Always You (Oak Woods Book 1)

25

Laying in bed, their limbs tangled together after several rounds of making love, Annaleigh stirred and looked up at Connor.

"I owe you an explanation about Wesley." He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her to chase away the goosebumps he could feel.

"Take your time," he assured her.

"Well, I met Wesley when I was at my lowest after losing my parents. They died when I was twenty-two and fresh out of college. I spent a good two years just drifting through my personal life. I threw myself into teaching and took classes to get my masters and then a Ph.D. I was finishing up my program when Wesley approached me at a café, I was twenty-five. I had noticed him several times I had been there to write papers after work. We hit it off. And he was a total gentleman. After six months of dating, I found out Wesley was a jaguar shifter and he had joined a gang. I didn't want to be associated with it and tried to distance myself by breaking up with him. I soon found out I was pregnant and had Rebecca at twenty-six. I wanted to give her a chance at knowing Wesley and he never was physically abusive."

"What happened before that?" He could feel his bear getting angry at the sound of Wesley being anything but nice to his mate.

"He would make snide comments about my weight. It wasn't anything I hadn't heard from my parents growing up in LA. The day after I had Rebecca, he called me fat and put me on a diet. It almost killed Rebecca because I wasn't getting enough calories in her breast milk. I had him come with me to my doctor's appointment and the doctor explained by restricting my food intake he was, in fact, hurting his own daughter. After that he let me be until I weaned Rebecca off and then pushed me into joining a gym and going daily. I never made it back to my post-pregnancy weight. That is when he kept telling me I was never going to be good enough to be his mate. That my parents must have staged their crash so they wouldn't be stuck with a cow like me. I had plans to leave him and the night he was arrested, I had told him I was leaving him and taking Rebecca. He..." She gulped, she could see and feel his attack when she'd told him she wanted out of their relationship.

"He was angry I never let him mate me. I knew he wasn't the man for me. All I kept thinking about was you and what a huge mistake I had made staying with him. I told him I wanted out and Rebecca needed a safe place to grow up. He hit me then and I know I shouldn't have pushed but he was drunk and I snapped. I began packing up and almost made it to the door before he caught me in the side with a baseball bat breaking one of my ribs. He dragged me by my hair into the kitchen and had his claws out, I knew then I was going to die. Then, the police were breaking down the door and grabbing him. They arrested him on the spot, only later did I find out Rebecca had called. This all happened about eight months ago. I have a restraining order on him and the judge gave me full custodial rights. He is not allowed near me or Rebecca ever again."

"I am so sorry you went through that." He pulled her tightly against his chest and stroked her back. She had trembled through the whole retelling of the incident and he could tell she was reliving some of it.

"It gave me Rebecca," she said as if to excuse what she went through these past five years.

"Yes, and she is an amazing little girl. Get some sleep baby, you have a big day tomorrow." Connor kissed her forehead and reached over to turn off the side table lamp.

"Good night Connor, I love you," she whispered into the dark and was rewarded with him spooning her in their bed.

"I love you too," his whispered caress made it to her ears before she fell asleep.

...

Annaleigh frantically ran around her house trying to get Rebecca out the door. It had taken longer to get her up and dressed than anticipated. Connor made breakfast while Annaleigh negotiated with Rebecca about her hair.

"Can I just braid it?" Annaleigh asked she'd tried multiple times to get Rebecca to sit still long enough for her to brush the unruly curls.

"No! I want it down!" Rebecca yelled.

"It needs to be brushed," Annaleigh argued.

"But it hurts," Rebecca whined.

"Rebecca Josephine Crenshaw you sit down and let me do your hair now!" Annaleigh roared, and Rebecca sat meekly at the breakfast table letting Annaleigh brush her hair gently and then pull it half up in a barrette.

"See, it took us three minutes to do your hair. You argued with me for ten, we are going to be late now," Annaleigh grumbled, picking up her school bag and realizing she hadn't made herself lunch.

"Here is breakfast to go, and Annaleigh I packed you some of the leftovers from Patsy for your lunch. I noticed this morning Rebecca had lunch but you didn't." Connor came over handing each of them their breakfast burritos, to Annaleigh he gave a travel mug of coffee and one of milk to Rebecca.

"Wow, you are amazing." Annaleigh gave him a grateful smile and looked down at the engagement ring on her finger.

"Rebecca, Connor and I have something to tell you." Annaleigh knelt and took the little girl's hands in hers.

"Connor asked me to marry him last night and I said yes," she told her daughter, Rebecca hugged her tightly around her neck and squealed.

"Mama, that is fantastic!"

"So you are okay with Connor becoming a part of our family? That would mean he is moving into this house."

"Yes, we are going to be the perfect family. My jaguar and I already talked about everything," Rebecca replied. Annaleigh held back the tears and hugged her daughter tightly.

"I am glad you are excited," Connor laughed and Rebecca ran over to hug him tightly. Connor knelt to gather the little girl in his arms.

"I am glad you are going to be my daddy." Rebecca kissed his cheek and Annaleigh brushed away a tear.

"We need to get to work and school," Annaleigh gasped when she saw the time on the stovetop clock. Connor continued to hold Rebecca, grabbed their bags and made his way over to the cars. He buckled Rebecca in Annaleigh's car and placed their bags on the passenger side seat.

"Have a wonderful day at school Poppet." He kissed Rebecca's forehead.

"Aren't you coming?" Rebecca asked. 

A/N: Please let me know how you like the story, any suggestions or feedback would be much appreciated. Don't forget to vote!