Chapter 35 — Fagua

The heel of my foot tapped underneath the table as I stirred my iced tea with the straw. Every time the bell over the diner chimed, I glanced up, waiting for my mother.

Yet, I had no idea if she would show. Or if it would be my father and his goons. I had sent her a cryptic text to meet me here and now my conscience was screaming at me that this might be a bad idea. I couldn't tell Sky or Winter, as they'd never have agreed to this. Instead of feeling free and loved as I had first been with them, I felt trapped like I had when I was stuck in SmallHeath. My fingers brush my necklace, the one Husk, Winter, and Sky had charmed to help me break through the magical spell that kept me from leaving my hometown despite the many times I had tried on my own before.

A man with a bushy beard entered the cafe, and I went back to my watered-down iced tea.

"Need anything, hun?" the waitress asked me for the second time.

"No, thanks, I'm good." I smiled back, silently promising I'd leave her a big tip when I left.

Five minutes later, Ma breezed in, bringing with her the pricking scent of magic, and shivers raced down my spine. She headed right toward me with a guarded smile on her face. No one in the diner even glanced her way, which indicated she had cast a spell to keep herself hidden.

She slid into the booth across the table from me.

"Ma." I swallowed, thrusting my hands in my lap and clutching them together. Now that she was here, I wasn't sure how to start. She smiled, making her bright eyes crinkle in the corners. I wanted to grin back, but my fear held me in check. At any moment, my father could ambush me and I'd be taken back to SmallHeath where my life would be dictated.

"I'm glad you requested I meet you." She glanced around the diner before lifting a finger, and the waitress snapped to attention, rushing over to us. "One espresso, please."

"Yes, ma'am." The waitress hurried away.

I licked my lips, forcing my hands to still in my lap. "You have to talk to Dad. Get him to call off the wolves."

"Why?" She shook her head. "Those wolves you are with kidnapped you."

"No, it wasn't like that." At least not after I got to know them. "And I returned to them on my own. They're my mates, Ma."

"That's ridiculous. All our pack members have their mates chosen by our alpha, your father. Now, you've had your fun, so it's time to come home."

"But I-I'm happy here."

"Are you?" She cocked her head to the side.

My eyes flicked away from her. I wasn't. Not since the hired wolves attacked. I wasn't okay and felt like I was slipping away from both Winter and Sky and I didn't know how to stop it. I'd been lying to my men, myself, and even to my own father. But there was no way I could tell her that. It'd only hurt her. I placed my hands on the table, trying to find the words as Ma prattled on about SmallHeath and what had happened since I’d left.

By the time the waitress returned with her coffee, my mother had already latched on to my hands, her fingers tight on my flesh.

"I'm not going back, Ma."

She hissed and lifted her free hand, dragging it through the air. A large glowing glyph formed, glittering with arcane letters.

"I don't want to hurt you." I snatched my hands free from her grip. "But I'm not going back."

She grunted, leaning back in the booth. "I can't stop your father. Everything he's done has been for the benefit of our pack."

I snorted. "No, it's been for him and his ego."

"That's not true," she said, tapping her nails against the ceramic mug of her espresso. "We would've been stripped and sold to the highest bidder if your father wasn't as strong as he is. He protects us."

Had he brainwashed her? I blinked, shocked that she was spouting this nonsense when she had helped me escape my father the second time.

I had to be careful what I said, or she wouldn't listen to me.

"I'm tired of being controlled. That's one of the many reasons why I left." I leaned forward, determined to get her to see reason. "I'm sick of him telling me what to do and when to do it. I'm sick of being lied to."

"Of course." She sipped her coffee, a satisfied smile on her face. "Your father has been up front with you. He's told you the rules of the pack over and over again."

"No, he hasn't." My chest and eyes burned. This was the crux of the matter. He'd just expected me to accept what he decreed without question. Like how he never let me leave our town and even spelled me not to be able to. How he had wolves killed who didn't go along with his agenda. Bile rose in the back of my throat. How many innocents had he murdered?

"You were always so rebellious." She sighed and sipped her coffee again. "This is why your father picked a mate for you."

"How can you agree to this? I already have my mates." I pressed my arms against my stomach, trying to hold myself together. "I don't know the man Dad chose for me—I don't love him."

"Love comes in time." She set her coffee mug down. "I can even help you with that. A little spell to ease the transition."

"Ma, you can't," I whimpered, my stomach knotting. "I'm your daughter."

"Yes." She smoothed the paper napkin on the table next to her cup. "We're family—we're pack—and that's what matters most. Obeying your alpha."

"He's cruel. I have my mates, and I don’t want anyone else." My voice shook and tears pricked my eyes. "Dad never let me leave SmallHeath. I was a prisoner there, and as soon as he's done with whatever it is he's working on, he'll kill my mates and sell me off to the highest bidder."

"Why would you say that?" She frowned at me. "These men are merely a distraction. They can’t possibly be your mates. Your father loves you. He only wants you to be happy and safe."

"Safe?" I laughed, and it had a hysterical edge to it. "Bullshit!"

Not once in my life had I spoken to her in this manner. It was as if I’d finally found courage to speak my mind. Something I’d never possessed in the past. I could tell it surprised her too.

"He has to do what's best for our pack." Her lips thinned and she glared at me. "For you."

I shook my head, refusing to let her words sway me. "You can try talking to him, but I'm not going back."

I gripped the edge of the table and pushed to my feet. "I have my mates and I won’t take anyone else, no matter what Dad does. And if he hurts them, I will retaliate." I would do whatever it took to keep my men safe.

The waitress watched us with wide eyes, hovering near the cashier. I waved to her for the receipt and dug out cash from my wallet, leaving several bills on the table.

"Fagua," she said, grabbing my arm. "This isn't over. He won't stop until he has sealed an alliance with a neighboring pack with your bonding to one of them."

The weight of her words hit me, but instead of letting it defeat me, I was emboldened by my mother's admission.

"He had someone killed, Ma. I saw their body in the trunk."

"Everything he's done has been to protect you—to protect our pack."

"No." I shook my head, tossing out enough bills to pay for our drinks and a hefty tip. "He doesn't care about me or you or any of the wolves. He's doing this only for himself."

Before she could guilt me into staying or promising something I couldn't do, I gave her a nod. "Goodbye, Ma. Really wish you weren't so tangled up in all of this."

"You need to come home, Fagua," she said in a low whisper.

"I am already home." I left the diner with tears stinging my eyes and stepped out onto the sidewalk. So much for Ma helping us. My shoulders sagged as I walked.

My thoughts drifted to my entire life before I met Winter, Sky, and Husk. How I thought my parents could do no wrong.

I wrapped my arms around myself and trudged down the sidewalk. The fact my mother chose my father shouldn't surprise me but it did. I thought when she helped me escape, she had learned the truth about him. Now I didn't have an alternative… I had to join Winter and Sky in bringing my father down. Which also meant bonding with Husk. The wolf who seemed not to like me from the first day I spent with them.

My cell rang and I dug it out of my back pocket, totally thinking to ignore the call, but it was Rebecca.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just checking on you. We're coming back to Vegas tomorrow and wondered if you'd be up for lunch."

"Of course." I smiled. I hadn't seen Rebecca since she and her husband had helped me get away from Small Heath that night when I found out my father was a killer.

"Great." Her voice perked up even more. "We'll meet at your place around eleven. I need a bit of luck and want to play the slots."

I hiccupped, holding back a sob. I missed her. Missed the time when life was so simple. When I was naive. I had no idea how to tell her I was going to the group who wanted to bring down our alpha.

"Fagua, are you okay?" she asked, homing in on my slip.

"Yeah, sure. I'm good." I swallowed as my tongue thickened in my mouth.

"Spill." She paused. "You know I'm not going to stop pestering until you tell me."

I let out a shaky breath and told her everything. She was silent as I talked, and I told myself to stop blubbering, but I couldn't. When I finally finished, she whistled.

"I don't like it," she blurted. "It's dangerous."

"Neither do I," I agreed. The ground was soft underneath my feet and the wind blew warm and steady overhead, rustling the leaves together in a gentle swoosh. My gaze followed the line of trees marching off into the distance beyond the distant paths of cars and trucks idling at the traffic lights.

I slowed to a stop. I had been so wrapped up in how to tell Husk and my mom about my decision to join the group, I never thought about the fact that they wanted my father dead. "I can't help but think I'm making the wrong decision. That I'm missing something. But I know my father, or at least I thought I did. He won't back down."

She sighed. "Right. We don't have any choice. But your dad has to be stopped. I'm your bestie and I'm on board with whatever you need."

"Are you sure?" I bit my lip, not wanting my friend to get hurt.

"You've made this decision for yourself, and your instincts are good. Besides, you have us by your side, no matter what happens from here on out."

"Thank you." I wiped my eyes.

"Hey, everything will be okay," she said.

"I hope so."

"We’ll help you. Whatever you need."

I let out a shaky breath. "Thanks."

"What are you going to do about your three men? I mean, I only have one and keeping him in line is a full-time job."

"I heard that," Keith shouted from the other end of the phone and I laughed.

"I can't wait to meet them and see you."

"Oh, let me send you some pictures." Better if she and Mayia knew what each other looked like so they didn't attack one another or anything. And Rebecca didn't know what my men looked like either. I loaded up a photo of Mayia. Then one of me, Sky, and Winter. Finally, a picture I snapped of Husk when he wasn't looking. I also sent Rebecca and her mate's picture to Mayia with a note they were my friends.

"All three of these guys are gorgeous. Let me guess, the lone good-looking wolf is Husk? Fagua, you've got it bad."

I sighed. "I don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out. I have faith in you." She paused. "I know you, but you need to give Husk a chance."

"I know. It's just…" My voice trailed off.

"I know you want to be with Winter and Sky, but they aren't the only wolves who are your mates."

"I know." I wiped my nose. "I just need time to figure it out."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then. Take care and text me when you get home so I know you made it okay."

"I will." I hung up and stowed the phone back in my pocket.

The sound of a motorcycle pulled me out of my funk, reminding me of Husk. I looked up, half-expecting him, but it was some random dude who kept driving up the road and disappeared around the corner.