“He’s her mate. I vividly recall the night you met your mate. It didn’t take you long to initiate the mating between the two of you. Do you really blame Bee?”
Bas sighed. “You’ve got a point,” he conceded. “Call me when you get there and give me your impression of his mom.”
“Will do.”
“And, Simon…”
“Yes?”
“Congratulations. From what Hannibal said about his sister, she sounds like quite a handful. Sounds like she’ll keep you on your toes.”
I grinned. She already was. “Seems like it.”
Bas disconnected, and I removed the earpiece, dropping it back in the console pocket.
“What happened the night your alpha met his mate?”
Cecilia’s voice had me glancing her way. She sat up, twisting her body while she worked out the kinks from falling asleep in the car.
“Did I wake you up?”
She shook her head. “Answer the question, Simon.”
“Bas’ mate didn’t like the idea of her pack offering her to Bas in exchange for the James Pack stepping in and absorbing the Rigton Pack.”
“Offered her to him? I don’t blame her. That’s archaic. Do wolf packs really do that?”
“Once upon a time but not so much anymore. The Rigton Pack lost their alpha in an accident. His truck overturned and caught fire. He didn’t make it out. He was Raina’s brother.”
Cecilia sat up, crossing one leg under her as she turned toward me. “Raina is your alpha’s mate.”
“Yes. She took exception to her pack’s decision and went to a bar to let off steam and decide whether or not to run. Her father called Bas, and we headed to the bar to make sure she stayed. You could have cut the sexual tension between those two with a knife. She basically told him to fuck off then shifted and ran into the woods.”
“And?” Cecilia prompted when I paused. She was completely enthralled with the story.
“And he followed. The next time I saw them, they were both naked. She was passed out in his arms. I held a blanket out for them. He wrapped her in it. They got in the car, and I drove them back to the house.”
“That was all it took? He chased her into the woods. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am, and she was fine?”
My mate looked disappointed.
“No such luck for him. She ran a second time. Whatever was holding her back from the mating was worked out when he found her again. Once again, they were naked when I showed up. I held up another blanket and drove them back to the house. She’s good for him. She doesn’t let him get away with anything. And she makes him happier than I’ve ever seen him.”
“They love each other.”
“Yes.” It was what I hoped would happen for us. I wanted Cecilia to love me. Hell, I was already halfway to being in love with her as it was. “Tell me more about you. You said your mom walked out one day. Did you ever try to find her?”
Cecilia glanced away, watching out the window as I drove. I wasn’t sure she was going to answer.
“No.”
One syllable but so much emotion conveyed in it. I reached over and took her hand with mine, twining our fingers together and giving hers a squeeze. She glanced over, flicked her gaze back out toward the passing scenery and kept talking in a voice so rife with pain, I was hard pressed not to pull over and take her in my arms, instead.
“When I think about having children, I can’t imagine a greater joy than carrying this little piece of me…” She paused as she glanced at me again. “Of me and you inside my body for forty weeks. Feeling this new life grow from a tiny seed to a tiny human, or I guess shifter in your case or our case. You know what I mean.”
“Have to admit the thought of you carrying our baby makes me eager to get you pregnant.”
She laughed. “We can talk about that later. My point was the emotion I feel when I think about it. The pure joy that fills me up inside. I’m not a mother, yet the thought of being one brings nothing but complete joy.”
“I want children, too. I think I’ll be a good dad.”
“I think you’ll be an amazing dad. Look at how you saved me.”
I squeezed her hand again. “I’ll always protect you. I know it’s too early for you to believe me, but I’m going to love you with all I am for the rest of my life. There will never be another woman for me.”
“I want that. I want the husband, the kids, the dog. Though, I guess in my case, the husband and the dog are all rolled into one.”
“What the hell, woman! I’m not a dog!”
“Dog. Wolf. Same species, right?”
I growled, and Cecilia’s giggle filled the car.
“Anyway, the point is, I want it all.”
“I’ll give you anything you want,” I vowed, but I thought I knew what she was getting to.
“I’ll get it all for myself, Simon.”
“We’ll get it,” I corrected.
She opened her mouth, probably to argue, then nodded instead.
“What if my mother had thoughts like that before she had me? What if she wanted it all then got it and found out she wasn’t cut out to be a mother?”
Meaning she worried she would decide she wasn’t cut out to be a mother, too.
“Your dad stayed,” I reminded her, and the worry on her face was replaced with a smile.
“Dad never seemed to miss a beat. He was a deputy sheriff, made sure I got to school on time and was there to pick me up. Hell, I spent as much time hanging out at
