93. Henri
Chapter 93
Henri
“Hen?” Deacon calls my name from my office door.
“Yeah?” I ask, checking my calendar out of habit that I don’t have something going on that I’m missing. I’m ‘back’ at work, but I feel scatterbrained at times, but I don’t think I’m missing a meeting right this minute.
My calendar is completely cleared. I hate when he does that.
“I know.” Deacon nods like he’s reading my mind. “You hate when I clear your calendar and don’t tell you. But...”
He has a guilty look on his face.
“What?” I get that uncomfortable feeling up my spine.
“I brought someone to see you. Two someones, specifically.” Deacon steps back out of my office door.
Who the hell would Deacon bring to see me? Curiosity alone is enough to get me out of my office chair. Wolf healing, despite being faster than human healing, is still slow. Apparently, the worse the trauma, the harder to heal from it, and from my understanding, it’s not about the physical aspect of it.
I’m not sure I entirely understand, but I just know each day, I feel a little less like I’ve been violated on every single level .
Deacon offers his hand out, and when I put mine in his, he gives it a soft squeeze.
My heart rate picks up the farther down the hall we get.
“Who’s here?” I whisper as we get closer.
“Frank and Paulina Greene.” Deacon’s voice holds a breath of hesitation.
I come to a full stop in the hallway.
He doesn’t let go of my hand. “You had said you wanted me to reach out, and I did. I’d told them a little bit about what happened and delayed their coming, but I couldn’t keep you from them. If you don’t want to see them, I won’t make you. But—”
I cut Deacon off, pulling my hand out of his and darting to the living room.
Mom and Dad are looking out the window at the birds hopping around eating bird seed off the deck from the feeders. Finn and Deacon installed them because something about a squirrel.
“Mom?” I try to say it strongly but fail.
The word is not clean and crisp. It’s broken and sad—how I feel inside.
My body is broken, and my brain is numb. The one thing I hadn’t even considered wishing for—a hug from Mom—sounds like the best thing in the world.
When we meet in the middle of the living room, she wraps her arms around me, and tears fall until I can’t breathe and have to find a tissue box.
Deacon is off to the side, holding one out for me. Because he’s always there for me.
I’ve almost got the tears under control, and then I see Dad with tears in his eyes, and I lose it all over again. I’m hugged tightly against his body, the thick smell of the pipe tobacco he smokes enveloping me .
“Thank you,” Mom whispers to Deacon.
He doesn’t say anything, so I’m guessing there was an acknowledging nod.
“I’m so sorry.” I get out between sobs, forcing myself out of Dad’s arms and looking at the two of them. “I’m so sorry. You were right. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Shhh.” Mom pets my hair, and I draw deep breaths, trying to get the sobbing back under control. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
Deacon’s hand comes to rest on my back, and then he gestures to the couches. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll let the three of you catch up.”
“No,” I whine, and my wolf rises with the sound.
“I’ll stay.” Deacon nods. “Let me grab some refreshments. Ms. Gertie will shame me for letting someone make this journey and not offer them some sweet tea, snickerdoodles, and banana bread.”
“Just water for me.” Dad walks to take a seat on an oversized chair.
Mom sits on the end of a sofa nearest him. I take a seat, turned to look at the two of them, and can hear Deacon behind me in the kitchen.
“I’m so proud of you,” Mom says. “You’ve done such a good job with your career. I’m so glad that you’ve been working with your people all this time.”
She doesn’t bring up Nathan. I know someday we’ll have to talk about him.
“And Deacon is very nice. I was a little concerned with that grim reaper nickname nonsense.” Dad misquotes the social media but not surprisingly nails Deacon’s personality.
My own personal murderer.
Deacon comes over with a tray of treats and then back again with pitchers of sweet tea, water, and orange juice .
Vitamin C and iron from Dinah’s suggestions, I’m sure. So, when Deacon pours me a glass of orange juice, I don’t object to him handing it to me.
Silence descends among us, and Deacon breaks it. “Well, there’s a lot to speak about, and there’s really no good way or place to start.” He turns to look at me, placing his hand on my thigh just above my knee. He looks back at my parents. “When we spoke, I made my intention for your daughter clear, but it feels necessary to restate the facts. I am your daughter’s mate, and in the very near future, I’ll be claiming her as such. I will never come between the three of you. And I’d like to extend a formal invitation for you to take up residency here on pack property. From my understanding, you’re nearing retirement age, and I’d like to assist you as you transition into retirement if you’d so choose to do so.”
“I think I like him.” Dad nods firmly. “He doesn’t beat around the bush, does he?”
A snort comes from the stairwell, and Lena rounds the stairs, the thermal cup Finn bought her in hand. “Not snooping, just coming down for snacks and to hydrate. Your guests are early.”
“Oh my goodness,” Mom whispers. “Is that Lena?”
“Yeah, last time I checked,” Deacon whispers back with a goofy grin.
The familiarity between them is starting to feel a little suspicious.
“I can hear you,” Lena whisper yells from the kitchen.
Mom puts her hand over her mouth.
Dad, however, laughs and outs Mom. “She’s been obsessed with shifters since you all came out to the public. I’m fairly certain she’s read every article that has been published.”
“I’ve just been trying to stay up to date on our baby’s life.” Mom defends herself .
Deacon is looking past me at Lena, his facial expressions broadcasting a whole silent conversation between them.
“Shhh,” Thalia whispers, and I can tell she and Cade are trying to sneak down the back access to the hallway toward the second-story stairs.
“Yeah. Little red, we can hear you too,” Deacon says with a sigh. He looks at me. “I should have set us up in the library. I knew I couldn’t trust the three of them not to be here.”
“Four.” Finn’s voice is behind me and Mom. It startles her, and she jumps. “You really shouldn’t have expected us to stay away. Our sister-in-law’s parents come by, and we’re not going to sniff around?”
Deacon scrubs his hand down his face.
Mom’s eyes go wide, taking in the Ardeleans.
“Well, this trip is gonna completely blow away our trip to New England this year.” Dad sighs, almost sounding disappointed. “I’d just gotten her excited for maybe seeing the mountains.”
“Oh.” I turn and look at Dad. “Give me your itinerary, and I’ll make sure Judah Alloway is available to give you a tour of Mount Katahdin.” My brain is apparently accepting everything as normal.
“That’s it. She’s going on a leave of absence. Effective immediately.” Cade, arm wrapped around Thalia, comes into the living space. “You literally just see your parents for the first time in”—he holds his hand up in question before gesturing to Deacon—“I’m sure Deacon knows how long, and you’re already organizing itineraries. Break, rest, relaxation, and something fun.”
I bite my lips together, feeling embarrassed.