Chapter Twenty-One

I lay back on the blanket as Ainsley sat beside me. I could hear her ripping grass out of the ground in boredom. If she hadn't kept accusing me of cheating we could have been playing cards but she was a poor loser. So now we had to sit and be bored all because she was seeing things.

Her stomach grumbled and I opened my eyes and sat up quickly. "That's our cue to head to the house." I looked at her and her eyes went wide as she pressed a hand to her stomach as if horrified it had let its hunger be known.

"It's alright." She stared at the blanket intently as if it would solve all of her problems. I really didn't have the patience in dealing with someone so painfully shy and timid. I knew it was due to my personality. I was outgoing, brash, and even bold on occasion. Shyness was foreign to me and a timid shifter was even more so.

"You're hungry. It's time to go to the house for lunch. Actually everyone will probably be heading for lunch." I looked at the sparring and tried to keep from searching out Sterling. My hands still tingled from touching his skin and the bond had a feeling coursing through it that reminded me of smugness but I tried not to bare my teeth at the thought. I was trying.

"It's-"

"If you say 'it's okay', I'm going to tell Michael to shift so you have to look at him naked." I watched as her face turned bright red. She almost reminded me of a tomato with her red hair and red face. I stood up and brushed my pants off before holding out my hands for Ainsley to grab. I wasn't sure if she actually ate anything yesterday, I had fallen asleep shortly after jumping on her bed in my escape of Sterling. All I had to say was the sleep did me good because I was feeling a lot better then I had yesterday. "No comment from the peanut gallery? Now come on, we need to get there before all these hungry shifters eat it all." I jerked my head to the sweaty and sparring shifters.

I tried to ignore the sneaky images of Sterling that the bond was slipping into my thoughts. Shirtless Sterling with sweatpants hanging low on his hips, proudly displaying his musculature that was accentuated by the sweat that coated his skin in a light sheen. My hand twitched with the need to slap myself to remove the images but I refrained as Ainsley grabbed my hands and I pulled her to her feet. I wasn't disgusted by the thoughts because the images the bond had created for a shirtless, sweaty Sterling held nothing to the reality of seeing it for real, or touching it. I felt a flush crawl up my cheeks as my hands tingly at the memory of his warm skin underneath them.

I let Ainsley's hands go and bent down to grab the blanket. "Alpha, you can leave the blanket. I will deal with it." Benji said it casually and I turned my head to glower at him darkly. I wasn't his Alpha nor was I an invalid. I could clean up my own messes as Gamgam was so fond of reminding me.

"Its Pisică, not Alpha and I am perfectly content cleaning up my own shit." I gestured to the blanket and deck of cards that Ainsley was tucking into its box.

"The platform duals as a storage box. The blanket and your cards can go inside. I suspect you will be coming down here more often." He nodded at me and I glanced down at the platform he stood on. I grimaced before reaching down and grabbing the blanket anyway. Ainsley rushed to get off of it as I lifted it off the ground and shook it vigorously, getting the grass off of it. "Pisică, you can leave it." Benji sounded exasperated and I winked at Ainsley as I ignored him and carefully folded the blanket. It wasn't a neat fold like I had seen some people accomplish but it was good enough for me. I moved over and set the blanket by the platform and Ainsley set the deck of cards on top of it.

"You are difficult." Benji smiled at me and I smiled at him brightly.

"I wouldn't be any fun if I wasn't." I would continue to be difficult because I was a firstborn Alpha and no one told me what to do. It was in my nature to be contrary, as it was for everyone of Alpha blood.

"Do you wish for me to tell Alpha Sterling that you're going to the dining hall?" Benji asked it carefully and I appreciated what he was asking. He seemed to understand the difficulties with our mate bond.

"Only if he asks." I lifted a shoulder and let it drop in an unconcerned and uncaring gesture. I didn't want Sterling getting used to the idea of knowing where I was at all times. It would do him good to not have everything that he wanted. He had to learn sooner or later that I wasn't one to be told what to do. "Let's go get some lunch." My stomach was just starting to get hunger pangs and Ainsley grabbed my hand quickly. I was learning she liked to cling to me. It was starting to become grating me but I allowed it because the thought of telling her no was not pleasant.

I could just imagine it. Her blue eyes would go watery, her chin would tremble and she would most likely cry and then I would feel like a total raging bitch. She was the picture perfect image of an abused puppy. She craved attention but seemed almost hesitant for it as if she would be told no or hit for the audacity of coming near another person. She was almost ungainly and clumsy and I was sure if you put a picture of her beside a puppy some people might have a hard time telling them apart.

I pushed the thoughts away and lead her towards the path towards the large pack house. I needed to make sure she had something to eat and then I had to make sure the paperwork for her coming into the pack was in order. I loved paperwork but even I understood that Hunters needed way too much of it. I also knew they stuck their noses where they weren't needed and they caused a few problems within packs. They followed the same pattern as most law enforcement entities, slight corruption and cocky officers that needed their throats ripped out.

The memory of Sterling tearing out the Hunter's throat flickered to life in my mind and I felt a rather smug smile on my face. The male had it coming and the fact Sterling did it for my benefit was just an added bonus. I wasn't used to anyone doing anything for me but that was probably the top of the list for best surprise gestures I had ever received.

"Isn't that Ian?" Ainsley's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I looked around quickly, trying to spot the shifter that I had assaulted the day before. I spotted him on the path in front of us, he was waving his hand in the air much like he had done yesterday and I gritted my teeth in irritation. He moved closer and I fought back a growl at the motion. I didn't really want him near me and as much as she could, my wolf agreed with my assessment.

"Shey, can I talk to you?" He scratched his head and I stared at him as Ainsley tucked herself behind me as if for protection.

"I believe I made myself clear yesterday or do you need a refresher?" I scowled at him darkly and my hands twitched. I hadn't satisfied my urge for brutality the day before. I wanted his blood and he was testing my patience.

"I understand what you said. I just wanted to apologize." He looked a bit sheepish as he kicked at the ground but I honestly didn't want to hear his apology. I was still quite soured against him due to his persistence. I had told him no numerous times and he had ignored me, that wasn't sexy or cute or charming. It was creepy.

"Don't apologize to me. You weren't attempting to take my mate from me. Now if you excuse me." I moved around him and dragged Ainsley away from him and towards the house. If he wanted to apologize he could apologize to Sterling if he wanted to say it because I didn't care nor did I want his apology.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear it but I am." He called it out after us but I didn't acknowledge it as I tugged on Ainsley's hand.

"Do you think he's serious?" Her voice was small but curious and I shook my head.

"If he wanted me to remotely enjoy his company or take the apology seriously, he should have stopped trying to make something out of nothing when I told him nothing would happen between us." Overt persistence was not sexy especially when one was told no. It came off as kind of rapey and I didn't want Ian around me, maybe there would be a time when I could be around him without feeling a need to tear him to shreds verbally or beat him physically but I wasn't not in that mood.

"How do you deal with all the guys?" She sounded utterly perplexed and I rolled my eyes at her rather poorly gathered assumption. I barely had any guys after me, no one wanted to deal with a shifter female with no power and a serious care of bitchitis.

"All the guys?" I laughed at that. "Ainsley, I developed a seriously bitchy personality to stop that. Sterling and Ian are the only two who have showed me interest and Sterling is the only one allowed to do that. I don't have males fawning all over me at all times." She was way too cute when she showed how fucking naive she was. She thought that because I was considered beautiful by society's standards that I had multitudes of males that wanted me but that wasn't the reality of the situation. Sure lots of guys probably wanted to bang me but because I kept a rather aloof and frosty front on around them, they didn't attempt anything.

"Oh. No one shows me interest." She sounded almost forlorn at the thought and I glanced at her.

"Don't throw a pity party. I don't want to go to another one." I looked ahead and could see the back of the house. "Besides having all that attention isn't fun or interesting. It's irritating and stupid and most males are both as well." If that wasn't the truth then I wasn't a part of a species of people that could turn into large wolves.

"What about Alpha Sterling?" Ainsley was staring at me and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn't entirely sure why she always insisted on bringing Sterling into the conversation but she always did. Maybe she believed I was one of those women who needed to talk about my mate twenty four hours a day.

"He's irritating and occasionally stupid." I said it without missing a beat and fought back my smirk.

"What would he think about you saying that?" She squeaked and it didn't help me in thinking she wasn't a mouse. Well a weird puppy mouse hybrid. She had the tendencies of both animals to be honest.

"That I'm right. Besides I'm fairly positive all he thinks about me is that I'm stubborn, bitchy, and prone to violence." I smiled inwardly at the thought. It was the perfect description for me and I wasn't going to make anything easy for Sterling. Yes, I was going to try with our relationship but there was no fucking way I would turn into a simpering female that batted her eyelashes and swooned at his feet.

My stomach growled and I yanked Ainsley forward as I picked up my pace. Ainsley could deny her hunger all she wanted but I was one for instant gratification with food. If I was hungry I would eat something, none of the bullshit of waiting or denying what my stomach wanted.

Ainsley huffed, "Why are you going so fast?" I had to give it to her that she was actually complaining through her small pants of breath. She wasn't healthy, she was underweight, and I narrowed my eyes at the thought she should probably see the doctor. I needed to make sure she wouldn't die on me now that I got her away from her piece of shit family.

"I'm hungry, you're hungry, and there will be a horde of hungry shifters entering the dinning hall beside the house that will eat all of the food. I want my share before then." I opened the back door and hurried inside. I could head Gamgam shouting in the kitchen and Ainsley tugged against my grip as if unwilling to enter the approaching warzone but I simply gave a rather feral grin and dragged her into it anyway.

"If I have to repeat myself again, I will personally fuck someone with a slotted spoon! Get those veggies out of the oven and slice the fucking roasts! I'm surrounded by idiots who can't take simple directions!" Gamgam's face was red and I smiled at her happily. I had missed breakfast when it was served but I had stolen some fruit so I hadn't seen her all day.

"Gamgam!" I let go of Ainsley's hand and threw my arms out.

Gamgam narrowed her eyes at me slightly before smiling at me softly. "Puiu meu de lup, I heard you-"

"Told the pack Sterling was my mate?" I gave her a wide grin at the look of irritation that crossed her face at the interruption before a look of pride crossed her face.

"Beat the shit out of Ian. I'm impressed." She levelled me with a look and I laughed, shaking my head as I did so.

"Didn't beat him nearly as bad as I wanted to." I shrugged and her eyes crinkled at the corners before she froze as her eyes landed on something.

"What in goddess's green earth is that?" She pointed behind me and I looked over my shoulder., Ainsley's face was red as she tried to hide behind her hair. "It's bones and bruises! Oh dear, pui de lup, get over here right now!" Worry and anger filled her voice and Ainsley shifted on her feet nervously. Gamgam didn't give her any chance to react before she was over there looking her over. "No. No. No. Who did this to you child? Not eating enough and so pale! Oh no!" She tsked to herself as she dragged Ainsley towards the table and forced her into a chair. "This won't do at all! Terrible, just terrible!" I had followed her to the table and Ainsley gave me a pleading look and I shook my head. There was no way I was getting in Gamgam's way now that she had seen her. I sat across the table from Ainsley as Gamgam disappeared further into the kitchen.

"What fucker did that to you pui de lup? Who do I need to skull fuck with my spoon?" Gamgam's voice boomed out over the kitchen's various sounds as she gathered what appeared to be a large plate of food. Ainsley stared at the table with wide eyes and her form trembled slightly.

"Gamgam is a bit much at first but she means well." I tried to give her my best reassuring smile and she glanced up at me right before Gamgam set the large plate of roast, veggies, and potatoes in front of the curly red head.

"Eat. Eat. You are too skinny! Now who is it I have to molest with a rolling pin?" Gamgam looked at her expectantly before showing a fork into Ainsley's small hand. She was acting too brash. Ainsley was so painfully timid that she could barely handle my tirades, let alone one of Gamgam's.

"P-pardon?" Ainsley glanced up at her and I reached out, touching Gamgam's arm to get her attention.

"Gamgam, tone it down a bit." I blatantly looked at the trembling Ainsley before looking at Gamgam. She nodded, her blue eyes understanding.

"The jackass who hit you. Who is it?" Her tone softened and Ainsley stared at the plate, the hand holding the fork trembling like a leaf. I could see her swallowing, before she looked up at me. She focused on me almost intently. I could almost see her trying to gather courage as if she could take it from me.

"My father." Her words were thin and almost non-existent and she coughed lightly before her gaze dropped from my face to the table.

"Pardon?" Gamgam crossed her arms over her chest as her eyes went steely. I knew that look and pose well, someone was in shit.

"My father did." Ainsley's voice shook just like her body did and Gamgam's gaze went from steely to icy to absolute zero in the span of ten seconds. It was alarming.

"Your father. As in the male that helped create you? As in the male who helped give you life? As in the one person who should protect you? That father?" Her voice was like a deep freezing vortex and I was suddenly afraid for whoever would be at the receiving end of her anger.

"Yes." Ainsley nodded slightly and hunched forward, hiding behind her hair. She radiated hurt, fear and shame.

"I can't believe Mene took my child from me and gave your father one. No. That male is not a father, Mene would not be that cruel." Her entire posture softened as she crouched down beside Ainsley. I blinked in surprise at the sudden and on hundred and eighty degree shift in her emotions. "Pui de lup, no matter what he must of told you. You do not deserve what he has done." She brushed Ainsley's hair from her face gently before touching her cheek, her fingertips brushing the bruise that nearly covered her cheek.

"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Just because he is your father by birth it does not mean you have to love him, to defend him or even care for him." Her gestures were almost maternal in nature and for a moment I felt a pang in my stomach for her. She had lost her mate and her child. Her grief must have clung to her deeply and seeing the evidence of a father abusing a gift that had been denied her must have been brutal for her. "The bonds were create by choice can be stronger and more fulfilling than those created with our birth. Do not blame yourself for your father's actions because he is the master of his own actions, his own body. A spirit did not possess him and strike you. He did that all on his own and Mene shall punish him for his actions." There was a reason why Gamgam was so respected and that showed it.

"I caused my mother's death." Ainsley's voice was slightly choked and I winced and looked away the moment I saw tears. I didn't like to do tears.

"You did no such thing. Do you think she wished for her mate to harm the pup she gave her life for? Do you think your mother approves of his actions?" There was a soft reassurance to her words and I realized just how shitty I was at comforting people. I honestly didn't blame myself. No one had actually taught me how to do it and it was only natural that I had no clue how to do it.

"No?" She sounded unsure and I watched the shifters bustle around the kitchen, carrying covered food dishes towards the dining hall.

"No. If I had died during my boy's birth and my Zeus had blame him for my death, I would have used every chance I had to do my best to curse him to Mene's brothers and back." Gamgam sighed heavily. "Zeus was my love, my mate but Othello was my everything. He grew within me for forty weeks and I loved him so much and that love conquers everything. Your mother is most likely cursing your father every chance she gets, whispering in Mene's ear to toss him to her brothers for what he has done to you." I had never seen Gamgam so maternal or kind before. True she had been kind but there had always been an edge to her but as she stared at Ainsley I had become aware of how gentle and soft the old shifter truly looked.

"Really?" Ainsley wiped at her eyes discreetly and Gamgam brushed her knuckles down her cheek softly.

"Shey's mother killed her father to protect her. Your mother would have done the same for you." The words were soft and I pinched my lips together slightly at them.

"You never told me that." Ainsley stared at me with watery blue eyes and I shrugged. Not something that one simply said out loud to those they didn't know.

"It's not something that comes up in casual conversation, Ainsley." I avoided looking at her, I didn't want to look into her teary eyes. It made me uncomfortable. Emotions had that effect on me. After Allan I had been trained to push away my emotions. My mother telling me they were simply a weakness that could be exploited and she had taught me how to do just that.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was back to being timid and I stared at her for a moment.

"I'm not. If it was bad enough that my mother killed him. Then I'm thinking he wasn't a good male." My mother never talked about him, she never brought him up or showed me pictures of him. I knew nothing of him, not even his name. Sometimes I wondered but a male that did that to his pregnant mate for payment was not someone I wished to know.

"You should eat something, pui de lup. I will get you something, Shey." Gamgam stood up before heading back into the kitchen and I watched as Ainsley pocked at a pile of mashed potatoes with her fork.

"She's not expecting you to eat it all, Ainsley. Just eat as much as you can, okay?" I tilted my head slightly as she simply nodded before taking a small bite of the potatoes she had been poking. I watched as she rotated her plate, taking small bites out of each of the foods. It was fascinating watching her portion her forkfuls and spin her plate around and around, making sure to take one bite from each pile of food.

I jumped in surprise as Gamgam set a plate down in front of me. I knew if my nose wasn't still stuffed that the food probably smelled amazing and I smiled up at the old shifter. "Thank you, Gamgam."

"Oh don't think you are getting out of a discussion that quickly, fetita." Her blue eyes pierced into my own and I frowned with confusion. I wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about.

"What?" I stared at her, trying to discern what she meant by her statement.

"Did Dickhead apologize to you?" She was being unbearably cryptic and I wasn't entirely in the mood to unravel the mystery surrounding her statement. What did Sterling need to apologize about?

"What?" I watched as her mouth twitched downwards in irritation and I forced my face to remain blank even though my eyebrows wanted to rise to my hairline at her strange behaviour. She was holding herself stiffly as if she were upset about something.

"He told me about your argument. Did he or did he not apologize to you?" She snapped the words out and realization dawned on me. I glanced at Ainsley who was listening but was continuing to eat in her strange little ritualistic way.

"He apologized." I nodded as I looked at Gamgam and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Did it seem sincere?" She seemed to look like she believed it wouldn't have been sincere but from what I had remembered, Sterling's apology had seemed sincere and more than filled with guilt and shame.

"I think so, yes." I tilted my head at her. The argument had been useful, we had cleared the air a bit between us. He had a tragic back story that I had cursed against but I understood him a bit more. A third born son forced into a position he had no clue how to run.

"Have you forgiven him?" She spat it out as if it tasted foul and I narrowed my eyes at her. Since I had decided to try with mine and Sterling's relationship I didn't particularly like when people's anger was aimed at him. First Ian and now Gamgam, although I knew better than to try and beat up Gamgam. That wouldn't go over well on any angle I looked at it.

"He was rig-"

"I don't care if he also predicted winning lottery ticket numbers, he never should have brought your issues out like that." Her ire was rising quickly and I lifted a hand, trying to appease her sudden rage.

"Gamgam-"

"Don't Gamgam me like I'm overreacting. That băieţaş needs to learn to hold his tongue and think before he speaks when he gets upset. He has always lashed out when he was in pain or hurt. It's a terrible habit I have tried to fix and if he would have thought for a second before sprouting off some bullshit at you, he wouldn't be in my poor graces." Her eyes flashed with an icy rage and I could see the depths of how much he disappointed her but I didn't appreciate the anger towards him. He had been right in his claims. He had told the truth and I wasn't coward enough to lie about it to him. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place and the only way out was to trust him and I would try.

"He was right." He had been. Most of what he had said was true and I had needed to hear it.

"It doesn't mean the way he did it was right." She glowered at me and I had to admit she was right with that. The content of his speech had been what I needed but the delivery had failed quite a bit.

"I admit the situation wasn't ideal but it needed to be said." I was defending him against him making me cry but I didn't want Gamgam upset with him. I had seen what she did verbally to shifters she was upset with and that wasn't pretty. I didn't even want to think of what she would do to them physically if given half a chance.

"To the point of tears? Can you honestly say it needed to be said in such a way to make you cry?" At that I winced. I hadn't realized Sterling had been so open with Gamgam. I looked at her and realized he probably didn't have a choice. She was like a dog with a rope, unrelenting in her tugging.

"As I said it wasn't ideal." I was being evasive because I didn't want her to know that I hated how he had said it. I hated that I had cried in front of him, that I had shown him that weakness. I was supposed to be the strong Alpha my mother had trained me to be and instead I had crumpled under a few harshly spoken words.

"What did he say?" That was the question I hadn't wanted to think hard on and I shrugged.

"Just the usual 'you aren't trying' speech." It was close enough to his speech. I didn't want to go into details because I remembered every word he had flung my way in the office and they still stung.

"No, what did he say?" Her arms crossed over her chest tightly and I didn't want to give her more ammo for her Sterling hate gun. I knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to know what he had said that had hurt me the most. She wanted it so she could fling it back at him. It was how Gamgam worked. Her eyes were unwavering on me and I let out a heaving sigh.

"He said dealing with me was a hardship." Even me saying the words caused me to flinch under them. They had been cruel and harsh and I felt my chest tighten at just the thought of them. Words aimed perfectly at where it would most hurt the person hearing them.

"I'm going to break my spoon off in his skull." Anger flared up brightly at her words and a low growl rumbled my chest. No one was harming him.

"You aren't touching him." I narrowed my eyes at her slightly and she tilted her head as she looked at me. There was a challenge to her eyes, a dare for me to do something.

"Are you going to stop me?" There was an edge of a mocking taunt to her voice and I realized that I would step between her and Sterling. I didn't want him hurt or harmed in anyway. I was pretty sure it was the newly evolved bond that gave me the urge and I shuddered, fighting the urge to shake it off, to shove it away. I had to learn to trust it.

"If need be. Just leave it, Gamgam." I liked that she was trying to protect me, that she wanted to make sure that it wouldn't happen again but Sterling and I needed to deal with our shit on our own without distractions from others. "We talked and I have decided to give this entire thing a try. There nothing else I can do in reality." I had no other choice and I would make the best of my situation and if that was learning to trust something that had only been used to harm me I would do so. I wasn't giving up, just redirecting my energy.

"He's still in the dog house." Gamgam sniffed lightly and looked away.

I rolled my eyes at her almost childish behaviour. "Acting petulant doesn't suit you." I took a bite of the food, the intensity of the conversation fading enough for me to focus on feeding the growling monster that was currently living in my stomach.

"Until I see him actually improve his behaviour I will remain disappointed in him. That is not petulant. I'm too old to do petulant." She sniffed in disdain and I swallowed before giving a short laugh.

"Don't use your age as an excuse. You can live for another fifty years if you wished." Shifters could live to nearly a hundred and sixty if they wanted to or were careful not to piss anyone else off. Gamgam was old but I knew there were older shifters out there.

"Still too old to listen to bullshit. If I wish to be disappointed in Dickhead, I will be disappointed." She glowered at me darkly and I nodded. She wasn't going to budge and if she wouldn't admit to being petulant I wasn't going to press the issue with her.

I shrugged nonchalantly, "Fair enough."

"If you are no longer hungry, Ainsley, that's alright. You ate a fair bit." Gamgam's voice was back to being soft and I looked up from my own plate to see that Ainsley had set her fork down, She had eaten nearly half of what was on her plate which was a fair amount for her to eat in one sitting. I took another forkful of food as Ainsley pushed the plate towards Gamgam.

"It was very good, thank you." She gave her a hesitant smile and Gamgam ran a hand over her fiery curls. Ainsley needed a maternal figure, I wasn't really the type of person to supply that type of comfort so I was more than glad Gamgam was able to step up.

"Good pup." Gamgam picked up the plate and took it back into kitchen as I took another bite of my lunch. As usual the food was made to perfection, I doubted Gamgam would have allowed a sub-par meal to leave her kitchen. As I continued eating Ainsley picked at her finger nails, staring at them with wide eyes.

"Hello May, Lily. How are you?" Gamgam's voice rang out and I looked over to where it came from. A slightly plump female with brown hair was entering the kitchen pushing a wheelchair with a nearly grey haired, terribly frail looking female sitting in it.

"I'm good, Carrie." The plump female smiled and the frail female looked around in a rather innocent confusion.

She held her hands on her lap, twisting them together in nervousness. "Why are we here, May?" Her voice was soft and almost wavering. It wasn't timid but it reminded me of Ainsley a bit. She looked almost familiar despite her wrinkled face and greying hair.

"For lunch, Lily. We need to get you some food." The plump female, named May, grasped the confused female's shoulder as if in comfort and the female, I took to be Lily, smiled in relief. It was like May's touch brought her reassurance to her troubled and confused mind.

"Oh, okay, May. Do you think Richard will have time to join us?" She looked hopeful at the prospect of seeing the male named Richard and I felt a bit uncomfortable watching them and turned back to my plate.

"I'm not sure, Lily. He's quite busy but we can send someone to ask." May's voice was chipper and I slowly finished off my plate. Footsteps grew closer and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Lily was clearly ill, her frame suggested it but her confusion and uncertainty about the world around her was throwing me a bit.

"Who are you? You have such pretty hair." The soft wavering voice showed a slight bewilderment and puzzlement and I frowned. I wasn't sure why the female was so confused.

"My name is Ainsley and thank you." Ainsley glanced at her a small smile on her thin lips and a thin, delicate looking hand patted Ainsley's gently.

"Oh your face!" Lily let out a small, breathy gasp of shock. "Did you get into a fight? My boys fight all the time. It worries me. Derek and Benjamin are in training so they are getting far too strong to be play fighting." The names hit me and I turned my head to stare at Sterling's mother. I took in every inch if her fragile form and I thought back to what he had said. She had Alzheimer's, it was a mundane disease that affected memory.

Her grey eyes that were nearly identical to Sterling's looked at me in surprise. "Oh, hello. Who are you?" There was an innocent joy and puzzlement to her that made me return her bright but polite smile.

"My name is Shey." I watched as her confusion grew worse. She screwed her face up in thought, trying to puzzle out what would either never come to her or only come in fractured pieces.

"Are you mated to my boy?" She looked painfully confused as she stared at me before her hand fluttered up to her face. "There was a girl. I can't remember. She was mated to one of my boys. One of them. Derek?" She leaned close to me and sniffed deeply. She leaned back in her chair a loving smile on her face. "It was my baby boy, my pui de lup, my Luka. He's your mate." At her rather proud words I stilled in my chair. Mother dearest had spilled the beans. Luka. The name sent a shiver through me. It was sharp and severe but had a certain softness to it that made it rather delightful to roll around in my mind.

"He is." I watched as she smiled at me before jumping slightly as she caught sight of Ainsley.

"Oh, dear. Who are you?" Curiosity filled her grey eyes and I blinked as I realized just how badly her mind had deteriorated. Ster- no Luka, hadn't spoken much about her other than she had Alzheimer's and was dying in front of him and looking at her I could finally see what he meant.

"Ainsley. We jus-" I kicked her under the table to cut her off. I gave her a look that she blinked at before she nodded.

"Ainsley is such a pretty name. Just like your hair. It's so pretty." She let out a shocked little gasp. "Oh, your face! Did you get in a fight?" Ainsley simply nodded, realization flooding her eyes as she looked at the frail female named Lily. A plate was set in front of her and Lily stared at it with interest.

Gamgam kissed the top of her head. "Eat, Lily. You need to keep your strength up so you can keep up with how demanding your mate is." Gamgam winked at me and I watched as Lily tittered with a bit of embarrassment as a red flush crawled up her cheeks but her smile was a proud one.

"I do just fine, Gamgam. Richard has no complaints. I see to making sure he doesn't." She held her herself a bit straighter in her wheelchair and I bit back a laugh at the look on Ainsley's face. She looked horrified and embarrassed. I seriously needed to make sure she got over her modesty. She was a shifter there was no reason for it.

"That's good but he said for me to make your favourite." Gamgam gently placed a fork in Lily's hand and the female nodded before she started picking at her food. My chest hurt as I watched her. She was the last of Sterling's family. She was all that remained of his life before the accident and I could finally see how badly that it was deteriorating. She was such a sweet female too. There was a deep kindness, a deep softness in her that was reflected in her youngest son. He was his mother's child and I bit the inside of my cheek hard.

Her little boy would be left alone in this world. Her pui de lup would be left to fend for himself. Her baby boy would no longer have his mother or any reminders of his family. Her Luka would only have me because while he was her baby boy, her pup, her Luka. He was my Luka too.