“I had no idea,” I admit. The weight on my chest feels a bit lighter now that I heard her reaction.
“So, who is your mate? A warrior? Tell me everything!”
“He said, his father is the current alpha-“
A loud noise echoes through the phone, and some quiet cursing. “Amelia, are you okay?”
“I dropped something in shock,” she says breathlessly. “Did you just say you are mated to one of the alpha’s sons?”
“Yes,” I say.
“You are the mate of one of the lycan princes! I can’t believe it! I am friends with the mate of one of the Alcotts!”
“So, this is good?” I ask carefully.
Amelia is silent again, before she chuckles. “Yes, this is good. It solves a lot of our problems. I’d have had a place for you inanother pack next week, but it’s much better for you to go to Silverlake.”
“I hope they will let Marina and Faye come too,” I say. “We are not blood-related, but they are my family.”
“I don’t think your mate will leave you hanging,” Amelia says. “Just be honest with him that they need to come along,” she pauses. “For Faye, this could mean a new sense of routine and normality. Gwen, you did what you could all these years, but it’s okay to take a step back and breathe, and allow someone else to take over.”
“What do you mean?” I ask quietly.
“If someone there wants to be a nanny for her or a caretaker for Marina, so that they can live together, don’t say no immediately. You don’t need to sacrifice everything for them. If they are safe and cared for, it’s okay to allow others to help. It’s okay to take a step back, and it’s more than okay to focus on yourself. I don’t want you to think you have to shoulder everything alone.”
I feel relieved first, then a wave of guilt hits me at feeling relieved. I love Faye and Marina, but deep inside, I wish someone would help. I want a sense of normality. I hope for someone to be there to treat both of them kindly. I still want to be in their lives, but I’ve been a caretaker for so long, I am fucking tired. Yet, my stomach churns at allowing myself these thoughts and hopes.
“Just think about it,” Amelia adds softly.
“Okay, I will.”
I hang up and walk back to the entrance door. On the way, I pick up the otter who has been following me. I don’t even question it anymore, and doubt I could manage to make the funny little bud leave, anyway.
*FELIX*
It was early in the morning when I returned to the hotel, and I only took a two-hour nap, too excited to tell my friends everything and to see Gwen again. Our hotel offers a simple breakfast, so we meet there for brunch late in the morning.
If Dario and Charlie are annoyed by my nonstop talking about Gwen, they hide it well.
“I am very happy for you,” Dario says warmly.
“Me, too!” Charlie exclaims. “She looked cool, at least from what I could tell.”
“She is,” I say promptly. “She also seems to love being in nature, which we obviously share. And she is so beautiful.” I sigh dreamily when I think of her long curls, her green eyes and her beautiful face. She carries herself with confidence, and it’s obvious she knows how to stand up for herself. “Most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
Charlie and Dario exchange a gaze. “They all say that,” Dario mutters.
“Literally,” Charlie agrees. “My dad does, too.” She pauses, lingering on the thought. Dario and I never comment on it, but for a year now, she has been addressing her adoptive parents as Mom and Dad. It must have been a huge step for her, but I am happy she came that far. “And Alpha Liam,” Charlie continues. “And Livia’s mate, literally everyone. The pack is full of the most beautiful women alive.”
Dario and Charlie both laugh, but I just grin at them. “Just wait! I will have the last laugh when you two find your mates!”
“We’ll see about that,” Dario says, amused.
“I mean, I hope I will fancy my mate,” Charlie says. “But I don’t want to get my hopes up too high in case I will be disappointed.”
Dario nods. “Same.”
“You are overthinking it,” I mutter.
