“I need some coffee. Please tell me you brewed a pot.”
“I have.” She did originally brew it for Phoenix. He had a mug the moment he woke up. They hadn’t spoken though. They hadn’t talked once they arrived here last night.
Leah had made a beautiful lasagna. It was so good. Phoenix had kept her parents talking, giving her time to think. She wasn’t sure if she did think. If anything, she was torn.
“I thought you were helping Phoenix with his home,” Leah said.
“I am. I’m heading out there soon. I stayed behind to make sandwiches.”
“Ah, makes sense.” Leah poured herself a mug of coffee and didn’t even bother with cream and sugar. “What’s the matter, honey?”
“Nothing, why?”
“Ah, you see, it has been twenty-three years of knowing you and I know something is bothering you.”
“Nah, it’s nothing.”
“I can’t help you fix it unless you talk to me.” Leah moved closer to the counter. She pulled out the chair next to her and took a seat. “I’m all ears.”
“It’s…”
“Does it have something to do with leaving the pack?” Leah asked.
“Yes and no. I don’t know.” She frowned. Her mother was the only person she wanted to talk to about this kind of thing. Anyone else would have way too many questions. “Actually, can I ask you questions about, er, about mates?”
“Have you found yours?” Leah asked, smiling.
She chuckled. “I was, er, I was curious, you know, about you and Dad, and I guess mates in general.”
“Go ahead. I will answer as best I can, but I will admit it’s not always easy,” Leah said.
“How do you mean?”
“Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, being mates is different for everyone. For your father and I, we grew up as friends. I had fallen in love with him long before the transition. When we finally did transition, it was a dream come true to be mated with him. The love I had for him felt like it exploded across my entire being.”
Ashley smiled. “And you love each other more now than ever before.”
“Of course, but don’t forget, we’ve not always been perfect for one another.” Leah tucked some hair behind her ear.
“I don’t understand.”
“Mates can argue and disagree. Even go so far as falling out for a short time. It doesn’t stop us being mates or anything like that, but what it does do is make us stronger.”
“You and Dad fell out?”
“I wouldn’t say we had a true falling out, not in that sense, but we did disagree on the previous alpha. I didn’t like him. Something about him made me believe he was weak. Your father felt we should trust him, give him the benefit of the doubt, even though on numerous occasions he’d shown himself to be too weak to lead.” Leah sighed. “You know what happened. I wanted to leave town. To get you as far away from that mess as possible.”
“Dad didn’t?”
“Because he was protecting you. We don’t know what it’s like, your father and I, to experience a transition without your pack. He feared pulling you away from the pack at a young age before your transition could hurt you.”
Ashley thought of Phoenix. “Oh.”
“So, that was our first true disagreement. Your father was utterly distraught over what happened. I’m just grateful Phoenix had decided to come and visit the town a second time.”
“But you forgave him?”
“Yes, of course I did. I love your father so very much. I would forgive him for a lot of things. Even if I thought he was making a mistake.” Leah reached out and tucked some of her hair away. “What’s going on, Ashley?”