Payton
When I hung up with Grey, I went into the living room to tell the kids he wanted to see them. I found the 4 of them playing video games, the girls against the boys. I stood there watching Raven and my 3 kids laughing and trash-talking each other. Something never changes. I know they are still adjusting like me to Maverick’s death, but it warms my heart that they have each other to depend on.
“Hey, Mom, what is up? Do you want to play?” Logan asks.
I smiled and took a seat next to Logan on the couch.
“ No games are not my thing. You know that, but I did want to talk to you about something.”
“ Oh, OK, call me later, Mel. Later, boys love you, Aunty,” Raven says, getting up to leave.
“ Oh, Raven, it is OK; you do not have to leave.”
“ No, it is OK. Mom just texted me. Anyways, to come home, she never sees me anymore, haha.”
We all laugh as she leaves.
“ Is everything OK, Mom?” Cole asks.
“ Everything is just fine; I just got off the phone with Greyson. He says he misses you guys already, and he asked if you guys would like to go and stay with him for a bit in 3 days, “I said.
“His pack is holding an end of school BBQ and would like you to attend.”
I saw Logan lower his head and put the game controller down. He looked sad. I reached over and pulled Logan over, so he was on my lap.
“ Mom, really? I am 13 years old, not a baby anymore.”
“ You might be 13, but you, all of you will always be my babies.”
“ I saw your sad face, Logan. I know you feel left out. Your dad is gone, but sweetie Greyson asked for you to come as well.”
“ Really?”
“ Yes, he said your dad was a great man and also his cousin remembered, so you are still his blood too. Daddy took good care of the twins, so Grey wanted to accept you as well. He never wants you to feel left out, so when they go, you all go.”
I saw his eyes light up in excitement.
“ Are you and Melody OK with that?” He asked Cole and Mel.
“ I, for one, would never go without you, Logan,” said Melody.”
” You are our little brother.”
“ I agree” said Cole,
“Dad loved us all, so Greyson has to as well.”
“ Thanks, guys. That makes me feel better.”
“ But why 3 days, Mom?” Asked Cole.
“ Why can we not go tomorrow and stay longer?”
“ Well, he said 3 days to give us time to pack and settle things here before we go, but if you can pack and be ready by 10 am, we will go tomorrow. “
“ Are you coming too?” asked Cole.
“ Well, he asked if I would visit him, but if you do not want me there, I can have Caleb take you.”
“ No, no, that is awesome, Mom. I am going to pack.”
“ me to,” said Logan, and the boys ran off to their rooms.
“ You not going to pack Melody?”
“ I will, but.. But are you sure it is a good idea for you to go to Mom? I mean, Dad only died 2 months ago, and your bond with Greyson is still there.”
“ I know. I love your father, Melody. My going there does not mean I forgot about him or anything, but I can stay behind if you want me to?”
“ No, Mom, it is fine. If you can handle it, then I have your back, plus I am not totally OK yet with him, so I would like you there. I was just worried about you, it is all. And I really miss Daddy.” She says
I pulled Melody onto my lap and held her.
“I miss daddy to kiddo, more than anyone. I will never really get over him or stop loving him. I could never forget him ever.”
After a few minutes of holding Melody and sitting in silence, she went to pack. I will not tell Greyson we are coming early; we will surprise him. I still can not believe I am going back to the pack where I was abused. Flashes of that night flood back into my head, and I start to cry. Maybe I should not go. Maybe this is not a smart idea. Or maybe I will go, but I can always leave if it is too hard and painful. I go and make a few phone calls to let everyone know what is going on. Jaxson, the big brother, offered to come and stay a few days, but I told him no, I would just leave if I had to. After my phone calls, I head up to pack myself, check on the kids, and go to sleep.
I stretch and roll over. I glance at the clock. It is 7 am. I showered, dressed, put my bags in the car, and I was starting breakfast when Caleb, Allison, and Raven walked in.
“ Good morning, everyone. Are you hungry?”
“ Straved,” said Caleb.
Allison and I laugh as I slide a plate at him; my kids come down with their bags.
“ Go put everything in the car, then come in to eat,” I told them. They all hurried out the door.
“ Umm, aunty?” says Raven
“ Yes, sweetie?”
“ I would like to spend the summer with Melody and my grandparents. May I come along with you?” She asks
I looked between Allison and Caleb.
“I know we all hate Greyson for what he did to you, but Raven really wants to go and spend the summer with Mel and her grandparents. She has not seen Caleb’s parents in 2 years, ” says Allison.
“ Well, if you are okay with her coming along… sure you should come too. Go put your stuff in the car. ” I smile at her
“ Raven knows you are her parent there; she is to listen to you, and she is to mind you,” said Caleb
“ Oh, OK, I thought she would be staying with your parents and listening to them?”
“ No, you know how they are; they may or may not have time for her.”
“ OK, I have 4 kids. Not 3, no problem, ” I said.
The kids come back in all, happy to hear Raven is coming along. We all eat , clean up, and head out to the car .
“I will be driving out in two weeks, Payton, to check on you and my daughter, Raven, remember our talk and the rules, and I will see you in two weeks,” says Allison.
“ Bye, Mom. I got it OK, I will listen to Aunty Payton”. She hugs her parents and jumps in the back seat between the twins. Well, Logan takes the front seat with me. After saying goodbye to Caleb and Allison, we hit the road.
Four hours later of bad music and loud kids, I finally turned up the dirt road to the Dark Shadow Pack. The guard at the gate stops me but then waves me on through with a smile when he sees it is me driving. Pulling up to the packhouse, the feeling of what happened here takes me over again,
“ Breath mom,” said Cole, “ remember why we are here, you are OK, nothing is going to happen, I promise.”
“ What is going on?” asked Melody.
“ Mom is just having a panic attack. It is OK, she had one. The last time we came here was as well. When we came here asking for help in finding you, “Cole tells her.
The kids calm me down, and we all get out of the car.
“ Wow, it is nice here, “ Melody says.
“Except for the heads,” says Raven.
“ PAYTON”
We all turned and saw Austin running towards us.
“ I thought you guys were coming in 3 days.”
“ The kids did not want to wait,” I told him.
“ Awesome, I am so happy to have you all here. I just linked Alpha Brooks. “
Just then, the door opened, and a running Greyson came out.
“ My children, Payton, you are all here.”
“ The kids did not want to wait 3 days. I hope it is alright. We came early?” I said.
“ Alright? It is perfect. This is your home too, so you never have to worry about when you can come.”
“ I hope you do not mind Grey, but I have my niece Raven for the summer. She wanted to spend the summer with Melody and visit her grandparents. Well, we are here.”
“ Of course, welcome, Raven. It is good to see you again; this is your pack as well. You have family here.”
“ Thank you, Alpha.”
“Payton, you remember where our house is, drive up there, and unload the bags.”
The kids look at me weird.
“ He was my true fated mate, remember, so I did live with him. When we found out we were mates, I told them.
I drove us up and around the back and up the hill a bit to the house. Greyson and Austin arrived at the same time and helped us take the bags in. Each child has their own room. I remember he built the house for a big family. As each child was unpacking in their room, I asked Grey a question.
“ Do I get the same room as before?”
“ Well, I was hoping you would share our room together, my love,” he said.
“ Greyson, I am here for my kids. I have not forgotten what you did to me, plus my husband, the man I love, has only been in the ground a few months.”
“ Sorry, forgive me. Yes, the room across from ours is still your room. It has been locked for 16 years. No one but me has ever been in there. “
Greyson led the way, carrying all 6 of my bags.
“I can help carry a bag, you know?” I laughed.
“Nope I got it,” he. placed them outside the door that had deadbolt locks on it,
“ When it comes to you, I am a different man. I am never going to hurt you again. I am going to treasure you, ” he says.
He unlocked the door, and I walked in. It was a little stuffy in there, so I went and opened the balcony doors, but everything was as I had left it, even my painting stuff was how I left it.
“ Wow, I have not painted since I was last here.”
“ It is a shame. I saw your paintings there beautiful. I have each one hung in our room and my office”
I turned and smiled.
“ Really?”
“ Of course”
“ I called for the omegas to come and clean the dust and stuffy air out of here for you. Come down with me. They will clean and unpack for you. “
I took his hand he offered me. The shocks were stronger now than the last time I saw him. We walked down to the kitchen.
“ I always loved this kitchen.”
“ Mom and dad, can we go check things out around the grounds,” asked Cole.
I spit out the water I had a mouthful of. Did he just call Greyson DAD?
“ MOM, are you OK?”
“ Yes, I am alright. You just shocked me; Cole was all.”
“ How?”
“ How?” Really, Cole, you called Greyson Dad.”
“ Well, he is my father, is he not?”
I was shocked and stunned. In just a few months, he had forgotten his father.
“ I am sorry, Mom. I did not mean to upset you. I will not call him dad again if you do not want me to. I meant no disrespect, Dad. ” Cole lowered his head. I know he feels bad.
“ You are 16, Cole. I will leave it up to you. It is OK, but do not forget who raised you “
“Thanks, Mom, and I could never forget Dad.”
That night, lying in bed, I could not help but think of Maverick and cry. It was like his role in their lives didn’t matter anymore. This is what Maverick was afraid would happen and see it happen. They embraced Greyson so easily, replacing Maverick. I am so sorry, my love, what have I done? I am so sorry. Please forgive me. If Melody had never been taken, I would never have come here for help, and they still would not know he was their father, and… and my love would still be alive. It is all my fault, I did this, it is my fault…
