Chapter Fifteen
The bike roared to a stop in the parking lot near the scenting ceremony grounds. Addison took off her helmet and shook out her hair, but she didn’t get off the bike. Trepidation had her holding still and staring at the crowd of shifters. “I don’t know about this.”
Another scenting ceremony. Another confrontation with her stepfather. Addison shuddered.
She hadn’t seen her folks since she’d gone to Snowflake and met Ethan. She’d called home, but as soon as George had heard the news, he’d hung up on her. She hadn’t spoken to him since. And of course, her mom was too afraid of her mate to do anything but keep silent as well. That old familiar ache she got whenever she thought of her mom these days filled her chest.
“Babe, it’ll be okay.” Ethan twisted back and gave her a big kiss as he set the kickstand. “I’ll be here every minute.”
“And so will we.” Trish and Lincoln walked up. “Come on, girlfriend, off of that bike. You have to face them sooner or later.”
“Thank God you’re here.” Addison swung her leg over and dismounted. She gave them both hugs, the pain in her chest easing just a bit. “With you on my side, George can’t cause much trouble.”
Linc’s eyes flashed. “He won’t be causing any trouble, or else the entire pack will have something to say about it.”
Several more members of the pack came over, telling her how much they’d missed her and welcoming Ethan to the group with hugs and handshakes.
She watched her new mate with pride. They’d stayed longer than they should have at the lodge, taking advantage of Linc’s hospitality, while they searched for a tiny apartment and figured out what to do for money. She still had her virtual assistant website, and it was going great. In fact, getting out more with Linc and Trish she’d made a few contacts and the business had expanded.
And she’d helped Ethan get his artwork set up on a few websites. His prints were a hit, and he had a few custom jobs drawing people as their own superheroes. The money was tight living in a touristy area like Snowflake, but she didn’t care, she and her mate were happy.
Except for this. She spotted her mom across the clearing, hovering behind George. As if he felt her attention on him, he turned, and caught her eye. He stared across the crowd sending shivers creeping down her spine.
“Is that him?” Ethan moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her.
“That’s him.” She scented the rise of his wolf.
“He’s giving us the evil eye.”
“I don’t care about George. I only want to make sure my mom is okay.” From here, she really couldn’t tell.
“Well, then, come on. Let’s do this thing. It’s your pack too.”
She looked up into Ethan’s face and gathered her courage. He’d come here for her, faced all these pack knowing that a month ago, they would have killed him as soon as look at him. But now, with Trish and Linc on their side, as well as support from others, like the Wolfe family, they’d walked in here and been accepted.
She put her shoulders back and smiled up at her mate. “You’re right. It is my pack too.” She relaxed a little bit. Who knew mating with an outsider would make her feel like an insider?
They approached her mom and stepdad with fingers laced together. She didn’t have to be touching Ethan to feel the connection with him, but ever since their mating, they had a hard time not touching.
“Is this him?” George gave Ethan a withering glance, then moved on to Addison. “You disappoint me, Addison. Like always.”
She quailed under his icy stare, but the warmth of Ethan’s grip on her hand kept her centered. “Yes, this is Ethan. My husband.”
“Didn’t even have the balls to have a real wedding.”
“If you’d had the balls to come, sir, you would have seen it was a real wedding.” Ethan’s voice was calm but under her touch she felt him stiffen.
It had been a great wedding, in a tiny little log chapel with just their friends—Eve, Gabby, Trish, Linc, even Aric and his mate Jordan had come, and of course, Mike, the man whose lattes and hot chocolate had gotten them together in the first place.
“Why would I come to a sham like that.” George spat on the ground.
Stella flinched. Her mom looked terrible. She’d let her hair go, the grey roots two inches long among the brown curls. Her shoulders were bent and she hadn’t looked up from her feet since they’d come over.
Addison could smell the nerves on her mom’s scent and it worried her. She reached out her free hand. “Mom?”
“She’s not allowed to talk to you. You had the perfectly good opportunity to mate with one of our respectable families and instead you’ve shamed your family. You’ve shamed your pack.”
“I’ve done no such thing.”
“Yes you have. And you ruined the reputation of a fine young man. Julian’s parents are in seclusion now, too embarrassed by your lies about their son and wrapped up in their grief to come out of hiding.”
“They weren’t lies. He kidnapped us and hired thugs to rape and murder me and my friends.” Fur pushed against her skin as her wolf rose.
“So you say, but there wasn’t any evidence, was there? It’s just your word against his.”
“All of our words. And the evidence from the men he hired.” She growled and moved forward, but Ethan’s grip tightened.
“Come on,” he said. “You don’t need this. Let’s go.” He pulled her away. As they walked back toward their friends he turned back. “Mrs. Howler, our place up in the mountains is small, but you’re always welcome to visit.”
George’s face went bright red. He moved fast, rushing at them with his fists raised. Addison braced for impact, holding her wolf in, but letting the joy of finally being able to confront her stepfather rise to the surface. She was ready to tear the man’s throat out for all the years of emotional abuse.
But Ethan stepped in front of her. George stopped in his rush. All around them people drew back, forming a circle. Addison smelled the tension rising in the air and the heavy scent of wolf.
“Stop.” Max Hunter, Trish and Linc’s father stepped into the circle. “This is a scenting ceremony, no violence is allowed.”
George’s face turned an apoplectic red. “She’s a liar! She’s betrayed a good man and brought riffraff into the pack.”
Max stayed calm. It was why he was pack alpha, the ability to maintain control of any situation. “Julian Clawbender was tried by pack tribunal. The evidence was found against him. He’s been sentenced to death.”
“But there wasn’t evidence, just a bunch of lying girls and scum like him.”
Max’s eyes flashed deep green. “As you know, the tribunal can smell lies. There’s no doubt that Julian is guilty and deserves his sentence. Now, are you going to continue in this stupidity or are you going to welcome our newest member to our pack?” Max gestured to Ethan.
Addison squeezed Ethan’s hand. The pack alpha himself had acknowledged Ethan, there was no way George could argue with that.
George’s mouth opened and closed, his face going from red to magenta.
Stella pulled at his sleeve. “George, calm down. You’re going to have a heart attack.”
He shoved her away and she stumbled. Addison ran to her mother’s side and helped her up. Stella hung on to her, swaying in the slight breeze, her eyes fixed on her mate. Her mother’s body seemed smaller than usual, her bones frail and brittle.
Max growled. “I meant what I said.” From the outskirts of the crowd other men and women came to stand behind Max and Ethan. Addison snuck a look. Trish, Linc, and even their guests, Aric Wolfe and Jordan, stood shoulder to shoulder backing up the alpha. Max gave George a hard stare. “Either get in line, Howler, and enjoy the party, or get the hell out.”
Under her touch her mother quivered, but neither of them moved as everyone waited for George to decide.
Finally his body sagged. “Fine. I’m going home.” He turned, shoulders bent, and headed for the car.
Stella pulled away from Addison.
“Mom!”
Her mother looked back, their eyes meeting for the first time in a month. Something sad flitted over Stella’s face. Her hand lifted. For a second, Addison thought she was going to say something. But then she shook her head and turned away, following her husband to the car.
Her throat choked with tears, Addison tried again. “Mom?”
But her mother didn’t look back.
Addison reeled as her entire world seemed to wobble on its axis.
Then she felt the steady arm of her mate wrap around her and she was enveloped in the warm scent of leather. “I’m here, babe.”
Suddenly, everything was better. Not perfect, but better. Ethan was her world now and maybe someday, her mother would come around and accept it. She knew George never would, but that was fine with her. She gave her mate a hug back and let the warmth and love of their mating bond flow over her.
Around her she felt her friends gather and she could hear the voice of the alpha over the crowd, “Okay folks, show’s over. Back to the picnic tables with all of you.”
She hung on to Ethan. He wrapped her tightly in a big bear hug and nuzzled her face. “I got you.”
“I want my mom’s approval, but she’s never going to give it to me, is she? Not while he’s in the picture.”
“Sorry, babe. It sucks.”
“Yeah. It does. But you know what?”
“What?”
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” She’d always love her mom. She’d pray every second that someday they’d get a chance to reconcile, but she’d found out, she was a strong woman. If she needed to she could stand on her own, but she didn’t have to. Because she had good friends, a pack, and even better, a strong mate who would stand up with her.
“And I’ve got you.” Ethan squeezed her hard. The warm scent of her mate enfolded her and she was home.
*****