57, An odd little family

Adina’s POV

When they met in the dining room an hour later, Adina and Sean were in a better mood than yesterday. Some of the nervous tension had left them. Adina even found that she was less annoyed by Tia’s presence.

“Could I talk with you, Adina?” Sean’s mother asked as they had almost finished eating.

“Sure,” Adina smiled at her.

“I’ll join you,” Sean said.

“I was hoping to have a word with Adina,” his mother told him.

“I think I’ll insist,” Sean said, and Adina looked at him with surprise.

“It’s okay, Sean, it’s you, mother,” she said, thinking he was slipping into his bodyguard role.

“No, I think my brother is right. Let’s make it a family talk, and I’ll join as well,” Liam said.

Adina looked at the two men. What was happening?

“Fine,” their mother said.

‘Love, what is going on?’ Adina asked Sean in a mind link.

‘I just have a feeling,’ he told her.

‘Okay, I trust you,’ she said.

“Let’s use my office. It will give us some privacy,” Liam smiled and led the way.

As they got there, Liam and Sean saw Tia following them. They both stopped and looked at her.

“I invited her. She is practically family,” their mother said.

The group’s mood made Adina uncomfortable, and she moved closer to Sean. He let go of her hand and instead placed his arm around her.

“Please, sit,” Liam said, gesturing at a couple of couches in the office’s corner.

The office was decorated in warm, sandy colours with hints of red and green. Adina thought it suited the alpha. She and Sean sat on a couch; Sean took her hand in his.

“What did you want to talk about?” Adina asked Sean’s mother.

“I know you love my son,” his mother started.

Adina nodded, and she could sense Sean smiling at her.

“I know that, and I truly think you would do anything for him. I’m going to ask you to let him go,” his mother said.

Adina felt Sean tense next to her. She was floored by what his mother had asked of her.

“Let him go?” Adina asked, to gain some time to get a grip on her feelings.

“Yes, let him return to his home, to us. Let him take a chosen mate and be happy. The life he left us to live is dangerous and not where he is supposed to be,” his mother said.

“He would be happier here, with someone like Tia that can provide a good home for him,” she continued.

Sean growled, and both his mother and Tia jerked. Adina squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

“I understand you are his mother, and you want what you think is best for him,” Adina started.

“But you don’t know him, clear by how you talk. First, he didn’t leave this pack. He was sent away. Please don’t make it out like it was his choice. Even though I’m utterly grateful that he was sent to me, I also know that it was a painful process for him,” she continued and straightened her back.

“What do you mean I don’t know my son?” his mother interrupted her.

“You would have him take Tia as a mate. Tia is a lovely she-wolf. She is kind, innocent and beautiful,” Adina smiled.

“But do you think she is the right choice for Sean? What do you think the two of them have in common with everything he has been through in his life?” Adina asked.

“But despite that, I would let him go if he asked me to. But that is the only thing that will ever make me let him go,” she finished and looked at Sean.

“Never,” he said, and she smiled at him.

“Sean, you can have a future here. You belong to this pack,” his mother told him.

“No, mother, I don’t. I haven’t since the day father gave me the White Rose pack. I don’t regret the life I have lived. It has been hard but good. But this pack is not my pack, and this family isn’t my family. I have enjoyed my visit, but it had made things clear to me,” he said.

“My pack is the Black Moon pack, and there is where my family is. I never thought I would say it, but Adina and I have a family beside us. We are an odd little family, but then, we are odd, so it fits,” he smiled.

Adina smiled up at him and kissed his cheek.

“And for taking Tia as a mate? I’m sorry, Tia, you seem nice. I don’t know you. But how on earth could I trace my two mates for a chosen one? That just makes little sense,” he finished and shook his head.

“I’m happy for you,” Liam said, patting Sean’s shoulder.

“Thanks,” Sean smiled.

“And to be honest, I’m quite jealous that you have mated with Adina, beautiful, smart and a healer,” Liam chuckled.

“Stop teasing him,” Adina smiled.

“I don’t think he is teasing me,” Sean told her.

“Will you two stop joking around and be serious? I’m trying to put our family back together,” their mother snapped.

“I think it’s too late for that, mom,” Liam said. He sounded sad.

“We lost Sean when we let dad take him away without trying to stop him. We will just have to accept that and be happy that he is happy,” he continued.

“He is right, mother. There is no way of putting me back into your family, but I am happy to stay in touch with you,” he said.

“We would like that,” Liam smiled. “Right, mom?”

“Yes. But I’m not happy about it,” she replied.

“I think Adina and I will return home. I know we should stay for a couple more days, but to be honest. I don’t want to put her through the stress of having my mother trying to fix me up with other females,” Sean said.

“Sean, if you want to,” Adina started; she didn’t want to take more time away from him.

“Adina, it’s okay. It’s what I want,” he told her and looked into her eyes so that she could see that he was telling the truth. She nodded.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I would have liked a rematch. But you would most likely have kicked my ass again,” his brother chuckled.

“Thank you for healing me, Adina,” He smiled at her.

“My pleasure Liam. And if you are ever up north, please let us know, and we will have you stay with the pack. And if there is anything the White Rose pack can do, let us know,” she smiled back at him.

“Thank you,” he said.

They all stood up, and Sean let Adina walk in front of him when Tia took two steps and ended up between them.

“Sean, think this through. We could be good together,” Tia said.

Adina had had enough. She growled loudly, making Tia jump and quickly move to Sean’s mother’s side. But Adina wouldn’t let her go that easily. She took a step closer to her.

“I have been patient with you. I have considered that this probably wasn’t your idea. But Sean is my mate. I have marked him, and he has marked me. You don’t want to cross me. I will eat you as a snack,” Adina growled.

“Adina, sweetheart, it’s okay,” Sean said, and she felt his arm around her waist. He bent down and kissed her shoulder and then her cheek.

“I apologise for my pack member; I appreciate your constraint. Not many alphas would have left her standing. I am horrified by her behaviour, and I will have a talk with her about it,” Liam said.

“But alpha, she has another mate. Why can’t she let me have Sean?” Tia said, upset. She sounded whiny like she should not get to play with the toy they wanted.

“Tia, enough!” Liam growled, and Tia shrank down. “Alphas sometimes take more than one mate to protect the luna. After what happened to my dad, I can see why. If I had a mate and pups, it would be a comfort knowing someone would look out for them if I were killed,” Liam said.

“It’s not fair,” Tia said, storming out.

“Now look what you did,” Sean’s mother said, following Tia out of the room.

“I’m sorry,” Liam said, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry about it. Can we do anything to help sort this out?” Adina asked.

“It’s not your headache. Leave it to me, they will both calm down, and Tia will find someone else to pursue,” he smiled.

“I take it she had already tried with you?” Sean chuckled as they left his brother’s office.

“Yes, once before I was alpha and then just after I took over,” he sighed.

“Holding out for your true mate?” Sean asked.

“Yes, I don’t think I could do a better job than the moon goddess,” Liam shrugged.

“She would be happy to hear you say that,” Adina said. Liam looked at her in shock.

“She would,” Sean nodded.

“Life is interesting around you, isn’t it?” Liam asked Adina.

“Never a dull moment,” Sean agreed.

“It has its pros and cons,” Adina admitted.

“I have made sure to have a car ready for you when you want to leave,” Liam told them.

“Thank you. We will just talk to our warriors and pack,” Sean said.

A couple of hours later, they were back in the air, going home.

‘How are you feeling?’ Adina asked Sean in a mind link.

‘I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me,’ he told her.

‘Yeah, when has that ever happened?’ she asked. He laughed.

‘The first eight months after we met, I guess,’ he said.

‘True,’ she nodded.

‘But seriously, are you okay with leaving everything like this?’ she asked.

‘I am. I’m in a better place with my brother than I have been in years. My mother and I will never be close. We were never close, even before I was sent away. I would have liked it if she could have been happy for me. But I can live with this as well,’ he told Adina.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, kissing him.

‘Don’t be. Never be sorry that you chose me,’ he said. She smiled.

‘You let Colin know we were on our way back, right?’ she asked.

The shock on his face let her know he had forgotten about that. She giggled.

‘We could just surprise him,’ she suggested.

‘I don’t think so, not a whit the situation back home,’ Sean told her.

‘Colin, are you busy?’ Adina mind linked him.

‘Not too busy to talk to you,’ Colin answered.

‘Smooth. I won’t take up a lot of your time. Sean and I are heading back home. We have been in the air for about thirty minutes,’ Adina told him.

‘What happened?’ he asked.

‘Things. I think it’s best we talk about it when we get home,’ she said.

‘How’s Sean?’

‘Fine, I think he found peace with things,’ Adina smiled.

‘That’s good. I’ll send a car to pick you up. I can’t wait to see you,’ he said.

‘Same here, honey.’

As the car finally pulled up in front of the pack house, Adina sighed and felt some of the tension in her shoulders loosen.

“Home,” Sean said as he helped her out.

“It feels good,” she smiled.

“It does,” he agreed as they walked toward the pack house. They met pack members on the way that greeted them and told them it was nice to have them home.

They walked up the stairs, expecting Colin to be in his office. But he was standing on top of the stairs, waiting for them.

As soon as they got up, he drew them both into a hug and kissed Adina. The three stood for a while, taking in each other’s scents.

“Let’s talk in the office,” he told them, and they walked to his office.

Adina noticed the door to the apartment that had been Sean’s stood ajar.

“Why is the door to the apartment open?” she asked.

“You noticed that, huh,” Colin smiled at her and kissed her.

“Yeah,” she nodded.

They sat down on the couch, Adina sandwiched between the men.

“Start by telling me why you are back early,” Colin told them.

Sean and Adina told him about the trip. He listened as he had his arm on the back of the couch behind Adina, his hand resting on Sean’s shoulder. His other hand played with Adina’s fingers. Sean had his arm the same way as Colin, resting his hand on Colin’s shoulder. Adina felt safely encased by the two of them.

“I’m sorry it didn’t go better,” Colin told Sean when they had told him everything.

“Don’t be. I’m happy with how things turned out. I’m just sorry to have put Adina through that,” Sean said, kissing her shoulder. “But it was crazy hot seeing her growl at Tia,” he added with a smirk.

“I bet it was,” Colin laughed.

Adina just shook her head.

“So, who’s been staying in the spare apartment?” she asked.

Colin looked at Sean, and Sean shrugged.

“We can’t hide it from her,” he said.

“Hide what from me?” she asked.

“It was supposed to be a surprise for you. But since you are back a couple of days early, I guess we have to tell you. I have been sleeping in the spare apartment,” Colin said.

“Why?” Adina asked.

“Because we are taking down the wall into the pup’s room to give us more space, and I didn’t want to sleep in an ongoing construction,” he smiled.

“What? Really?” she asked, excited.

“Really,” Colin laughed.

“Can we look?”

“No, baby,” Colin said.

“We might have ruined part of the surprise, but at least we can keep you from seeing it before it’s ready,” Sean told her.

“But I want to see,” Adina whined.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Sean smiled.

“You aren’t sorry at all,” she pointed out.

“No,” he admitted, and Colin laughed again.