Rejecting Azrael | ✔️

CHAPTER 48

Coco's POV:

After dealing with Cornelius's and the gang's bullshit, two days had passed.

Azrael and I were cuddling when I realized something.

"Baby?" I said, looking at my mate.

He smiled, "Yeah?"

"I want you to reintroduce you to my mom. This time properly." I said slowly, proud of my idea.

My mate chuckled, seeming paranoid. "Are you sure you want to do that? The last time I saw her, she punched me."

Oh right...

I pondered at this, he had a point.

"Isn't your relationship with your mom complicated?" He continued, trying to make sense of things.

Getting distracted, I squeezed his bicep gently, liking the way it felt. I giggled when he cocked a brow. "It is, but this might help it. It's still awkward and sometimes I resent her. But at the end of the day, she's my mother. I think she wants to work things out too." I explained.

My mate nods, conceding. "Well... if you say so. Fine, let's do this."

Happy with Azrael, I quickly kissed him.

Maybe once... or twice.

I must have lost track of time because we ended up kissing and cuddling for another hour or two.

***

A few hours later, I contacted my mom to see if she was available for dinner. She reluctantly agreed, seeming suspicious of the matter.

Finally coming face to face with my mother, I suddenly felt awkward.

If someone had told me that I'd be having dinner with my own mother and my mate at the same table one day, I'd tell them that they're bat shit crazy.

Maybe I'm the crazy one now.

My mother was like my mom and dad growing up. She had to play both roles and work really hard at her position in being the Beta. This caused her to not be home as much and it was very lonely.

Honestly, I started to think she didn't care about me because she was never home.

There were also times where she said things to me that hurt me beyond reason. I knew it was tough love, but it still was painful. Maybe it was because she didn't know how to convey how she felt. I'm not sure.

Growing up, I tried to do well in school so I could get her attention. I wanted her praise as well as her acceptance.

I never got that.

It felt like no matter what I did, it was never enough.

She never really liked admitting she was at fault. It was either her way, or the highway. There were times where she was hypocritical too.

I started to resent my mother soon after and started to rebel. It felt easier to hate her than to see that I just wanted her love.

In the end, she was still my mother and tried to fix things.

I quickly snapped back to reality once I realized I started to get lost in my own thoughts.

"So, how's the food, Azrael?" My mom asked him, her smile fake.

Azrael cleared his throat nervously, "Uh, it's good. Thank you for cooking dinner."

Dead silence soon resumed the dinner table.

It was beyond awkward.

And I started to regret this dinner since we were getting nowhere.

That was until my mom decided to speak up.

"Now... let's skip all the formalities. You want me to accept him, Coco?" My mom asked, seeming to have enough of the act.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we're getting somewhere.

"Yes, he's my mate and I would like you to see that."

She shook her head, displeased.

"What if he hurts you again, Coco? What then? Who will pick up your broken pieces?" My mom exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

I reassured her, smiling. "Mom... I will need you to trust me. He's changed in more ways than you can imagine and he's shown me that."

"Yes, but I've met men who seem like they change. But they only change for a little bit before going back to their old selves. Just like your father. That's how he screwed me over." She replied, not convinced.

She had a point.

I bit my lip, not sure how to make her believe that Azrael has changed. That was until my mate cleared his throat to get my mom's attention.

"Ms. Lee, I know I hurt your daughter. I know you saw the damage I caused and you worry about trusting that she will be safe with me. But I promise you, Coco is everything to me. I will protect her with my life and treat her like no other. She is my world."

My mom grew silent, cocking a brow.

"And how can I tell if you're just sprouting bullshit? Words are just words. What are your actions?"

God, I really didn't want to bring this up but it's the only way.

"He was there during my heat, mom." I said, looking at her in the eyes.

"Your heat?!" She exclaimed.

"Are you pregnant?" She shouted, her voice sounding distressed.

Before she could continue jumping into conclusions, I got her attention by saying no.

"He actually protected me. The thing was... I was looking for Cornelius when I found him sleeping with Nia. She was his mate and it hurt me a lot since he was cheating on me. Granted, I had already lost feelings for him but getting cheated on blows. Unexpectedly, I fell into heat and Azrael quickly got me to safety. Throughout the night, he didn't lay his hands on me in any way unless I consented. Azrael laid with me and took care of me the entire evening, without doing anything bad to me. If that doesn't tell you something, I don't know what will."

"Bottom line is, he respects me." I said, hoping that I got through to her.

A few seconds pass and my mother sighs. She looks at Azrael, hiding a smile. "You better take good care of her. Otherwise, I'll hunt you down and put your head on a stick. Are we clear?" She said sternly.

Azrael finally grins. "Yes ma'am. You have my word."

Dinner wrapped up nicely and I ended up talking to my mother more in the evening. We started to open up and eventually, cleared up some misunderstandings we had over the years.

It wasn't perfect, but I knew we were getting there.

As long as she tried, that's all that mattered.