Have No Fear

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Conan POV

It had taken weeks for us to get here, but we finally made it all the way to Washington relatively unscathed, both of us exhausted from the journey.

"So this is where you grew up, huh?" Lara asks, looking out the window of the bus.

"Yeah, it is".

I'd always kept my guard up and never told anyone that much about myself except Lara, but even she didn't know where I lived before I joined the pack.

"It's really nice".

"Sure is".

I knew we would be safe here, at least for now. Although, I'm not so sure that Ren isn't going to tear my head off the second she lays eyes me again.

I'd wanted to call, but initially there was too much of a risk that someone from the pack might overhear and I've been trying to keep her existence a secret.

Lara I can trust with this, but the others not so much, especially after fleeing at the break of dawn like that while everyone else was sleeping.

We've had to keep moving and cover our tracks incase we were being followed and there was barely time for us to stop and get some sleep, let alone get in touch with Ren or mom.

I'd officially burnt all ties with the pack and there was no going back for us now.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

"What's not to like?"

Lara was nervous as hell and she never gets nervous about anything, yet the idea of meeting the White Wolf had her shaking in her boots.

"But what if she doesn't?"

"She will".

"So she really doesn't have a problem with hybrids like us?"

"No, she doesn't".

The bus pulls into the station and I can't help but think back to the last time I was here. The 10 weeks since I left here felt like a lifetime ago at this point.

"I'm kinda nervous to meet your mom too".

"Don't worry, my mom's cool. We'll get ourselves checked into the motel then we'll go see them".

There's definitely not enough room in the cabin for four people and I don't wanna leave Lara back in town by herself, so a motel seems like the best option.

If Ren and my mom are as pissed off at me as I'm guessing they're gonna be, then I'd better be prepared to have somewhere else to stay anyway, just incase.

That being said, I did promise Ren that I'd be back in time for her 21st birthday and that's next week, so here I was with a week to spare.

If she lets me, then I want to spend as much time with her as possible incase she does make the decision to leave and join Ambrose's pack.

An hour later after we've checked into our rooms, we head out. There's no money left for us to get a cab so we'll have to make the rest of the way there on foot.

As we're walking, I spot something I wasn't expecting to see and that's my mom's truck, parked right across the street outside where she works.

She must be back at work already, but of course I wouldn't know that because I hadn't called. I keep wondering how she'll react when she sees me.

I know that I have to see her.

"Wait here" I tell Lara.

The bell rings above the door when I walk inside and there's a few people sitting in here waiting with their pets to be seen. She won't react badly in front of them, I hope.

She looks shocked to see me standing there when she eventually comes from the back room and I can't really blame her.

"Conan?"

"Hi, mom".

I'm more shocked when she marches out from behind the counter and comes over to me, then slaps me as hard as she can around the face. I deserved that.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Mom..."

"Don't you mom me. Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

"I'm sorry".

"Oh, you're sorry, are you? Well that makes it all better then, doesn't it?"

She's right. I wasn't exactly expecting to come back here and be welcomed home with open arms, and I know an apology wasn't gonna cut it.

"I am sorry, mom. I had to go to Europe for work" I lie.

"And you expect me to believe that they don't have phones over in Europe? If you're going keep lying to me, then at least lie a little better".

"I came back, just like I said I would, and here I am. How is she?"

"How do you think? She told me what happened between you two".

"I never set out for that to happen, but it did, and I meant every word I said to her the day I left".

"She's heartbroken".

I knew that already. The closer I got to Washington, I started to feel it more. The mate bond has made me able to feel every emotion she's feeling right now, and it hurts.

"I wanna fix it".

"Then why are you still standing here?"

"Because I don't know what to do".

She sighs because she's annoyed with me.

"I get off work in two hours. Meet me outside and I'll pick up dinner for the three of us".

"Actually..."

"What?"

"I might have brought a friend with me".

Looking out the window where I'm pointing across the street, she sees Lara stood waiting there and she waves to us. I can already tell what mom is thinking.

"You're an idiot".

"It's kind of hard to explain".

"I bet it is. How do you think Ren is gonna take it when you've been gone all this time without a word and she finds out you brought another woman back with you?"

She's probably going to kill me, but the only positive is that she knows who Lara is to me. Scratch that, on second though, bringing my ex here to meet the woman I'm in love with seems like it was a bad idea.

"I think Ren will like her" I say with false optimism.

"Just have both of you be waiting for me outside when I finish work, okay?"

"Thanks, mom".