Falling Rain

17

Mason. 

    The days go by quickly, Rain is really enjoying spending time with her family. She will be so sad when we have to go home in three days. I can tell she is tired, she has been pushing herself so hard since we got here. 

    I get out of bed and pull the covers over Rain, she is cool to the touch, goosebumps form on her arms as I touch her. I smile and go to the bathroom, starting the shower and stepping inside. Once I’m done I fill the bathtub, Rain has been having her baths in the mornings since we got here, she’s been too tired in the evenings. 

    I wrap a towel and round my waist and brush my teeth. I pull on my boxers and head back to the bedroom. I promised Martian I’d be respectful while under his roof, meaning no s*x with his daughter. It was more out of courtesy than anything, but I want to show respect to my Mate’s parents. 

I lean over Rain and gently lift her out of bed, carrying her to the bathroom. She stirs in my arms and yawns. 

“Good morning beautiful” I kiss her as I set her down on the ledge of the tub. I pull her night dress over her head and toss it to the floor. I help her get into the water and watch as she leans back, swishing the water with her hands. 

“Can we go home soon?” She asks. I’m surprised, I thought she’d want to stay longer. 

“Whenever you want Love…” I tell her as I pull her forward to wash her back. 

“I miss home… Can we leave tomorrow?” 

“Sure, but are you sure you don’t want to stay longer? I thought you’d want to visit your family-” 

“I do but it is too much, I thought I’d be okay but I feel so overwhelmed. My mom cries every time she sees me in the morning and I don’t think I can go everyday with her thinking I’m not going to be there again, that I’m going to be stolen away again” She sounds exhausted. Everything she says is true though, her mother has been extremely emotional this entire trip, but I had thought it seemed normal. 

“We can go whenever you want, Love” I say. 

“Thank you” She snuggles into the water more, closing her eyes for a moment. 

Once she gets out and dressed we head down for breakfast. I asked her if she wanted me to tell them but she said no, she needed to do it herself. 

     We sit at the table and wait for her family to show up, once everyone is seated and chatting away with each other she speaks up, her voice soft. 

“I have something I want to say…” She begins. 

    The table falls silent as all eyes are on her, “Ever since I came here everyone has been so kind, so friendly, but it doesn’t feel right.. It feels like it’s all staged and somehow forced. I don’t know how to explain it or how to feel. I don’t want to upset anybody by saying this but something feels wrong… We have decided to go home tomorrow morning” She says, I can feel her shaking slightly beside me. 

“What?” Her mother says dumbly. 

“What is this? What did you say to her?” Jamie snaps to me. 

“I said nothing to her. This is how she feels and I am going to back her 100%.” I tell him, my voice raised in frustration. He lowers his head in submission. 

“Well you must have said something in order for her to feel like this! This is your fault!” Her mother sobs. 

Rain turns to me in desperation, not knowing what to say. “I’m sorry” She whispers

I entwine our fingers and give her a small squeeze, “It’s not your fault” I tell her. 

“I want you out of my house” Her father says, making everyone shut up. 

    Rain looks at him in confusion, “I want you to leave. Let us be with our daughter in peace, just go back to your pack. We will take care of her. Leave!” Martian yells at me. 

“I am not going anywhere without her.” I stand up and tell him, using my Alpha voice. He flinches but doesn’t back down. “You’ve already seen I am more powerful than your future Alpha, do you think you stand a chance?” I ask him. He looks at me for a moment then to Rain. 

“Please, just stay with us. Don’t go with him. You can have a fresh start here, with us” He says to her. 

“I can’t… I love him. I belong with him..” She cries, tears falling down her face. I hate seeing her cry like this. I want so badly to just whisk her away from all of this. How did things turn so quickly? 

“Why can’t you just do as you're told for once in your life?” Her mother asks. 

“We will just go..” Rain says sadly. I begin pushing her chair out of the room when Jamie comes up beside us. 

“I’m sorry Rain. Please don’t think too badly of them” 

“It’s okay...I’ll miss you” She says, wiping her tears away. 

“I’ll come visit soon okay?” He says to her but looks to me for approval, I nod. 

“I’d like that” 

    I mindlink the pack members that escorted us and let them know we are leaving as soon as possible, to have everything ready within an hour. I get some groans but they don’t actually question me. We go and pack our belongings and head to the gate where the SUV is waiting for us. 

I help Rain inside and get in next to her, her mother is watching us from a window, clutching her heart. 

“I’m really sorry they yelled at you Mason” She is still crying. 

“It’s not your fault. I can handle it, don’t be upset, okay? I love you” I smile at her, trying to make her feel a little bit better. As we wait for Troy to get in the car Rain stares out the window, I feel her relax as Troy starts the car and drives away. She reaches for my hand and holds it tightly as we start our short trip home. 

“I’m sorry your visit was cut short Luna,” Troy says from the driver's seat, glancing back at us.

“Thank you” She smiles at him, he never projects herself onto others, always showing a strong front to everyone.