I wanted to say that my former family finally accepted I no longer wanted anything to do with them, but one week after my rescue, Jethro came home in a blazing temper, which he did his best to ease before he came to see me and Xavier. Once he'd calmed down, he told me why he'd come home in such a foul mood; he'd run into Faith at the supermarket, and she'd told him point blank to return me and my son to them or face the consequences. Jethro had told her to go pound sand, to which Faith had responded by attacking him in broad daylight. This had summoned a plethora of security guards, and Faith had been taken into custody.
My parents were furious, and, as I'd come to expect from them, they blamed Jethro for the stunt, as if dozens of witnesses hadn't seen her attack him unprovoked. They were now in talks with a lawyer to spare Faith being sent to jail, but Jethro planned on fighting fire with fire, and he got talking with Daniel, our half-orc/half-pegasus hybrid, who was also a very skilled lawyer. He'd never lost a case, and that night, he promised me he'd do all he could to protect me and Xavier. "You're a good egg," he told me in his deep, rumbling voice. "And your son is the most precious little boy we've ever had the pleasure of catering to. You needn't worry about your former family; I won't let them have you."
I smiled. "I appreciate that," I said. "I just don't like bringing up their past abuses."
"You'll have to," Aisling told me, firmly but compassionately. "It's the only way to make sure Faith stays behind bars for a very long time. And your parents aren't off the hook either, by the way. Adam's still mad at them for the bullshit they tried to pull behind his back five years ago, and he's about ready to nail them to the wall for other shit they've pulled in the past."183Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljJpVd4dBq
"I think Alpha Adam and I might need to have a talk," I decided.
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Alpha Adam, who insisted I call him by name alone, came to see me two days later. "Your parents are in deep trouble for both their daughter's shenanigans and a host of other nutjob stunts," he told me. "I hope you don't mind, but we really need to put them away."
"Do it," I said. "I've no more love for them than they have for me, and to be honest, they deserve to get nailed to the wall."
Adam smiled. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine," he said, reaching out to let Xavier grip his finger. "Is this the scamp I was warned about?"
I wasn't too surprised he knew of Mother's former plot; he seemed to know a lot more than he let on. "Yes," I said, "but he hasn't the taint Mother wanted to foster in him. Jethro and his pack rescued me a few hours after his birth, and Jethro was able to make himself Xavier's father through astral projection."
"Aha." Adam nodded. "In that case, to seal our deal, I think I can rescind my former ban for you and your son; I've a granddaughter about his age, and I think her and your son would get along famously."
"I'd be honoured to betrothe them," I said, smiling. "In fact, I think it's a good way to clear the bad blood between us."
"I had no issues with you," Adam told me. "It was your sister and your parents who really rubbed me the wrong way, and I can't believe the way they treated you. I'd have rescued you, but my pack, while strong, isn't a match for the combined allies your father can command, and we're not a warmongering pack in any case. We prefer to settle our battles with brains rather than brawn." He winked. "And besides, new blood will spark a fresh start for my pack. Your son is half-witch, half-dwarf, and we need a bit of a transformation."
I nodded understanding. Xavier would be valued for his heritage, and not just used as a stud to breed new, more talented cubs. "I understand," I said. "And I think it's a wonderful idea."
Adam smiled as we shook hands, sealing the deal. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship," he said, a friendly twinkle in his eye. And I had to agree.
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