“I’m actually surprised they tried,” another woman said.A little boy ran past her, but she barely even looked down at him.
Luckily for Taylor, he was used to dealing with big families.He might not be biologically related to every pride member here, but he didn’t need to be.They were family anyway, and they all lived together.The living room might be crowded, but it was nothing next to the pride’s holiday celebrations.
“I promise I’ll tell you everything,” Ben said.“Butyouhave to promise not to freak out.”He paused, then glanced at Taylor again.“Over anything.You sit and listen, and once I’m done talking, you’ll be able to ask questions, but not one second sooner.”
Justine glared at him.“Who made you the boss of me?”
“I’m not, but I can decide not to tell you what happened to me.”
She rolled her eyes.“Fine.We’ll listen and wait to speak.”
Taylor was relieved when everyone began to find a spot to sit down.The children were grabbed and settled with toys, and a relative silence fell over the room.
Ben was still standing, and since Taylor didn’t want him to be alone, he was standing, too.He bumped their shoulders together, wanting to reassure his mate that everything would be okay.Of course, Ben’s sister noticed right away.
“First things first,” Ben declared, looking around the room.“Taylor, this is my family.I already introduced you to my parents.I’m not going to tell you who everyone is because I know it’s overwhelming, but these are my three sisters, Justine, Bridget, and Eliza.They’re here with their mates and partners and their children.”
Taylor looked around the room.“I can see that.”
Since Ben had pointed at his sisters in turn as he named them, Taylor knew that the woman who laughed just now was Eliza.
“You’re funny,” she said.“I like you.”
“Well,Idon’t know you enough to know if I like you,” Justine said.
She was still holding her baby.Taylor wanted to tell her that it was okay to put her down, but he didn’t dare.
“Ilike him,” Ben said.“And that’s all that matters.Well, that, and the fact that he’s my mate.”
There was a moment of stunned silence before all three sisters started talking at once.Justine even got to her feet, but Ben glared at her and pointed at her to sit back down.Justine glared right back, but she obeyed, thankfully.
“No, I’m not lying or pulling a prank,” Ben said.“Taylor’s my mate.I’ve been staying here with him and his pride for a few weeks.”
“But you’ve been gone longer than that,” Bridget pointed out.
“I was.I didn’t spend the entire time here.”
“You didn’t just disappear because you met your mate?”
“No.I only met Taylor recently.”He sucked in a breath.
Taylor inched closer.He didn’t care that Ben’s parents and his sisters were staring.His mate needed comfort, and Taylor would provide it.
“He and his people saved me,” Ben continued.“I know that you remember Jimmy, my ex-boyfriend.I mentioned him a few times.”
Justine frowned.“How could we forget him and the way he treated you?He was a dick.I wish you’d let me kick his ass when he said it had been long enough for me to lose the baby weight.”
Ben shook his head.“Well, it was even worse than what you saw.When I tried to break up with him, he locked me in his basement.”
There were various gasps around the room.Taylor hooked an arm around Ben’s waist, smiling when Ben leaned into him.He knew that his mate wasn’t looking forward to explaining this entire affair again, but he didn’t have a choice.
“He didn’t hurt me.He brought me food and talked about the future we’d have together, but something happened to him one day, and he stopped coming.I managed to escape after a while, but I was afraid to come home in case he tried to find me there.I couldn’t put you and your families in danger.”
“That’s bullshit,” Bridget declared.
“Is it?I told him about you.He knew how much I love my family, and he would’ve expected me to go straight home as soon as I was free.I couldn’t do that to you.Besides, for a while, I wasn’t even sure where I was.I just ran through the woods and hid when I got tired.”
“My poor baby,” Sylvia said as she reached for Ben.He offered her his hand, and she took it.She didn’t notice the slight eye roll Ben gave her, but Taylor did, and he grinned.Ben’s mother was a bit dramatic, but Taylor would give her a pass, considering she’d thought she’d lost her son.Besides, he suspected that even though Ben appeared a bit annoyed, deep inside, he was probably glad for the attention.He’d missed his family.He’d thought he wouldn’t see them again.
