Chapter 34

Olivia

My stomach was getting bigger with each passing day and my back was heavier. I loved my child already but I was eager to get him/her out of my body. My movements were slowly being limited and fatigue took over my body. I swear, if this child didn’t come out soon, I’d rip it out myself.

I settled into Lucien’s big chair in his study, simply because my room was beginning to suffocate me. For the past two hours, he’d been down in the holding cells interrogating Mason. I vaguely wondered if he was making any progress. I’d been tempted to go down there but Lucien wouldn’t like it. Besides, with my round stomach, I couldn’t walk long distances.

Since I was now eating for two, my appetite had greatly increased. It was only a little after twelve and I’d eaten twice already. As a matter of fact, I was hungry. The cook had suggested I change diets seeing as normal meals weren’t doing much in the way of satisfying the baby. When I asked her what she thought would be a better substitute, the look she gave me hadn’t needed words.

Flesh? I hadn’t thought of that. Being half-human, I’d never needed to hunt because the human part of me had been strong-willed. I didn’t even know what blood tasted like. Werewolves weren’t as blood-thirsty as vampires but we knew a thing or two about eating flesh.

I considered it, seeing some sense in it. The baby really didn’t like bacon and eggs. Maybe if I upped—

“Hey, sweetie.”

I snapped my eyes up to see Penny walking into the office. In all the chaos of the past days, we hadn’t gotten a chance to properly talk yet so I was glad to see her.

“Hey, mom. I’d stand up to hug you but I can’t feel my back.”

She chuckled, waving me off with a hand as she sat in one of the chairs opposite me. Her blond hair had been dragged up in a messy bun on the top of her head, her dark green eyes warm. I’d always considered Penny to be a beautiful woman and sometimes wondered if I would’ve looked like her had she been my real mother.

Her pink thin lips were to die for and her cheekbones stood proudly on her face. Her nose was pointed, so sharp it could’ve cut through glass. When she smiled, wrinkles gathered at the sides of her eyes, the only indication of her age. I always wondered why she never remarried after her husband died. At forty-eight, she could have married any man she wanted. Maybe she’d loved her dead husband too much to commit to any other man. I’d once brought up the topic but she quickly brushed it down with excuses that she wasn’t ready. Sadly, It had never come up again.

“It’s alright, sweetie. How have you been?”

I shrugged. “Pregnant. You?”

She smacked her lips. “Settling. It’s upsetting to know that you’re going to be living in this type of melee for the rest of your life.”

I knew she was referring to Mason and his recent shenanigans. “I’m sure it’s not that bad. Even if it were, there’s no going back for me.” I gestured to my bulging stomach teasingly.

“Still,” She continued. “I can’t help but worry. What does he want?”

“He won’t say. Lucien’s been the worst for it.”

Her eyes had a faraway look to them like she was deep in thought. I could understand her distress; it wasn’t easy knowing one’s daughter was constantly in danger, especially when one couldn’t do anything about it.

“I’ll be fine, mom,” I assured her. “Please don’t start to worry or you’ll grow stress lines around your eyes.”

“I want to speak with him.” She suddenly said. “I heard Lucien won’t let anyone down there.”

“Who, Mason?” It was an odd request. In fact, it didn’t make any sense whatsoever. As far as I knew, Penny didn’t know him. I wasn’t even sure they’d had a conversation before. “What do you want to talk to him about?”

She laughed softly, giving me a look. “Oh, come on, Olivia. I just want to see for myself what it is about him that terrifies people. You know I’m an excellent judge of character. Plus, I’m a mother. I could get him to see reason. I’m not so sure brute force is required here. He sounds like a rebellious child.”

That he was. In a manner, she was right. About the rebellious part, that was. Mason did seem like a vindictive child. But her wanting to go see him just to see if he was actually terrifying, it wasn’t adding up. Either way, I wasn’t going to be the one to say it.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. Lucien has it under control.” I said, hoping she’d let it drop. Besides, I wasn’t comfortable letting her go see Mason either by herself or with the company. It was too dangerous. “It’s not safe.”

“I can take care of myself.” Her voice was tart.

I almost rolled my eyes. “Fine. Do what you want. Ask Lucien. If he says yes, then why not.”

Not like I didn’t care but Penny wasn’t one to be persuaded otherwise when she set her mind to something.

Fortuitously, Lucien chose that exact moment to stride into his study. His sleeves had been folded up to his arm and only one open button revealed the specks of hair on his chest.

Since I was sitting in his chair, he came to kiss my forehead and then leaned against the desk with 0ne hip.

“Any luck?’ I asked him, taking care to choose my words carefully so I wouldn’t give anything he didn’t want out.

He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll have Xavier come in this afternoon. He’s better at this than I am.”

I didn’t want to interpret his words to mean torture so I let it go. While I understood what we were dealing with here, the thought of torturing a person didn’t sit right with me but it was what it was.

“Penny says she wishes to speak with him.”

Lucien’s brows raised so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. He crossed his muscled arms over his chest, facing my mother. “Does she now?” His tone was surprised, cautious. “And why is that?”

Penny suddenly looked uncertain. I didn’t blame her. Lucien was looking at her with that look that intimidated grown men and caused them to tremble.

“As I explained to my daughter, as a mother, I feel that I’ll be able to resonate more with him and get him to open up to me. I just have to make him feel comfortable.”

I could see the gears in Lucien’s head spinning. For a moment there, I thought he’d lash out at her.

“No.” His wolf said to me. “I don’t trust anyone but me around him.”

My gaze snapped to Penny to be sure he hadn’t actually spoken out loud. When I was sure he hadn’t, I replied in my mind. “She just wants to help.”

It must have been weird for her; to expect an answer and receive silence.

“She can help by taking care of you and the baby. She has no business with my business.”

“She’s my mother, Lucien. Your business is my business and my business is hers.”

“Not anymore.” The deep tone of his wolf’s voice indicated that he was angry. “I won’t say it again, Olivia. Keep her out of our business. She should know her place.”

Then he was gone.