Chapter 66
CARSON Mum stared for a moment before she spoke. “You found your mate?” she whispered, her voice filled with something I couldn’t place. I nodded just as her lips curled up into a smile. “Congratulations, Carson,” she said, tapping my leg. Lynx hummed in my head at the way she was acting. It had been a long time since she had been like this, and it was very rare. I grinned while she leaned back and smiled. “You have to tell me all about her,” she said, which made me tense slightly. Keeping my eyes on my mum, I told her all about Leah. Not leaving anything out. I explained the situation about her mum the best I could, and even what happened when the wolves came here till I lost sight of her. There was so much to tell her, but having someone to talk to about it felt good. Mum’s eyes widened and even gasped at some parts. Judging by the way her face became stern, I don’t think she knew what Jenny went through. Once I was done, she stared at me while I let everything flow out. It was hard to believe that I had been holding all this back. I used to do this with Mum all the time, spilling the beans about everything. Ever since the death of my father, it was all too much for her, which usually either set her off, or she was too far within herself to even notice me or Cassie being in the room with her. “Carson,” Mum said, making me look at her. Her eyes softened as she spoke. “I can’t believe Leah saw all that. It was not surprising that she ran away from here.” Her eyes stayed on me, but she looked away and looked at her hands in her lap. “As for her mother and the family,” she said, glancing up at me. Her face hardened. When Leah returns, let her stay in the pack house with you till she understands everything and be there for her when she needs to talk.” I nodded, knowing that was my plan, anyway. Jenny could come here and try again, but it all had to be in Leah’s time and when she was ready to do it. Lynx wasn’t nearby, but I knew I could hear everything and even feel what I felt. He knew what I wanted to ask my mum, and he was even intrigued by whether she would listen to my words. Shaking my thoughts away, I looked at my mum, who was still staring at me, and thought I would suggest something. “I want you to meet her,” I blurted, making my mum look at me with slight shock, but I continued before she could say anything. “I want you to meet her as my mum. I know I need help to explain everything, but all I know is she isn’t old enough to be settled, or even Luna.” Mum stared at me but let out a sigh. “What do you mean by that?” she asked. “She is—” “Still in school,” I murmured, looking away from her and straight at the window. It was pitch black outside. “I want her to be Luna, but I want her to live her life.” “It’s not that simple for our kind,” mum murmured, making me look back at her with a frown. Lynx came closer and huffed but said nothing. “I’m the alpha,” I said. I can decide what happens and what doesn’t. I’m not saying I want to reject her—that is far from it. I want her to go to college, study, party with her friends, and have everything she wants. I would make it happen.” Mum’s face softened at my words. “You are so much like him,” she whispered, making me feel the tightness in my chest. She was on about my father. “He wanted to change the world by one problem at a time.” I stared at her while her eyes glistened with the mere thoughts that clearly had hit her about him. “I miss him too,” I whispered just as a lone tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She kept her eyes on me. I know it is difficult for you to even think about being with the pack members or even coming downstairs—” I said, but stopped myself. I moved and leaned forward until I kneeled on the ground before her with my hands in hers. Keeping my eyes on her, I wiped a stray tear. “We all miss him,” I said, giving her a small smile. “That night has been hard for everyone who lost people. I wish I could take back and have been with him. Fought alongside him, and then maybe he would—” Mum shook her head. She removed her hands from mine and placed one hand on my cheek, which I couldn’t help but lean into. “That night was no one’s fault but the rogues who came here,” she whispered. “If you were with him, I would have lost both of you, and that would kill me.” Her eyes searched mine before she spoke. “I know I haven’t been a mother to you or Cassie since—” I shook my head and moved her hand from the cheek, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Mum, no one would expect you to be okay with everything. You lost your mate, part of your soul.” Mum stiffened at my words, but I didn’t care. She needed to hear this. Was this why she never came down to be with the pack members? “I could never have survived,” I said, keeping my eyes on her. “I would have died if I was in your position. I know it’s not the same, but I feel lost without Leah not being close to me. She is in another town with two men that she probably doesn’t like with everything that has happened to her over the last few days.” Mum said nothing, but Lynx came closer, and we both spotted her wolf. She was close and listening to what we were saying. Hopefully, I could get through to them. “Mum, I want you to come down when you are ready,” I said, gently squeezing her hand. “Maybe come to the office or the kitchen. You used to enjoy helping the chef with the meal preps.” The corners of Mum’s lips moved up slightly into a small smile. “I could make your and Cassie’s favourite cookies and muffins,” she whispered, which made me grin. I missed those so much. Mum used to make them for us when we were kids. She would make an enormous pile of them for us in the kitchen, and once we were done, she would place them in the hall for everyone else to have some. Everyone would always compliment them whenever they saw her. “Maybe I could find out what Leah likes,” she said, making my heart flutter at how my mum said my mate’s name. It was something I needed to hear. “That would be great,” I said, moving up and sitting back on the couch. I kept my hand in hers while I spoke. “You don’t have to go all out. Just do it when you are ready. Take it slow. Even have Cassie with you.” Mum nodded and smiled at me. “She would love to go in the garden,” she said, glancing at the window. “I have missed being out on it.” The garden was somewhere my mother went when she needed to think. Maybe going out there would help too, but only time will tell. “When you are ready,” I said. “And you have looked at the garden. We could order more flowers, even different ones, for you to plant.” Mum smiled. “That would be lovely.” I looked at her and pulled away from her hand, letting it fall into her lap while I spotted her looking blank. Lynx came closer, feeling content. “She and her wolf are talking,” he said. “Her wolf is telling her it’s a good idea.” I said nothing but leaned back on the couch. Moving down slightly, I rested my head on the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “Can I stay here tonight?” I asked, rolling my head to look at my mum, who was now smiling at me and gave me a nod. “Yeah,” she said. “That be nice.” I grinned. “I will take the couch,” I said. “I just need to clear my head and sleep for a few hours.” Mum said nothing, but I knew she was okay with it. Moving my head, I looked toward the ceiling, but it wasn’t too long till my eyes closed, and I was out like a light.