Chapter Sixteen
Spring seeped into the world so gradually that when Mary looked out the window and saw the lilacs beginning to bloom, she was shocked at how much time had gone by. She tried to concentrate and think about how long it had been since she last saw Andre, but her days were a blur of cooking, cleaning, mediating squabbles, and helping with schoolwork.
Julia's leg had healed nicely, and the weeks of bedrest had helped to fill out her face. She wouldn't tell Mary what had happened to make her so thin, blaming it on the amount of work she had to do around the house, saying she never had a moment to eat a proper meal.
She was helping Mary peel potatoes for their supper, hands moving rapidly. "I never knew how much you actually do around her," she mentioned. "All this work! I don't know how you've always managed to keep everything in order.
Mary's heart warmed at her comments.
"Thank Luna I'm going to marry before you," Julia continued. "I don't think I could take Mother's demands for another day.
Mary dropped her knife onto the stove beside the pot she was filling with water and went into the pantry.
It was like she never left. She was working just as much as she had when she left, only now she couldn't escape to town for groceries. There wasn't even any sign her parents had missed her. The first thing her mother had said to her on seeing her again was pointing out that she had gained weight.
It wasn't true. Her dresses were all looser on her now than they had been before, but their utter shapelessness obscured the fact that she had a defined waist. So she had let the laundry pile up and the dishes go unwashed for a day while she made herself a pair of trousers on the family's ancient sewing machine. She'd then cut off her dresses at mid-thigh and used the extra fabric to make herself belts to cinch at the waist.
Nobody had commented on her change of style. She had only ever worn those old dresses because she didn't have the time to make herself nice clothes, or the money to buy anything from the stores. She was certain that her father was going to be angry when he found out she had used the fabric meant for his new trousers for hers, but she didn't care.
Unfortunately, every time she tried to slip away from the farm, Peter was there. She never tried to ask him to let her go. She rarely talked to him at all.
Mary sighed as she leaned against the cool wall, inhaling the scent of the bread she had baked earlier that day.
Andre threatened to enter her thoughts, and she concentrated instead on everything she had left to do that day. She couldn't allow herself to cry for Andre–not in front of her family. She only allowed her tears to come at night when she was safe from prying eyes and dangerous questions.
If he hadn't injured Julia, I could have left with him and I wouldn't be stuck here.
No, she couldn't think like that. Mary made herself straighten. Such thoughts made despair fill her heart and leak from her eyes.
The potatoes needed to be put on the stove if they were going to be done for supper. She grabbed a bunch of dried basil to put in the water and returned to her work. Julia was gone. In her place was Peter, clumsily peeling the potatoes.
"I used to be much better at this, but Amy won't let me in the kitchen." He offered her a half-smile. "She says it's her domain and if I am going to start doing housework, she was going to start milking the cows."
"You should have taken her up on that offer," Mary replied, returning to the pile of already-peeled potatoes and dicing them swiftly. "She's awfully pale. She needs to get outside more."
Peter made a noise in his throat. "Mary, I've had a phone call from your Bear."
The knife slipped, narrowly missing her fingers. Mary's heart jumped to her throat and she whirled, eyes bright. She was desperate to hear more, even as she told herself that she couldn't be this excited just to hear her brother mention him. "When?"
Peter stared at the peels in the scrap bucket. "We've been talking for several weeks now."
"You have? Why?"
"Because he wanted to know if you were all right, and I wanted to know if he really cared."
Mary's throat was dry. "And?"
Her brother finally looked at her. "You're miserable here. I can see that, and it breaks my heart. You haven't smiled once since you've been back. And if the Bear really is your soulmate… I can't stand in the way of your happiness. I can't imagine how it would be if I couldn't have Amy with me every day."
"He could have killed Julia." Mary slumped into the chair next to Peter's. "How can I forgive him for that?"
"We have spoken about that, and he seems truly remorseful for it. I can understand his anger at Father for destroying his farm. Although," here Peter shook his head and sliced a little too deep into the potato he was peeling, "he also seems to despise me for it. I suppose he must blame me, but Father already knew he was there. I didn't tell him."
Mary struggled to listen, the words truly remorseful ringing in her ears. If it was true, if Andre really did regret his actions, could she go back to him? Could she forgive him, hold him in her arms again?
"Regret doesn't erase what he did."
Peter put a hand, wet and starchy from potato juice, over hers. "But if he truly is your soulmate, he deserves a second chance, doesn't he? I've arranged for you two to meet in the city on the Full Moon Run. I'm going to leave my truck out on the road a few miles from here. You'll be able to take it to the city."
Mary's heart felt as light as a feather. She didn't think she could be so happy again, and a smile burst over her face. The Full Moon Run happened every month on the night of the full moon. For the five hours starting just before midnight when the moon was in the sky, it was a time when the Wolf could not be repressed and had to run free. Mary had rarely gone on the runs that were so important to the community, having to stay home and help the little ones make it through the involuntary transformations.
"I've told Father that you are running with Amy and me," Peter continued. "I told him that it will help you feel a bigger part of the family."
Mary embraced her brother. "Thank you."
Tears pricked her eyes. She knew how difficult this must be for him. He was willing to not only help her get away but also return to Andre. This was more than she could find words for. Andre. Her soul sung his name, though she tried to quell the rising desire to see him again. I don't know if I can forgive him yet, she told herself.
But in her heart, she knew that was not true. If he regretted his actions so much that Peter thought he was telling the truth, then it meant he would never do such a thing again.
So of course she forgave him.
***
Andre waited. The night of the full moon was almost done, and a tinge of gray on the eastern horizon promised a bright day. He paced from one end of the motel parking lot to the next, waiting and watching anxiously. Peter Locke had promised Mary would come. Even though Andre feared it was a trap, he had to trust in the love the Wolf would have for his sister. He had to.
When Zoe had brought him Peter's number, he wasn't sure if he would be able to call it. To talk with the monster that had helped kill his wife and daughter… it felt like spitting on their graves. But Mary was worth more than revenge. She was worth more than anger, and so he had called.
A pale green Ford pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. Mary sat in the front seat. The sight of her swelled in his heart, and he rushed to be near her before she had even stopped the vehicle. When the door opened he hesitated, reminding himself to be patient and hold back, because she might not forgive him.
Mary flew into his arms.
Their lips met, hands grasping at each other, bodies pressed together as tightly as they could. She tasted exactly as he remembered, like cinnamon and honey. He teased her mouth open, desperate for more. Something deep inside him pulled him towards her, and his Bear rose, not demanding release, just happy and content to be near her. He thought he heard her Wolf echo.
Mary pulled back, breaking the kiss. She cupped his face in her hands. The smile on her face was all he ever hoped for.
"People might see," she said huskily. "We need someplace more private."
Andre nodded, dazed, hardly believing that it was true and she was with him again. Hand in hand they walked away from the truck, towards his motel room.