*****Edited by krisgee*****
2011 © All Rights Reserved
Chapter 21 (Amy)
There we were again, standing at the bottom of the porch in front of my house. My mate was by my side holding my hand strongly and his mother was standing strong behind us. I should feel comfortable about walking in my own home to face my family but the moment we stepped out of the car my strength faltered miserably.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I whispered fiercely to Stevie while pulling back on his arm.
He stopped and turned around to face me. Placing his hands on my shoulders he lent me an insurmountable amount of strength.
“Yes you can, Princess. I will be right by your side,” he replied while gazing deeply into my eyes. That one look told me all that I needed to know. No matter what happened, he was with me. He would support me and stay by my side. I nodded my head and blew out a big breath of air.
“Alright, let’s do this.” He smiled that beautiful smile of his and my insides instantly melted. Leaning down he brushed a soft kiss against my lips and then pulled me beside him.
“Come on, Princess,” he said while leading me to the front door. We paused momentarily and I shook off my jitters.
“Ready?” Stevie asked, a steady force by my side.
“Ready,” I assured him and opened the door. The three of us found ourselves standing in the foyer enveloped in an eerie silence.
“Where is everyone?” I murmured while looking around.
“Amy,” I heard my dad my say name from his study. At the sound of his voice my body tensed and Stevie squeezed my hand in reassurance.
“It’s me Daddy,” I answered while pulling my mate with me and heading in the direction of his voice.
“Amy,” I heard again and this time it was my mother’s voice.
“I’m coming Mama,” I answered back. Then we were there. My parents stood in front of us and I couldn’t bring myself to look at them.
“Amy,” my Mama spoke softly. “Are you okay?” Her tone was so gentle and welcoming. I looked up at her concerned face and my eyes instantly burned with unshed tears. I felt Stevie squeeze my hand once again offering me some of his strength.
“I’m fine Mama,” I replied solemnly. As soon as the words left my mouth I found myself wrapped in a warm pair of feminine arms.
“Thank the Moon Goddess you’re safe,” Mama whispered in my ear. She hugged me tight for a second longer before releasing me and falling back in her place beside Daddy.
Daddy’s eyebrows twitched the way they always did when he was contemplating something just before he held his arms open. Without hesitation I ran to him and let him enfold in a smothering embrace.
“I love you baby girl. We will always love you. Don’t you ever forget that.”
“I won’t,” I spoke with my face turned into his chest. I felt him place a kiss on the top of my head and heard his deep inhale of my scent.
I froze. This is it, I thought to myself. I felt his body stiffen as he released me. Slowly I stepped back from him and curled into Stevie’s side. I didn’t dare look up for fear of his reaction. I heard the subtle clearing of his throat.
“Is there something that you two would like to share with us?” I wanted so bad to say no but I knew that would be a futile effort. The heat was nearing and Daddy clearly could already smell it on me.
“I- I don’t know,” I stuttered and cursed myself for acting like a freaking chicken. Stevie’s mom spoke up breaking the awkward silence.
“Why don’t we all go somewhere that we can sit down and talk about everything?” My Mama agreed whole heartedly.
“I’ve just put on a fresh pot of coffee and have some muffins left over from breakfast. Why don’t we all go into the kitchen and have some?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Stevie’s mom replied with a smile.
“Will?” Mama looked over at daddy questioningly.
“Yeah, sounds good,” he replied gruffly while glaring daggers at Stevie. Crap, I thought to myself. He most definitely knows.
We all sat at the table as Mama placed the coffee and muffins in the center. I looked over at Stevie expectantly. He inclined his head in acknowledgement back to me.
“Sir, you have heard about the threat made to my mother. I can’t let her turn herself over to our old pack. I would like to formally request your permission to admit my family into the protection of your pack.” I could feel the tension humming at a fever pitch in the air. I bit my lip as I waited for Daddy’s answer. Mama broke in and spoke.
“Of course the pack gladly will take your family in. I wouldn’t dream of seeing Ms. Harper submit herself to the heathens that threatened my daughter, isn’t that right Will?” She looked over to her mate expecting him to agree with her statement, but the look on Daddy’s face was anything but agreeable.
“Will?” Daddy stood and shook his head at me.
“You promised,” he said to me with a disapproving look on his face. His glare switched to Stevie and he pointed his finger at him. “And you swore to me that you would wait.” I turned my gaze to the table not sure what to say. I wanted to defend our actions but when my father, my alpha gave me such a reproachful look I was utterly left speechless.
“What exactly is going on here?” Mama asked while switching her gaze between Daddy and I.
“Ask your daughter,” he said while staring hard at me.
Mama looked back at me and asked, “Amy, what is your father talking about?”
“I- I …” No matter how much I wanted to I just couldn’t get the words to come out of my mouth.
“I’m waiting young lady,” Mama spoke again. Stevie stood and bowed his head to my Mama. Looking her dead in the eye he gave her the news that I couldn’t bring myself to say.
“Ma’am, I mated your daughter last night.” I heard the spatula that Mama had been holding drop to the table.
“Young man, you want to run that by me again?” He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin.
In a more confident voice he repeated, “I mated Amy last night; she is mine.” Mama took a step closer to Stevie and placed her hands on her hips.
“I heard that part the first time you said it. I just didn’t think you would be dumb enough to repeat it.” Without any warning she smacked him in the back of the head.
“Mama!” I stood and shouted at her. “What are you doing?” I squealed.
“I am going to beat some since into this boy and then I am going to beat some damn since into you too,” she said as she smacked him upside the head again. Daddy stepped in and pulled Mama away from Stevie.
“Raven, stop that this instant,” he spoke softly but with an authority that she couldn’t deny. Mama stopped trying to hit Stevie in the head but turned an admonishing look on me.
“This is how it is going to work,” my father said while staring at the two of us. Stevie and I both turned our attention back to my father. Daddy looked at Stevie specifically.
“I will gladly offer your family admittance and with that you will all gain the safety and protection of our pack on one condition. This condition is non-negotiable. Are you in agreement?” Stevie reached for my hand and I took it without a second thought.
“Yes sir, whatever it takes,” Stevie replied. Daddy looked at me when he spoke his next sentence.
“My one condition is that you stay away from my daughter until her eighteenth birthday.”
“Daddy, no!” I screamed in panic. He turned his gaze to Stevie.
“Are we still in agreement?” Feeling like my life was quickly spiraling out of control I turned to Stevie and grabbed his arm.
“No, you can’t leave me,” I pleaded.
I heard his sigh and knew right then what his decision was going to be. If he thought that this was the only way he could keep his two girls safe then he would do it in a heart beat.
“Princess, it’s only four months. We can do this. We have to do this,” he said while framing my face with his hands.
“Please don’t do this to me,” I whispered on a broken sob. “I don’t want to go through my first heat alone. Please,” I said again. I saw the indecision that warred in his eyes.
“Please,” I repeated yet again, silently willing him with my eyes to see it my way. He leaned in and brushed a tender kiss against my lips. Releasing my face he looked at my father with a rigid face and said the one word I had begged him not to say.
“Done.” Before I could protest any further he released me and reached for his mother’s hand.
“Stevie, wait,” I cried out to him as I watched his retreating back.
He continued to walk out the door without taking another look back. My knees buckled and I found myself in a heap on the floor with great sobs wracking my body. A few moments later on a final burst of energy I stood and darted for the door.
“Stevie,” I screamed aloud. “Come back, please come back to me.” A strong pair of arms held me back just before I reached the door. From the scent alone I knew that it was my father. I only struggled for a second longer before succumbing to my fate.
“Stevie,” I cried out one final time, knowing then that he was really and truly gone.