Page 168 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
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ZOEY
The shrill ring of my phone jolted me awake. I fumbled for it on the nightstand.
“Hello?” I said groggily.
“Zoey, it’s Mom. I’m at Heathrow, about to board my flight. Weather permitting, we should land in Detroit in about nine hours. I’ll call again once we land.”
“Oh, right. Okay, speak to you soon.” I hung up and let out a long breath. With everything going on lately, I’d completely forgotten she was coming to visit. Nerves coiled in my stomach. I had no idea how this visit would go. Our relationship had always been strained, to put it mildly.
Shit, I hadn’t even told Sam she was coming. Did Heather mention it to him? I doubted it. My sister avoided talking to and about Mom as much as possible. Not that I could blame her, considering how unreliable and self-absorbed our mother tended to be. Whenever she did grace us with her presence, it usually ended in hurt feelings and reopened wounds.
I got out of bed with a sigh. Might as well get up and face the day. I padded to the kitchen and started the coffee maker, savoring the rich aroma of brewing coffee as it filled the air.
My mind raced as I waited for it to finish. Should I give Sam a heads-up that she was on her way? Part of me wanted to, but another part wanted to avoid that awkward conversation.
Hey, Sam, Mom’s coming to town. You know, the woman who walked out on us and broke your heart. Surprise!
I poured myself a mug of coffee, hoping the caffeine would clear my mind. I needed to talk to Heather. She would know what to do. I picked up my phone and typed out a text.
Me:Did you know Mom’s flying in today? I just got a call from her. Not sure if we should tell Sam...
I hit send and took a sip of my coffee, waiting for her response.
“Mom, can I go play with the other kids?” Ro asked, tugging on my shirt and pointing outside where some children from the pack were running in the clearing behind the backyard.
Noah came up beside me and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Hey, you okay?” He lowered his voice. “That wasn’t George again, was it?”
I shook my head. “No, my mom. She called to let me know her flight was boarding.” I sighed. “I’ve been so caught up in everything that I haven’t told Sam. Their relationship is… complicated.”
Noah started kneading the tension out of my shoulders. “He knows.”
“How...? What...?” I stammered out in confusion.
“How do you think I got a hold of her?”
My eyes widened. “I thought you’d spoken with my sister.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, turning me to face him. His hands moved down to my waist, and his chin rested on top of my head. “I should have told you I arranged it through Sam. Why don’t you go see him? I’ve got Ro. We’ll be fine here.”
I glanced at Ro and bit my lip. “Are you sure? I don’t want to just leave him with you.”
Noah smiled reassuringly. “It’s no trouble at all. Go on, talk to Sam. It’ll be good for you.”
Ro looked up at me with pleading eyes. “Please, Mom, I’ll be good for Noah. I can do some boxing and ask him about shifting and stuff.”
Reluctantly, I relented. “Okay, thanks, Noah. I appreciate it.” I gave Ro a quick hug. “Be good for Noah, okay, sweetie? I’ll be back soon.”
Ro grinned and ran off to join the other kids outside. I watched him for a moment, my heart full. Noah really was amazing with him.
Mike appearedat my side as I headed to my car. “I’ll come with you, just to be safe.”
I shot him a grateful look as we got in, and I started the short drive to Sam’s house. My stomach was in knots the whole way there.
While Mike waited in the car, Sam opened the front door with a warm smile that faded slightly when he saw the look on my face. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“Mom called me this morning,” I said as I stepped inside. “She’s flying in today. I wanted to give you a heads up.”
