26. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
Robert
Suddenly, my lungs remembered how to work and I inhaled sharply. Glancing over at Wyatt, I saw the shock on his face. He looked like I felt. Becks’ arms tightened around Julianna and I swore I heard a low growl issue from his throat.
Wyatt strode over, his long legs eating up the short distance. “Mother, what are you doing here?”
“I was in L.A. on business and decided to drive up to see you.” She seemed to just notice the table with gifts, the yard decorated with balloons and the bounce house, plus all the people. “I didn’t realize you would have company out here in the sticks. Really Wyatt, your house in town was shabby enough, but a cabin in the woods? Honestly. ”
The house Wyatt and Becks had built was not what I would describe as a cabin, but in Jane’s mind anything outside of the upper east side of New York City, was beneath her.
“It’s Julianna’s birthday.” Wyatt’s teeth were gritted tightly together. “You remember Julianna? Your granddaughter.”
“Is the child’s birthday today? I didn’t realize.”
Of course she didn’t. I doubt she even knew when Julianna’s birthday actually was, considering Wyatt hadn’t rushed to call us after giving birth.
“It was two days ago,” Wyatt corrected her.
“Hmmm,” Jane looked around distastefully, her sharp hazel eyes landing on me. Striding forward, she stopped a foot in front of me, looking down her nose.
“Goddess, Robert, you got fat.” Her voice was sharp and snide. “Glad to see my money is keeping you well fed.”
“The fuck?” one of the omegas muttered, Wade or Seth if I had to guess. Maybe Quinn.
Ryan muttered softly, “I don’t like her.”
Blinking, I just stared at her, though I don’t know why I was taken aback by her words. She used her tongue like a weapon. I knew that better than anyone.
But not this time. No, I was done letting her take slices out of me.
“I’m pregnant, Jane, not fat.” I stood taller, straightening my spine as much as possible .
Okay, the extra twenty pounds I had been carrying was closer to forty now, but I didn’t care. I was growing a healthy human being, and my focus, for once, wasn’t on the number on the scale.
Complete shock registered on her face, before she quickly masked it. But not fast enough. I knew her too well. I saw it. And a part of me felt some satisfaction in seeing her reaction before she could hide it.
“Pregnant?” She made the word sound like a curse. “Who in their right mind would get you pregnant.”
Jackson stepped beside me, and his solid bulk and warmth made me instantly feel safe. And calm. Taking hold of my hand, he squeezed it tightly in his. “That would be me.”
The two stared each other down for thirty uncomfortable, energy charged seconds, before Jane flicked her eyes to me. “He’s a child, Robert. You’ve really taken your mid-life crisis a step too far, haven’t you? You could have just bought a sports car, or had an affair. No need to have a child knock you up. And at your age. How unseemly.”
“I repeat, the fuck?” Definitely Wade.
Jackson snickered, “I’m thirty-five. I can assure you I’m far from a child.”
“Don’t be jealous, Jane,” I gave her a thin, cold smile, “It’s unseemly. And I earned every cent of that divorce settlement. You should leave. ”
“I came to see my son,” she raised one sandy colored brow at me in challenge. Daring me.
Jackson growled, moving in front of me, but I side-stepped around him.
There were too many times I hadn’t stood up to her. Hadn’t spoken up, or against her. But those days were over. “I’m fine,” I whispered to Jackson, leaning my back into him, until I felt his hard chest.
“Leave, Jane,” I repeated. “You’re not welcome here.”
“Robert, do be quiet. You’re like a bothersome bug buzzing around me.”
Jackson’s chest vibrated against my back, and I swore I heard his teeth snap together.
“I won’t be quiet,” I snapped. “Not this time. Not anymore. I did that for too many years. You and your hateful attitude aren’t welcome here. Leave.”
“Pops is right,” Wyatt took a step forward, arms crossed over his chest. “You’re not welcome here. In fact, you’re not welcome in our lives. It’s been beyond peaceful the last year without you in our lives, and you’re not going to show up and disrupt that. Or ruin my daughter’s birthday.”
She sniffed, like she smelled something rotten in the air. “You’re going to regret this, Wyatt.”
“Doubtful.”
Surprisingly, she turned to leave, before halting and walking right up to me. Bending down, she whispered, “Enjoy your boy toy, Robert, before he grows tired of you. Looks like he doesn’t want to mate claim you anymore than I did.”
Jackson lunged around me, but I turned in his arms, pressing myself to him to hold him back. “Aiden is watching,” I hissed. “Calm down.”
The kids were all far enough away, I didn’t think they could hear the exchange that had taken place, but they could see us and they were all watching with big eyes.
“That’s it,” Becks barked, his deep voice rumbling across the air. “Leave now, Jane, or I’ll arrest you for trespassing.”
“Wyatt, are you really going to let that…” her lips twisted, “man speak to your own mother that way?”
Wyatt took a step forward, but I held my hand up at him. Turning from the safety of Jackson’s arms, I walked over to Jane and stared up at her with cold eyes.
“That man is his husband. And that man over there, who is trying his level best to keep his cool, is my mate, Jane. My fated mate.” Her eyes widened, then narrowed, her lips pursed tightly together. “You heard me correctly. And he is ten times the alpha you ever were. He loves me, every inch of me, every part of me. I am enough for him. More than enough. And you know what else?” I hadn’t realized I had been moving forward with each word I was sharply speaking, until Jane had her back against the SUV she had arrived in and could go no further. “He makes me happy. Happy! Something you never did. Because you are a miserable person, and you aren’t happy unless everyone around you is miserable. Do not come back here. Forget me. Forget Wyatt. Most of all forget Julianna, though that shouldn’t be hard for you. Because if you ever come back here, not only will I let that big bad wolf come after you, I’ll let my crocodile alpha take a bite out of you too!”
I paid no attention to her response, or what anyone else was doing around us. My focus was on Jackson, and my mate was pissed. Rushing back to his waiting arms, I stroked a hand down his face, cupping his jaw. “I’m fine. Calm down. She’s not worth it. I’m fine. We’re fine.” His arms wrapped around me, one hand cupping my bump tenderly, both of us shaking slightly. “The baby is fine.”
Not sure how many times I repeated the words, until the tension eased from his shoulders, and he rested his forehead against mine, his breathing heavy. We stayed like that for more than a few minutes, while Wyatt and Becks did their best to continue with the party.
Finally, Jackson pulled away enough to stare into my eyes. Smiling, I tugged him in for a kiss. “Thank you for wanting to protect me.”
“You did just fine on your own.”
My smile got even broader. “I did, didn’t I? I honestly didn’t know I had that in me.”
“I did.” His fierce assurance almost made me preen like a proud peacock .
“We should get back to the party,” I said, and Jackson agreed. Tugging on his hand to halt him just before we rejoined everyone, I whispered, “Jackson?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I want you to claim me tonight.”
His eyes widened, and he took my head in between both of his hands. He did that often when he kissed me, and it never failed to make my toes curl. Because he did it so gently, and it always, always made me feel so protected. So cherished. So wanted. “Are you sure?”
Nodding, I whispered, “I am. I love you, and I want to be yours in every way possible.”