Wolf Bound

16 - My mother's love

River

I smile at my mother. She’s been sitting with me for the last ten minutes, but she hasn’t said anything. Mom asked me if we could go to the bedroom to talk privately. I wasn’t sure about leaving Damian with my dad and brothers. No, I don’t, for one second, think my family will say anything to upset Damian. They’re not like that. My family has always been super supportive of everything about me, and I know that includes my mate. But it doesn’t mean one of them won’t accidentally annoy Damian. I could see how tense he was when I walked into the room earlier. But I couldn’t tell why.

Regardless of that, I couldn’t say no to my mom. She’s everything to me, and if she wanted a moment alone, then I would give her that. Damian kissed me and told me to go ahead and that he would be just fine. His parents and grandparents are here, and they would keep the peace, so I didn’t need to worry.

“Mom,” I say softly while taking her hand in mine. We’re sitting side by side on the small couch in the bedroom. “Are you okay?”

Mom breathes deeply and finally looks at me. She was staring into space, and I wondered what she was thinking about.

Mom shakes her head, and I can see that she’s fighting back the tears. That hurts my heart.

She cups my cheek. “Baby girl, I am so sorry.” She gulps back a sob. “I didn’t know…”

I shake my head. “Mom, what happened to me was not your fault. You were trying to help me. Dever lied to you, and that’s on him, not you.”

“I should have insisted on more information. I should have had Dever further investigated. I didn’t, and he hurt you!”

I breathe deeply. I understand why my mom is upset and questioning herself. But my parents did ask Doctor Dever questions, dozens of them. They investigated what he was telling them and even pulled up all the information available on his facility. Dever even gave them testimonials from previous patients he’d helped, whom Dad then called to check whether Dever’s claims were truthful.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and I know now that those patients weren’t patients at all. Dever was smart, and he went to extraordinary lengths to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was me. There was something about me that appealed to Dever, and he would stoop to any level to get me.

I don’t blame my parents for any of what happened because they were fooled, just as I was. That doesn’t make them stupid or weak. They were two loving parents who wanted to help their child out of the hell she was living in.

My parents love me, and I will never doubt that for a second.

“Mom,” I take my mother’s hand in mine. “Please don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong. Dever fooled you. All you were trying to do was help me, and I love you so much for it.”

A tear falls from Mom’s eye. I cup her cheek and wipe the tear away with my thumb. Mom chuckles, and it makes me smile.

“Listen to me,” I say softly. “You are the best mother in the world. You raised me with so much love, and you never told me that being this way was wrong. You have always supported me, no matter what. Don’t you know what you mean to me?”

More tears fall from my mom’s eyes. “I know, baby.” She pulls me into her arms, and I wrap my arms around her back while lying my head on her shoulder. “You are everything to me, River.”

“I know, Mama.”

She cups my cheek as I pull away enough to look at her. “Mommy will do everything to bring your little boy back to you.”

My chin wobbles, and I’m fighting the urge to cry.

“There is nothing your father and I won’t do for you, River. As for those who hurt you,” Mom’s eyes darken. “None will live once I find them!”

I swallow back my emotions. This is why I love my mother so much. She’s not afraid to show her feelings, but she’s no pushover either. If anyone hurts her children, she won’t stop until those people have paid for their crimes. She is always there for my brothers and me, and nothing is ever too much for her. She loves us fiercely, and it shows in everything that she does for us.

“I don’t want you to do anything that could mean I lose you, Mom.”

Mom shakes her head. “You’re my baby, and no one will ever get away with hurting you, River. I don’t care what I have to do. Ashling agrees with me.” Mom’s Wolf flashes in her eyes, and I laugh.

Ashling, I can tell, is just as angry with what Saltan has been through. Mom’s Wolf loves her pup as much as Mom loves me.

‘My mom is upset.’ Saltan sniffs. ‘I wish I could see her for a moment.’

‘Oh, Saltan,’ That hurts my heart so much. I want to let Saltan take over so he can be with Ashling, but I don’t know what that would do to us. I’m scared because we haven’t found a way out of this Wolf Bound status yet.

If I let Saltan take over, will we get stuck again?

‘It’s okay, River. Don’t be sad.’

‘I’m so sorry, Saltan. We can’t transform just yet, but you can speak through me to your mother if that helps.’

‘Really?’ I hear the hope in my Wolf’s voice, and it makes me smile.

‘Yes, of course.’

‘I would love that.’ He replies.

“Mom, would it be okay if Ashling speaks with Saltan for a moment? We can’t transform, but he needs his mom right now.”

My mother smiles. “Of course.”

Instantly, Ashling shines through my mother’s eyes. I smile and let Saltan come up front with me.

‘Mother,’ he gasps through my mouth.

‘My baby!’ Ashling reaches for Saltan, pulling us into Mom’s arms. ‘Mommy’s here now.’

‘I have missed you, Mother.’

‘As I have you, my boy. Everything is going to be okay, Saltan. We’re going to fix this, and I will tear that f****d-up doctor apart!’

As Saltan and Ashling talk, I can feel Damian’s mind link pressing against my brain. I can’t answer him yet. I don’t want to break the moment between my mother’s Wolf and mine. Saltan needs this moment.

I don’t know how long I’ve been locked inside my mind, but I’m suddenly being shaken slightly. I blink away the fog and smile as my vision returns. Damian is crouched beside me, his hand on my face, looking at me with concern. My mother is no longer in the room, but I didn’t hear her leave.

“What happened? I came in here to check on you when you didn’t answer the mind link, and I found you just staring into space.”

“I’m sorry,” I smile at my mate. “Saltan was speaking with his mother. He must have shut me out for a moment.”

Damian shakes his head. “No, baby. Your mother said your Wolf and hers had stopped speaking a few moments ago. However, you didn’t snap out of your trance.”

I furrow my brow. “I don’t understand what happened, then. I wasn’t thinking about anything. I don’t even know how long I was locked out of Saltan’s conversation.”

Damian looks at me curiously. But he doesn’t say any more about it. So, I don’t either.

“It’s time we went back to the house, River.”

“But I thought your dad wanted to have me tested?” I shift in my seat and grab Damian’s face. “I don’t want that, Damian. I would rather go home with my parents.”

Damian smiles. “My love, my dad doesn’t want that anymore. Your parents and brothers will also be staying with us. My grandfather thought it would be a good idea. That way, we can all travel to the Royal Pack to speak with the Lycan King together.”

I blink, taken aback. “Excuse me? Since when are we going to speak with the Lycan King?”

“Damn,” Damian whispers. He then tells me what was said while I was asleep.

I swallow hard. “Erm… Okay. So, we need to speak to the Lycan King. Goddess, I don’t know if I can say the words out loud again, Damian.”

My mate shakes his head. “You don’t need to say anything, River. Thane’s sister and their cousin will read your memories and project them for the Lycan King to see.”

“Does that mean my family will see everything?” I ask in a panic. I don’t know if I could handle that!

“I know this is difficult for you, River. But they need to know everything so that awful place can finally be shut down. It might hurt to show them, but think of all the lives you’ll save in doing so, including our son’s. You want Daniel home. Don’t you?”

I nod my head with my eyes closed. There is nothing I want more than to bring Daniel home. Regardless of how embarrassed I might be, or how much it will hurt for my family to see what happened to me, I have to do this for Daniel. My son is all that matters right now. And if by doing this it can get the facility shut down for good, and those vile people dealt with once and for all, then I must do it.

“Yes. I want Daniel home with us more than anything. I also want those people to pay for what they did not only to me, but to all the others in that place. Let’s do this.”

Damian leans in and kisses me softly. “Good girl. Let’s go home.”

Not long now, Daniel. Mommy and Daddy are coming for you, and nothing and no one will ever hurt you again. I promise.