you say that one more time, I'm going to put you into a headlock and wrestle you all the way to a dang sauna to get you to relax. Sit down ."

It seemed her magic worked on other people, too. I took a seat without argument. The stories I heard from Cliff were about things that would make Carrie look like child's play. I drummed my fingers on the table. "So, what's up?"

"You don't have to wear the mask with me. I get it."

"I'm not wearing a mask." I forced a smile. "I'm just rolling with the punches."

She nodded. "I know how hard those punches can be."

"You're his sister. You don't get it. You're too close."

"I'm just far enough away to see that you don't know how to tell Cliff no."

I let my attention drift to the window. "It's hard to say no when he's snapping his fingers at me to do things."

"He can be hard-headed. You need to push back."

"Don't you think I've tried?"

She nodded. "I think you're afraid to try."

"And I think you think you know more than you think you—" I crossed my arms over my chest as I closed my eyes. "I made myself confused."

"I love my brother." She paused for a beat, letting the sentence hang in the air. "That means I love you, too."

I focused on her with blurry vision. It was about time for the crybaby to make an appearance. Wasn't I just thinking about how I used to sob all the time?

I sniffled. "I don't even know you."

"That's okay. You can get to know me. And you can get to know the new Cliff who cares a lot about your daughter."

"He doesn't…" My face scrunched uncontrollably as a wave of grief smacked into my side. "How?"

Faye took my hand in hers. "Hector is going to help him adjust to becoming an Alpha without any training, okay? I promise. We're not going to leave until you two have the hang of things—together."

"I don't understand." I choked, trying to keep the tears back. No such luck with me. "I'm just confused."

"About what?"

I wiped my face and then held my cheeks to keep myself from falling over. "Why me?"

"Honestly, Robyn, I don't know how to answer that. Because I haven't quite figured out why me yet either."

I laughed bitterly. "Great."

"But I can tell you one thing for sure—it takes a lot of strength to be the Alpha's mate. It takes patience, kindness, and compassion. You have all those things."

I sniffled, remaining quiet as I squeezed her hands.

"You're tough stuff, Robyn. You faced down demons with your mate. You worked together to defeat the person who caused suffering for your people. That's a big deal."

"I guess it is."

She chortled. "If you start doubting things now, you'll never survive what's to come."

My whole body quaked. "Wait, what's coming?"

"What?"

"You said something is coming."

Her eyes hardened as she got quiet. "I don't know what you mean, Robyn."

I released her hands and promptly skittered back from the table. "You know what? I think I need to go for a walk."

And then, I ran.

As hard as I could.

***

Coward .

That word circled my mind as I shuffled past the park and my mother's house. I headed south toward the cul-de-sac where Bill's house was located, the very same home that had been abandoned for nearly two weeks now. I marched right up to it, skipping past the open gate and heading for the steps that I took by twos to get to the door.

The knob wouldn't turn.

Drat.

At least I wasn't calling myself a coward anymore. I kept standing there, staring at the knob, trying to figure out why I ran away from Faye when she looked at me like that. The stare was hard and invasive. It felt like she was trying to read my mind.

My heart skipped a beat. She's a witch. Is she psychic?

After vigorously rubbing my arm, I turned around to inspect the porch, noticing the way the swing rattled slightly when the wind blew.

I plopped down into it. "What am I doing here?"

I dropped my face into my hands and let out a desperate groan. This week was a wild and hectic ride that refused to get better. At every turn, I felt like I was fighting off another wave of grief, anger, and confusion. I was tired. I was lonely.

A rock clattered against the porch. I lifted my face from my hands, seeing the very man who had come crashing back into my life with all his problems walking toward the porch, dragging his boots on the cement sidewalk and kicking rocks like a child. His eyes glittered with curiosity as his boots thunked up each step of the porch until he was in front of me.

"Did my sister insult you?"

I huffed and then shook my head. "No, it's fine."

"She said something weird, didn't she?"

"No. Yes. I mean—" I closed my eyes. "I don't know."

He cupped my face with such a loving lightness that a layer of fear dropped away like I was shedding a robe. "Just breathe, Princess. Keep breathing."

Oh, his hands were so warm. His fingertips spoke of his affection and care, the very things I wanted to feel as I jealously watched him comfort his niece in the kitchen.

"I was jealous," I said breathlessly, almost shocked by the realization. "I just…got jealous."

He tilted my chin so I was forced to look up into his eyes. "Of what, Princess?"

"I saw you holding Sierra and…"

He frowned. "And?"

Tears billowed in my eyes. "And I never saw you hold Sydney like that."

His eyes rounded with sorrow. " Oh ."

I wanted to run again, but I didn't want to hide. I just wanted to get the adrenaline out of my system.

I stood up just as the sky darkened with rain clouds. Thunder rumbled overhead, bringing with it a chilly wind full of petrichor. "Come on, loser."

"What?"

I yanked my sweater off. "Let's go for a run."

"Right now?"

"You owe me a date, right?"

He grinned as I dropped my jeans. "I mean, I can't argue with this."

"That means I win, loser ."

"Last one to the mechanic shop will be the loser."

I smirked. "We'll see about that."

After piling my clothes neatly on the first porch step, I stood on the cement walkway with my arms wide toward the sky. I tilted my head back, welcoming the initial few drops of rain as my face began to contort into a snout.

Yes, please, cleanse me .

The clouds broke open, rain hailing down in hard pelts as I bowed forward and caught myself on my fully shifted paws. Beside me, Cliff roared into his glorious wolf form, a pelt of dirty blond coating his back that had striped shades of varying colors from white to chocolate brown. Spiced tobacco scented the air. I poised my snout high, releasing a mighty howl as the rain came down in a torrential curtain.

Cleanse me and let me learn to let go.

My howl reduced to a low croak before I took off for the gate. Cliff ran in hot pursuit of me, catching up every so often to nudge my side with his nose.

I can help with that , he said in my mind, so long as you can help me be a better Alpha.

I smiled internally. We'll talk about that after our date is over.

Deal , he said, and then sped ahead of me with a triumphant yelp.

I didn't mind letting him get ahead, enjoying the way victory looked in his movements. So confident. So strong. So much like a good Alpha.

I wanted to be strong like that, too. I just needed to learn how.