Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
RíO
I steadied my bike while Ramona climbed off and removed her helmet. I cut the engine and kicked down the stand, parking beside Sylvie’s red car. The harsh, winter frost scent of her mother was heavy in the summer air, and I rolled my tense shoulders.
Last night, I’d sat, rebraiding Ramona’s hair for bed, and listened to her run through the years of animosity between she and her mother. How she’d felt under a microscope while also shoved to the side. The female had gone from the Leader’s father to living with her parents before meeting her current husband, all but renouncing her shifter nature. Even the idea of that made my fucking skin crawl, and if you asked me, that seemed like the main reason why she was so miserable.
And like Ramona, I’d grown up with money. But I had been as depressed as I’d ever been while living in a mansion with my father.
“You sure about this, Princess?” I set both of our helmets on the seat of my Ducati, and Ramona shrugged out of the jacket I insisted she wear, now that rides with me were a regular thing. Underneath, she had on another dress, apparently borrowed from her sister-in-law. The spaghetti straps weren’t something I’d ever seen her in before, but she looked more than beautiful. The burnished yellow color complemented her skin and hair that she unclipped now that we’d arrived.
Ramona nodded and shot a slightly nervous smile my way. She’d insisted that I not cover my tattoos or take out my piercings when I’d thrown out ideas to appease her mother, but I did have her tie my hair back in a tight braid at least. My clothes were basically the same ones I’d worn to the disastrous date with Sylvie and Orion, so hopefully that wasn’t a bad sign of what was to come.
Because her mom had demanded a dinner with everyone before Sylvie and Orion went on the pack run. To meet me and catch up with her son and grandkids.
Whether out of courage, spite, or a little bit of both, my mate had decided she wasn’t going to hide her scars from her mother, and I might’ve shed a tear or two when she told me. I locked our fingers together and kissed the back of her hand. “I’m so proud of you.” And the shy grin she aimed my way made me weak in the knees.
We went slowly up the front steps, and when Ramona turned the knob, the door was unlocked. I’d grown more used to the particular flavor of congregated Wolves, but I still preferred the unique blend of Wolf and Jaguar that filled our apartment now that Ramona was staying with me.
I kneeled to untie my boots, but went for Ramona’s sandals instead. The silver buckles were warm under my fingers, and when I freed her precious little feet, I watched her blush and bite her lip. I helped her step out of her shoes and nuzzled the curve of her calf with a smirk. A flash of desire lit her honey eyes, and her shy smile took a different edge. I wanted to run us back home and make a new nest to stay sequestered in all night.
A throat cleared, cracking the moment I was having with my mate, and, lo and behold, it was her mother. She was holding a squirming Ollie and glaring at me like I was lecher, contaminating her daughter with my touch.
But, based on all Ramona had told me, this female’s opinion about me had little to no weight in my mate’s eyes. Now that she’d grown old enough to get out from under her mother’s thumb, it really was Orion and Sylvie I needed to impress. Her father wasn’t here to smooth things over, so if my mate’s mother was determined to hate me, I was determined not to give her any ammo but strive for nothing else.
“Mrs. Wells,” I nodded and untied my boots. When I stood and toed them off, I wrapped my hand around Ramona’s waist.
The female didn’t respond aside from a purse of her lips while the Wolf pup continued to squirm and start to whine. His little hands pushed against his grandmother and stretched out toward my mate and I. “Oliver, hush,” the female chastised her grandson. Far less harsh than she’d spoken to me, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.
It probably wasn’t my place, but I brought Ramona and I closer to her and reached out for the little guy. He practically leapt out of his grandmother’s arms and into mine, this time clinging to my shoulders.
“Hey, bud. You ready to eat?” That was something he understood, and he gave a happy nod and waved to Ramona.
Ramona tickled her nephew’s belly while I bounced slightly in place, swaying with Ollie resting patiently in my arms. My mate squared her shoulders and faced her mother. “Hi, Mom.”
“Ramona. Are you ready to explain yourself?”
Instead of crumpling in the face of her mother’s intensity, my mate just sighed, years of exhaustion deepening the action. “There’s nothing really to explain. I was done with New York and needed to take care of myself. I met Río, and we fell for each other.”
My heart thudded with pride and love, but her mother just scoffed while crossing her arms. She wore an expensive looking sundress, not unlike what I saw my oldest sister wear in her downtime. My mate’s mother’s white-blonde hair was secured with a headband that matched the color of her eyes. “What the hell do you mean take care of yourself? You’ve been given everything you need your entire life. You should feel grateful . Not blow up your life and run to your brother, disrupting him and his family.”
Ramona blinked, clearly wounded by her mother’s words. Through our time together, Ramona had once told me that she feared she was inconveniencing Sylvie and Orion by moving in, and of course her mother was able to zero right in on that insecurity.
Keeping my voice even, I cut in. “That’s enough. I’m trying to be respectful, but I won’t have you talking to my mate like that.” To Ramona, I nodded toward the kitchen where I could hear the sizzling of our dinner and Dahlia, Sylvie, and Orion lost in a conversation. “You wanna go help them out with dinner, Princess?”
“ You don’t tell her to do anything, you degenerate.”
A light snarl, complete with a flash of her blunt teeth, erupted from Ramona and aimed toward her mother. “We will leave right now and never see you again. Keep trying me.”
Her mother blanched but tried to hide her surprise with a huff, tossing her hair over her shoulder. But I was staring at my mate. God, she was the most perfect thing in the world, and I would take on any and everyone to keep her safe and happy.
“Meredith. You know that we talked about this.” Orion came walking into the room, mouth noticeably pinched in a way I’d never seen. I turned Ollie towards his dad, and the pup went more than happily. The Leader paused for a moment before deciding on something and nodding at me in thanks. Ramona’s words from yesterday coursed through my mind. Maybe I really was making some headway with my brother-in-law.
He definitely wasn’t as cold with me yesterday as he was with his own mother.
Meredith narrowed her stare at her oldest. “You may be a Leader, but you’re still my son. And Ramona is practically still a child, someone I am supposed to protect .”
Orion swept his eyes over all of us before a crash in the kitchen made him flinch, followed by twin yelps of, “Sorry!”
“You’ve never been mated, so you may not realize that insulting one of our mates will result in swift consequences. Should you wish to stay here and visit, you’ll act accordingly.” The female had never mated his father, either? I shook my head and grabbed Ramona’s hand as we followed Orion back toward the kitchen and dining room.
I’d never seen this part of the house before, but it was a mix of cozy wood, stainless steel appliances, and a nicely crafted dining table and chairs.
“Auntie!” We were settling at the barstools that separated the kitchen and more formal dining area when Dahlia waved from her little stool that allowed her to reach the counter and help cook. When she turned to me, she wrinkled her nose. “Mommy said I could call you Uncle Río now.”
Sylvie shrugged from her perch beside the girl, and I chuckled. Aside from Orion and Ramona’s mother’s determination to be outright combative, this night was already so different than any experience at my father’s home. It reminded me more of how things felt when I lived with Mamá and my aunt. And at least, here, it seemed that Mrs. Wells’s threats held no weight. How refreshing.
Somehow, I got put on dishwashing duty, and the females insisted I put on an apron to match Orion’s. How I got saddled with the pink one with red roses instead of a far cooler one that was black with flames, I didn’t know. Probably because when my mate held it out to me, I was so wrapped around her finger that I didn’t protest.
Ramona put my jacket on the rack by the front door, and I soon was up to my elbows in soapy water. Apparently, Sylvie and Orion were the type of people to clean as they cooked, but it was preferable to have my hands busy, anyway. Ramona and her mother sat on the barstools, sipping from glasses of wine, but while her mother asked snipping questions to her son and Sylvie, Ramona and I talked enthusiastically with Dahlia whose job was to help roll the little balls of gnocchi across the back of a fork, giving them the characteristic indents. She often looked to her father for reassurance, and in between taking the brunt of his mother’s attention for the moment, he gave Dahlia soft instruction and encouragement.
Ramona held Ollie in her lap as I washed the last few dishes and Sylvie brought the platters of food to the set table. When we all congregated in the dining room, my pink apron shedded to the side until after dinner, I fell into a seat beside Ramona, with Dahlia on her left. Orion, Sylvie, and Ollie were across from us, with Meredith taking the head seat. Orion went first, serving his mate and children with helpings of gnocchi and chicken with pesto sauce, before turning to his mother with a sigh and depositing a small portion on her plate. I went next, putting food on my princess’s plate and halting when she gave me a sweet nod that what I’d given her was enough.
I didn’t often eat Italian food, but it smelled fucking good, so I loaded up my plate until it was a big green heap, and followed everyone’s lead, digging in. The herbaceous sauce was just light enough to go with the heat of outside, the chicken perfectly cooked and seasoned. “This is really good. You can cook, dude.” I complimented and continued to inhale my dinner.
Orion didn’t respond, just acknowledged my words with that same nod, but I took that as a win, too. With most of my food gone within two minutes, I leaned back for a breath and rested my arm behind Ramona’s shoulders. She shot me a look while hunched over her plate before rolling her eyes. Didn’t miss how she sat back to settle into the bit of contact, though.
I made sure to swallow my food before giving my mate a kiss on her cheek and returning to my plate. I felt ice on the side of my face, where Ramona’s mother was boring holes with her glaring, but I’d faced far scarier foe. Something also told me that if I were still earning a crime family enforcer’s salary, she’d be a little more understanding.
“So, what do you do?” Ah, there it was.
A large part of me wanted to ignore her since she hadn’t used my name to address me, but I also didn’t want to outright cause more trouble. I chewed my last bite of food, swallowed, and took a clearing sip of water. “I’m a manager at Vinny’s Pizza.” Wasn’t gonna lie. The unimpressed glare that pinched her done-up face was way harsher than any my Ramona had given me.
“I know what it means to get swept up in young love, but this whole thing seems very premature. Mating is a serious commitment that neither of you are in the position to decide on.”
I patted my napkin over my face and continued to keep my posture relaxed. Over Ramona’s head, I gave my most polite smile. “I’d have to disagree on that. But I’ll respect your opinion. Loving and mating your daughter is the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Meredith’s cheeks flamed as Ramona stretched to nuzzle into my neck. I buried my fingers in her hair, just keeping her close, and redirected myself to ask Sylvie about her newest novel. She shot me a grateful look and launched into discussing her book that was close to being finished and ready to send to her editor. Orion monitored Ollie as he ate his chopped up portion with his hands, smearing green sauce all over his chubby cheeks.
Ramona reached out to the basket of soft bread that I was pretty sure was homemade, and I felt the air chill a few degrees colder. “ What happened to your arm, Ramona?”
My princess froze, and I watched in real time as a tidal wave of emotions crashed into her. Fear, anger, resolve. When we’d dressed this evening, she’d fully expected an interrogation, but the reality of the thing was very different. Sylvie and Orion were noticeably tensed, as if waiting for Ramona’s cue to jump in and shut Meredith down. My back further relaxed into my seat, ready to judge and react to whatever was about to go down, protecting my mate at all costs. She’d said she wanted to face this, knowing very well that there was a possibility she would further limit or cut off all contact with her mother after this visit. I didn’t pull her any further into me, knowing that she wouldn’t appreciate me giving her mother more reason to pounce, but I did add pressure to my arm around her. Letting her know that I was ready to step in at any point.
Ramona closed her eyes, took a breath, and straightened her spine. I wanted to purr in approval but held it back.
Before she could open her mouth, her mother’s blue eyes blazed, glaring at me as if she could will me to freeze over. “What did you do to her?” Meredith’s voice succumbed to her Wolf, reverberating and becoming rough.
Sylvie stood and waved Dahlia over, to which the little girl reluctantly abandoned her seat and plate that was long finished. Orion pulled Ollie out of his highchair and handed him to Sylvie. At the very least, Meredith paused long enough for Sylvie to lead the kids away before growing more vicious. “I will kill you for hurting her, you absolute scum.”
“ Mom ,” Ramona returned the growl. Still, she lowered her voice, should the kids still be in earshot. “I tried to take my life. Did you think to ask me why I left everything in New York? Did you check in with me for the past, I don’t know, ten years or so while I was depressed and cutting myself?”
The female’s sustained grumbling stopped while confusion flittered over her features, as if Ramona was speaking another language. “What are you talking about.”
Instead of growing angrier, Ramona just sighed and shook her head. “I was in a really bad place for a long time. And I’m finally clawing my way out. With the help of my mate, and O and Sylvie. My friends. I have a… mentor, and living here has been good for me.”
Meredith looked like she was short-circuiting, but I was more focused on how Ramona was relaxing like an anvil had been lifted off of her back. I nosed my way into her hair, I couldn’t fucking help it, and drew in the thick grapefruit aroma. I pressed kisses into her scalp, and her body rumbled with a silent hum.
Finally, her mother found her words. “Why on earth would you think killing yourself was the solution, Ramona? You always have me and your father to speak with. We would’ve gotten you help .” At least she had the decency to sound regretful and less accusatory. Slightly.
I shot her my own withering glance and waited for Ramona to respond. She locked her fingers with mine beneath the table. “At the time, I just wanted the hurt to stop. It was more about that than anything. And, no. I don’t have you to talk to, and Dad only checks in with me when you convince him to make the time. I didn’t trust you especially to remain uninvolved from any help I did try to get. It was probably the wrong decision, but it led me here, and I’m really, really happy now.” I kissed the top of her head. My stomach still wanted to drop empathetically, knowing the never-ending despair all too well, when I imagined how Ramona had been in those days. How those sort of days would still crop up. The difference, now, was that she had support and stronger foundation within herself to be a soft ground when she fell or needed to rest.
Meredith didn’t have a response to that, and Ramona had taken on a delicate shiver from the surge in adrenaline of finally revealing the truth to her mother. Her restlessness, I felt like it was my own.
I reached up and caressed the line of her jaw. “You wanna help me with the dishes, Princess? And we can go home for a movie?”
Orion, who had remained silently supportive through the whole encounter was watching Ramona, some kind of communication flitting between them, if the tiny shifts in his expression were any indication. A small smirk shifted his pale pink lips, and he shook his head as if Ramona had thought something amusing in his direction. Ramona let out a little snicker before turning to me. “Yeah,” she grinned, like the sun breaking through the clouds of a winter day, making the snow glitter. My purr released of its own volition, and I kissed her plump lips softly. There was no stopping it.
When I turned to Orion, he gave an annoyed huff, but it sounded more of innocuous irritation, rather than true disapproval. “You sure you won’t need us?” I left the other half of my question, whether he really wanted Meredith to babysit the kids while he and Sylvie went on the pack run, unspoken.
He stood and began to gather the empty plates and glasses. “I’m sure.”
Meredith retreated somewhere in the house, and I heard the distant trill of an outgoing call before the slamming of a door. Ramona, Orion, and I cleaned the kitchen in a comfortable silence while Sylvie reappeared with the children. Dahlia looked like she was burning to ask questions about that happened, but even she seemed afraid of her grandmother, because she kept them to herself. They wiped down the table and collected the rest of the dishes, and soon, the dining room was sorted out, and the kitchen sparkled.
At the door, Ramona and I put our shoes back on, and I slid into my jacket.
“Bye, bye,” Ollie said around the fingers he had stuck in his mouth. I released my claws to wave at him like I had yesterday, and his lips spread into a joyful grin while he leaned into his mother’s chest.
Dahlia clung to the side of Orion’s leg and stared up at us with her bright green eyes. “Are you gonna take me to skate soon?”
Ramona chuckled and crouched to be at the pup’s level. “Sure thing. Do you want Río to come or for it to be a girls’ day?”
Dahlia leaned into Ramona’s ear and whispered loud enough for us all to hear. “Girls’ day this time. Boys can come after that.” I watched fondly as Ramona kissed her niece’s cheek and agreed to their girls’ day.
When she straightened, I took her hand in mine and nodded to Orion. “Thank you for dinner. Sometime soon, we can have you all for dinner, if you’d be willing.” Hastily, I added, “No pressure, though.”
Sylvie offered an encouraging grin and nod at her mate who sighed ruefully, just as I had when Ramona suggested I wear the pink apron. “All right.”
I fought the urge to reach out my hand to shake his, remembering his reaction to the last time I’d done it. As if realizing we were having a peaceful moment, Meredith walked up the hall, and every person, even Ollie, stiffened slightly in anticipation. “Ramona. We’ll talk more about this later.” She looked between the two of us and waved a flippant hand. “What am I supposed to tell your father?”
“Tell him the truth,” I supplied. My mate’s mother looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Who knows, maybe he’d want to take you as a mate, too. I couldn’t imagine keeping Ramona without fulfilling that part of both of us.” I nodded at Sylvie and Orion and paused to see if Ramona wanted to say anything else. She didn’t pipe up with anything, but she did give Sylvie a quick hug and offered a fist to Orion. He softly bumped it with his knuckles, and she gave a final wave to her mother.
We walked out of the cabin, the purpling sunlight speaking promises of more peaceful days ahead. Really, I was ready to take on anything with Ramona with me. After putting on our helmets, she took her spot as my backpack and locked her arms around my waist. The deep rumble of my bike was as comforting and familiar as my mate’s presence, and I couldn’t wait to be home and further wrap us both in the serenity of each other.