“Your friend told me about your mate and everything you’ve been through,” she said. “I never meant for any of that to happen.”
“You knew a wolf who didn’t shift would go mad,” I said.
“I had a plan, before I lost myself but none of that matters. I would take it back if I could,” she said.
My mom was a different person. This wasn’t the woman I’d known most of my life. She was the faded childhood memory of the woman who read me stories and waded into the creek with me looking for fish. I supposed she’d always been there, but she’d been lost, overtaken by the toxin and the other cocktail of substances she used to mask the pain.
“Spencer is here,” I said.
“I know, I can feel him.”
“Yet, you aren’t running to him,” I said, unable to keep the accusation out of my tone. After years of various men in and out of her bedroom, I was a little surprised I’d come before her true mate.
“I left him to protect you. If you asked me to choose, it would be you.” She offered a weak smile. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I did try. I just failed spectacularly.”
Now the tears slide down my cheeks. I wiped them away with my fingertips. “You don’t have to try so hard anymore. We’re safe now.”
She chuckled. “It was supposed to be me saving you. But it looks like you saved us all.”
“Not without failing a few times along the way,” I admitted.
“That’s okay. As long as you kept fighting. I’ll admit, I lost the fight. I’m not sure when I gave in. But I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was,” she said.
“You had a lot going against you,” I said.
“I know you don’t really need a mother anymore, but I’d like to be part of your life at least a little,” she said.
I stepped forward and threw my arms around her. “I still need my mother.”
She squeezed me and the two of us cried together. We had a lot of work to do to repair what had been broken between us, but there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed in time.
Once we both settled, we eased from the hug and I took a step back. I wiped the tears from my face and took a few breaths. “Do you want to see him?”
“Spencer?” she asked.
I nodded.
“I do,” she said.
“I’ll send him in. We can talk more later.”
“I hear you found your mate,” she said. “A second one. Star said he’s a perfect match and that you’re happy.”
“I did. I can’t wait for you to meet him.” There was so much ahead of us. It was like I had to get to know her all over again. I walked toward the door.
“Lola,” she called.
I turned to look, the door already cracked open. “Yeah?”
“I am so proud of you.”
I smiled. “Thanks, mom.”
When I stepped into the hall, I found Spencer pacing like a nervous wreck. He stopped and looked up at me expectantly. “How is she?”
“She’s good,” I said. “She wants to see you.”
He sucked in a breath and his eyes widened. He looked nervous.
“Go on,” I encouraged.
It was a strange thing, watching my father taking cautious steps toward the door where my mother was waiting to see him. Lots of families were complicated and mine was full of extra complication. With time, though, I was hoping we could begin to heal and get to know each other. I felt like I’d been given a second chance. With my family, with my mate, with my life.
It turned out, I was stronger than I thought. While I knew I didn’t deserve what I’d been through, I was damn proud of how far I’d come. I fought for this and I deserved all the happiness coming my way.