Kidnapped By An Alpha Jerk

Chapter 71

My jaw slackened. "You followed me." I repeated. "Here." I was dumbfounded to say the least. "But if you followed us as soon as we left the apartment, why didn't you arrive immediately after us?"

"I lost you guys," she shrugged. "There were so many turnings and you guys were driving in and out of lanes like mad women. I eventually arrived here and I saw one of your friends – Noah, was it?"

Her recollection must have been from when he and Kayla had visited at the hospital; I didn't realize they might have met my parents on their way out of the hospital room and that she'd remember his face.

"Mum, you followed us. For nearly an hour – hell, we were following GPS and still got lost. I don't know how you made it." I stated and then, after a few silent moments. "Didn't you didn't think to call us?"

Her mouth opened in a small circle of defiance. "I did! You weren't picking up."

I shook my head at her. "It doesn't matter. You're here now and safe. That's all that matters." I nodded to the tray Aiden had set down. "Eat something and we'll talk."

She was halfway through her second toast before she broke the heavy silence between us; I could almost feel her questions buzzing in the air. "Please tell me you're joking about this werewolf business. Wolves exist, I know that much. But werewolves?" She sounded skeptical.

I frowned. "Why did you faint when I said it then?"

"Partially due to the heat – I'm not used to American summers. British summer is 40% rain, 30% uncertainty, 15% wind and 15% warmth. Maybe also because I'd missed breakfast." She shook her head at me. "April, you're not messing with me, are you? You can't be messing with me. There is no evidence for lycanthropy –" upon seeing my expression, she fell silent.

"Mum, look outside this window and tell me what you see." She looked and I followed her gaze, speaking softly. "That forest is teeming with wolves. Those people out there? They're not here for a party or anything; it's more like a social gathering – of werewolves. I didn't believe it at first either but then I saw one of them changing." I flash backed to when Diego had shifted. "Werewolves exist."

"I believe in werewolves. Aiden's one, Diego's one, his father's one. They're all werewolves."

Her lips moved as though in prayer. "Is - is Nina one too?"

I shook a no at her, snorting. "Werewolves," she tasted the word like a foreign delicacy, a bitter-sweet stranger. "Are they – dangerous?"

"If they were, I wouldn't be alive today."

She had plenty more questions, I knew that much. But right now, I reverted to hugging her gratefully, breathing in her familiar scent, feeling the bristle of her hair on my cheek and calloused hand stroking my back as though I was a small child again.

"I love you so much, mum. I'm sorry about everything I've put you through. You didn't deserve any of it. None of it at all. I'm so sorry," I mumbled into her hair, my throat thickening.

She released me, leaning me away from her and gazing at me with eyes that suddenly seemed so much older. "I – I didn't realize how much you've grown up without me. I never realized how much you didn't need me anymore. I – I suppose I didn't want to accept that my little girl was growing up. I love you, April. And I'm sorry about everything I've done. But as a mother, I had my reasons. Every mother has a reason for doing what they do – they do it to protect you. They do it because they don't want to acknowledge that their child is grown. With you it was different; I hadn't seen you for so long that we were beginning to forget each other. I still saw you as a young girl when you weren't."