Love, A Curvy Girl’s Guide (A Curvy Girl’s Guide to Shifters)

Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

H aley sat cross-legged on the small cot in Neela’s clinic, absently tracing the seam of the thin blanket as she listened to the elder healer go over the day's lesson. Neela had been kind, patient, and an unrelenting taskmaster. After a week of intensive training, Haley’s body ached in places she hadn’t known existed, and her brain was saturated with more herbal remedies and pressure points than she’d ever thought necessary. But there was also a quiet satisfaction in the work—a sense of belonging she hadn’t expected.

Working at the pharmacy had been a lot of standing or walking short distances during long shifts. Working with Neela was much different. Some of the patients came to Neela’s clinic, but there were far more that they visited in their homes. Haley liked being able to meet many of the pack members, especially those who were older or too ill to have been there the night she and Ian arrived. But most importantly, she loved helping others. It was what she enjoyed about being a pharmacist, but somehow this felt like a deeper level of connection.

Ian was also immersed in his training as a new wolf of the pack. Between learning to control the shift and learning all of the pack rules, it was a grueling regimen. But somehow they were both happier living with the Iron Claw Pack than they had ever been.

It was the nights, as she lay in Ian’s arms, with their bodies entwined and his warmth anchoring her, that she felt true happiness. Their nights together had been nothing short of ecstasy—each touch, each whispered word drawing them closer than ever before. She had never felt more connected to anyone, never known this kind of raw, unfiltered intimacy.

The chime of Haley’s phone interrupted her thoughts. She fished it out of her pocket and frowned at the name flashing across the screen—Mom.

Her stomach clenched. Somehow, she’d been expecting this call. Dreading it.

Neela, ever perceptive, gave her a knowing look and nodded toward the clinic door. “Go ahead, Haley. Take your time.”

Haley stepped outside, the crisp mountain air doing little to ease the apprehension in her chest. She pressed the phone to her ear. “Hey, Mom.”

“I hope you enjoyed your pharmaceutical convention,” her mother said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Or should I say, your jury duty?”

Haley’s stomach dropped. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb, Haley. I called Verity. She told me you were on jury duty. Funny, since you told me you were at a convention. Which is it?”

Haley squeezed her eyes shut, cursing Verity’s loose lips. “Mom, I?—”

“Haley.” Her mother’s voice was tight, controlled. The kind of tone that always made her feel like a guilty teenager. “Do you think I’m stupid? Wherever you’ve run off to, you need to get your ass right back here. Nora Scrabbly from across the street said she saw you getting into Ian Johnson’s car. Don’t tell me you are stupid enough to believe he wants someone like you. A fat and lazy girl who takes off from her family and leaves her father who is dying of cancer so you can play house. It’s disgusting, and frankly, it’s selfish.”

Haley’s fingers tightened around the phone. “Selfish?”

“Yes! You left us to deal with everything on our own. The bills, your father’s treatments, the pharmacy?—”

“I didn’t abandon you,” Haley interjected, anger sparking through her guilt. “I needed to be here.”

“For what? As the neighbor boy’s fuck buddy? Think, Haley. He’s never going to marry a girl like you. What about your real family? We need you. You have responsibilities, Haley. What if you lose your job? What are we going to do then?”

The words landed like a slap. Haley swallowed, her throat tight. “I know that, Mom. But this… this is important, too. You don’t understand.”

“More important than us?”

“That’s not fair.”

Her mother sighed heavily. “I just don’t understand you anymore. You need to come home before you completely throw your life away.”

The call ended with a click, leaving Haley standing there, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She sucked in a shaky breath, willing herself not to cry.

She didn’t hear Neela’s approach until her hand rested gently on Haley’s back. “That sounded rough,” she murmured, low and steady.

Haley exhaled sharply, scrubbing a hand over her face before turning to her. “My mom is—difficult. I can’t tell her the truth about all this, and she thinks I’m being selfish for staying here. That I’m abandoning them.”

“Does she always speak to you that way?” Neela questioned carefully.

Haley felt the familiar rush of guilt, embarrassment, and shame wash over her.

“It’s not her fault,” she began, but Neela shushed her.

“You are both grown women,” Neela added, kindly but firmly. “It’s one thing to share the burden of a family member who is ailing. There are times when one says things they want to take back. But, Haley, the way your mother was speaking to you, that was abusive and manipulative. I’m an old woman who likely speaks when anybody else would keep their mouth shut. But I can’t stand to see a beautiful, intelligent woman like yourself being torn down right before my eyes.”

The tears that had threatened to fall earlier when Haley’s mother had first begun to berate her started to spill down her cheeks.

“She didn’t used to be this mean,” Haley managed between sobs. “My dad was always a buffer between us. Mom is bipolar, so she isn’t always like this. I know she loves me. When she’s on her meds, she is horrified at the things she’s said and done. But Dad is too sick to keep after her about taking her meds. And his are so expensive that I know she chooses to pay for his over hers. When I say it's not her fault, I just mean that there are so many layers to this mess.”

Neela sighed and wrapped Haley in her weathered arms. The woman wasn’t very big, but she was surprisingly strong.

“I’ve spent a week with you, Haley, and I have seen you give without any thought for yourself. I have seen you walk into all kinds of households, and never once have you been judgmental or unkind to any of our patients. You’ve even assisted in a spur-of-the-moment surgery and didn’t bat an eye. Your family is lucky to have you. We are lucky to have you. I don’t know what the Goddess has in store for you and Ian, but I have a feeling that you both are just what this pack needs.”

“That’s the thing,” Haley said, desperately trying to stop crying. “It’s been so amazing here. I think I had forgotten what it was like to be happy. Ian and our time here have shown me that there is so much more to life than what I was getting. I hate to have to leave it all to go back. But I won’t leave my dad alone with her.”

Neela nodded and squeezed her once again. “I understand, Haley. Just remember, this time will pass and you will have happier times coming your way. Why don’t you run along and tell Ian what’s happened?”

An hour later, Haley had related her conversation with her mom to Ian.

He clenched his fists, saying, “That’s bullshit. You’ve spent your whole life taking care of everyone else. Maybe it’s time someone took care of you.”

Haley let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, my mom doesn’t see it that way. And honestly… She's right. She can’t do this all alone. As much as I would like to stay with you, I can’t. I need to go home.”

Ian studied her for a long moment, then nodded once. “Then let’s talk to Garrick. But hear me, Haley, when I tell you I will miss you every second. You mean so much to me. Do you know that?”

Something warm unfurled in her chest. She nodded, and together, they made their way toward the packhouse.

Alpha Garrick was in his office, deep in conversation with another pack member. He dismissed the man with a nod before turning his piercing gaze to Ian and Haley. “Something on your mind?”

Haley squared her shoulders. “My mother called. She needs me to go home and help care for my father.”

The Alpha’s expression gave nothing away. “And you’re asking for my permission?”

She hesitated, then nodded. “I know I still have a lot to learn about the pack way of life. And I don’t want to just disappear. I want to do this the right way.”

Alpha Garrick leaned back, steepling his fingers. “Family is important. But so is finding where you belong. You can go, Haley. But know that being apart from your mate can be difficult. Also, know that it’s imperative you don’t tell anyone about our pack or about shifters. Go take care of your father.”

Relief and something else—something unnamable—rushed through her. “Thank you.”

Ian remained silent until they were outside again. “So, what now?”

Haley exhaled slowly. “Now? I guess I will pack.”

Ian nodded, but his expression was unreadable. “I’ll help.”

She met his gaze, searching for something—some sign that he didn’t want her to go. But all she found was unwavering support.

And that, somehow, made it harder.