“I can’t believe you’d bring that man to my door again,” her father finally said.
“I wasn’t responsible for bringing him the first time,” Charlotte argued. The first trip home was still fuzzy in her mind. Her fork moved the food around her plate. The appetite she had was now gone. Food tasted funny now anyway. Also, she didn’t like eating too much. She’d suddenly started to get sick in the mornings.
“Yeah, well, I’ve had enough of him meddling in our lives. A waste of time, the lot of them.”
“They put food on our table, Dad. They put it on everyone’s table by constantly making sure Rock Wood was protected,” Charlotte argued in defense of her pack. She was not defending the leader, but the rest of the pack didn’t deserve the hatred her father was spilling.
“Can’t be that bad for you to be sticking up for him,” Frank told her. Charlotte looked down at her dinner. She didn’t want to talk about her feelings with her father.
“Don’t start, Frank,” her mother intervened. “Charlotte, that man loves you. Loves the very ground you walk on. Please tell me what’s going on,” her mother said.
Both women waited until Frank left the room in a huff.
“He had other women, Mommy. One of the pack women has treated me like crap since I got there, and she told me in front of him how she’d have been his if it weren’t for me.” She sobbed.#p#分页标题#e#
Doreen grabbed her and hugged her tight. Charlotte was grateful to her mom for allowing her the time to break down.
Charlotte was usually the levelheaded one who never allowed her emotions to get in the way of what she had to do.
“I want you to settle down, honey, and listen to me.”
She nodded and dried her tears on the jumper she wore.
“Over four years ago, I watched as that man, the alpha of the Rock Wood pack, carried you in and took you upstairs. Frank told me some time ago he simply laid you in bed and settled you down and watched you sleep for a few minutes. Since the night he chose to make you his mate, he’s been nothing but kind and sincere.” Doreen held her hand up as Charlotte was about to argue. “Hear me out, baby. I’m not finished.
“These past four years you’ve never wanted for anything. Micah was there at your graduation ceremony. He paid for you to go to college.”
“What?” Charlotte asked.
“That’s right. Your dad got laid off from work, and we couldn’t afford to pay the other half of your tuition fees. Micah found out, and you all of a sudden became sponsored by the Rock Wood founding bar. Do you think your apartment really came with the money for graduating college?”
Charlotte thought about the cute little one-bed apartment she’d been gifted with in her first year. She had never thought anything about it at the time. Her mother use to say, “never look a gift horse in the mouth,” and that is what she did.
“Micah did all of that?”
“He paid for your driving lessons when we couldn’t afford to keep up with the payments. I know you didn’t want to take them in high school because of your nerves and that’s why we agreed to wait until you were ready. When he found you were being hassled by that professor—the one that got fired for screwing with his students for good grades?—he went and taught him a thing or two about manners. Micah made sure the funds were there for everything you’ve ever dreamed of wanting.”
“How do you know all this?” Charlotte questioned.
“Because he used to come by here every Saturday when the letters would come from you. For hours he’d sit in your bedroom looking at your photo. He always said you were too young. You deserved to have a life before he claimed you. I’m guessing for every female mate to an alpha there are going to be a few bumps in the road. Women wanting to claim what’s yours. Now tell me, darling. Did I raise you to sit down and take it, or did I raise you to kick in the teeth of anyone who threatened you?”
Charlotte had never heard her mother talk in such a way. She stared the woman who was usually so calm and caring and saw the vicious streak within her. When anyone threatened her cub, mother bear was out to set them straight.
“He’s not mine.” She knew it was a lame-ass excuse.
“Bullshit, lady. That guy has got it bad. He wants you more than his next breath. Go and get him back here.”
Charlotte kissed her mom on the cheek and ran for the front door. Her mother moved up close behind her.
“I can’t believe I’ve been so blind.”
“If this woman tries to lay claim again, scratch her eyes out and show her who’s boss.”