Stronger as One (#1, Completed)

70. Family

I couldn't even comfort her because I was just a stranger to her.

"I'm...sorry for your loss, Michelle." Saying those words was one of the hardest things that I had ever done in my life.

My mother snapped her head towards me, only just noticing my presence. She studied me so intensely that I wondered if she was perhaps slowly remembering her life before losing her wolf. Remembering me.

But I should have known better than to have had my hopes up.

"Who is this young man, Riley? I do not think we had met before. Did he know Mr Mark?" She was still distraught over her former boss's fate, but I could also see that she was curious about my identity.

"This is someone very close to my heart, Michelle." Riley looked at me and nodded for me to join them, which I did. My heart was pounding from the sheer proximity to the woman who I thought I lost forever seventeen years earlier. "Rafe is the person who saved you from the crumbling ceiling."

"Oh," my mother exclaimed at the revelation. "I guess I owe you my life, Rafe."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything as I battled with the mixed emotions that I felt. If only she knew how I had let her down...

"Come closer, dear." She stretched her arms out, inviting me to grab her hands and to sit next to her.

The moment we touched, I remembered my whole childhood. The warmth of her embrace. Her love and care. My mother was my world and her touch felt like home, even if someone else had now claimed that spot.

"Now I understand why you were not interested in Mr Mark, Riley- I can certainly feel the connection between you and this young man," she smiled at both of us before the sadness returned to her face. "I just wish I could have helped save Mr Mark."

I tried my best not to growl in order not to scare or anger her in any way, but it was impossible to watch her somehow blame herself for the demise of that psychopath without saying anything.

"With all my respect, Michelle, your boss was..." I paused, carefully considering what I was going to say next, "not a good man."

I expected her to jump to defend him fiercely like I knew she had done tirelessly for countless pack members as Luna of our pack but, instead, she stared straight into my eyes as if she was trying to get to the bottom of my soul.

"I should disagree with you, Rafe, but something in your eyes tells me that you have your reasons to say this. I can't shake off this feeling that I should trust you." I had to control my hands to hide their trembling when she took them with her small, slender hands. "I can sense that you are a good man and you would not lie to me. It almost feels like we've known each other for a long time. I can't explain why. Weird, isn't it?"

The emotions overwhelmed me and I was about to crumble but Riley's hand on my back immediately brought calm to my soul.

"Michelle, mind if I have a word with Rafe outside? I'll be right back," Riley reassured my mother as she ushered me out of the room while I waved my mother goodbye.

I drew in a breath when we stepped into the hallway. It wasn't until we left the room that I realised the emotional toll of everything that had just happened. And here I was, thinking that I was immune to feelings.

Riley's hands wrapped around my neck and she brought her lips up to mine, the featherlight kiss making me hungry for more. The need was not just physical- I need my mate, my other half, to keep myself together.

Yet, I could deny that my hands were itching to grab her butt, lift her up and bring her closer to my hardening cock. Goddess, what was this woman doing to me? Neither place nor time mattered whenever I was with her.

"I see that you are feeling better," she smirked when she eyed the bulge in my jeans. "I was trying to comfort you but I guess there is no need."

I wrapped my hand in her hair and I pulled her in for a rough, desperate kiss. "Thank you...again," I muttered with gratitude when I finally pulled away.

"I really should come up with more reasons to have you thank me because I can get used to this. And more." The little devil winked at me. "In the meantime though, maybe you should head back to Scotland while I stay a bit behind to explain things to your mum and help her settle in. Aiden is already there- he wanted to give you some alone time with your mother but there is nothing more you can do for her at the moment, Rafe. Let me help her."

Although I appreciated what she was doing, the idea of having her away again from Aiden and me was not one that I was keen to embrace and I was sure that Aiden was going to feel the same way.

"Last time we left you, things didn't work out well for any of us," I tried to argue.

"Yes but the threat is gone now, and I think it would be best for everyone if I help your mum and you head back."

"The nutters are never gone, Moreau- who knows which lunatic might decide to try and separate the three of us again."

Riley chuckled at my overprotectiveness, although I could see that she found it endearing. "I think that, by now, not even your exes would be stupid enough to try and meddle with our triad's bond." She kissed me again, her lips setting mine on fire. "I promise that I'll be back later tonight. My dad can teleport you now and he can drop me off in the evening, once I am done. Deal?"

She gave me that innocent look of hers and I couldn't really say No when she looked at me like that, even if I knew that she was anything but innocent.

I tugged her soft hair, forcing her to look up, which gave me perfect access to the spot on her neck where I had marked her.

"Fine," I growled and grazed the mark with my teeth. Her skin erupted in goosebumps of pleasure and I knew I had her full attention now. "But you are coming straight to my packhouse and you better bring everything you need to stay for a few days. Actually, fuck the last part- you won't need clothes for most of your stay, and that's a promise."

The smell of her arousal was so intoxicating that I had to fight the urge to rip her clothes off then and there, and I did not really want to get on Victor's bad side again.

"I'll hold you to that, wolf boy." She ran her hand over my chest and all the way down to my crotch- squeezing it, which made me groan- before she sauntered back into the room.

The evening could not come fast enough.