“Your mother was just asking when you would get here,” he said, chucking his arm across my shoulders and pulling me toward the stairs.
“What was it you had to tell me?” I asked him, but he shook his head.
“Doesn’t matter. Everything seems better now. She has been good, Lucy. Like when you were a kid,” Ryker said as we walked up the steps. Ace followed us up, and we stopped out the front of my parents’ bedroom door.
“Lucy, she is good. I promise. I think she is getting better,” Ryker told me, but yet I still didn’t understand.Better from what?
He opened the door, and I saw my mother sitting on the bed with my brother in her arms, bundled in a blanket. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and a grin lit up her face.
“Lucy!” she said excitedly, waving me over, and I moved toward her, sitting on the bed beside her. I tucked the blanket back to look at his little face. He looked so much like Rayan, with his dark luscious locks of hair and silver eyes. It was definitely a family trait among the males in the Black family.
“You want to hold him?” my mother asked, and I nodded eagerly. I held my arms out, making sure to support his little head when she passed him to me.
“Hello, Ryden,” I whispered to him. He yawned, his eyes fluttering shut as I held him. Ace came over to look at him. He stroked the back of Ryden’s hand.
“Reminds me of Rayan,” Ace said, and I nodded.
“How do you feel?” I asked my mother, turning to look at her.
“Tired, but better,” she said, looking at my stepfather. He nodded to her and my brows furrowed in confusion.
“Your birthday is next week. Are you staying home? I can help you set up your room,” She said, yawning.
“I will stay, but I will just stay in Rayan’s room,” I told her.
“You sure, Lucy? I can have a few people fix your room,” Ryker asked, but I shook my head.
“I’ll stay a few days, but I want to go home to Ace and Tyson’s,” I told him, and he nodded. I looked at Ace to make sure he meant what he said, and he leaned down, kissing my head. This was no longer home. Home wasn’t meant to be uncomfortable, and being here, I felt like I was walking on eggshells. Home was with them. As much as I denied it, they were home.
“Can Ace have a hold of him?” I asked my mother, who nodded. I could tell Ace was waiting to get his hands on him. He loved kids, and the moment I asked, he already had his hands out for him. I passed the Ryden to him, and he looked tiny in Ace’s arms.
“Hey, little man,” Ace said, sitting next to me with Ryden in his arms.
After a few minutes, Ace said he had to go and gave Ryden back to mum. I walked him downstairs to the door.
“Mindlink if you want to come home. One of us will come to get you,” Ace said, hesitating before turning back to me. He tugged me to him, hugging me, and I let him before hugging him back. “I will speak to Tyson for you,” he whispered, but I shook my head.
“No, Lucy. He doesn’t need to feel guilty for me,” Ace said before pulling away and walking back to his car. I watched him leave before walking back up to see mom and spend time with her and my brothers.
Chapter thirty-six
Thefirstthreedayswere great at home. Mom was in a great mood, and it reminded me of when Rayan was born. I was joined at her hip, always wanting to help, and I was glad to see mom let me spend time with Ryden. Rayan was just as excited, and for three days, everything was like when I was a kid. We were one happy family. I was excited to have my mother back, and I could tell Rayan was too. That excitement dimmed though, when I walked into the kitchen. Waking up a little earlier than I normally do, I walked into the kitchen to find Rayan crushing pills with a spoon on a piece of paper before I watched him slip them into a cup of coffee. Mom had been complaining that the coffee tasted funny, and I thought it odd that Rayan was getting up early every morning to make her morning coffee. Now I know why.
“Rayan!” I whispered to him, snatching the bottle of pills off him. He pressed a finger to his lips, pointing to the roof.
“Does dad know you are doing this?” I asked him, and he shook his head.
“She isn’t breastfeeding. And I heard the Doc tell her she could take them while pregnant, so they wouldn’t harm Ryden.”
“What if she caught you? You don’t just go around drugging people, Rayan. How long?” I asked him.
“I had no choice, Lucy. Amanda is a monster, and dad… dad…”
“Dad, what, Rayan? What aren’t you telling me?”
“Dad and the doctors were talking about killing mom’s wolf off. Making her dormant.”
“What? How does that make sense?” I told him.