The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)

What She Needs (Part 2)

Ben woke up early the next morning. A single glance at the air mattress told him Jessup hadn't returned during the night.

Throwing on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, he made his way down the stairs, pausing when he heard his mother talking on the phone. She sounded pissed.

"I see."

If two words could kill...

Then, most surprising of all, she whispered, "Go to hell, Kurt."

The sound of the phone slamming onto the cradle resounded through the empty house.

Ben continued down the stairs, looking at his mom questioningly, "Everything alright?"

She jumped at his voice, turned towards him, and the look on her face made Ben feel like his heart was being run through a shredder.

"Ma?"

He opened his arms, and she flew into them, her whole body shaking with her tears.

Ben held her for several minutes, just letting his presence comfort her.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, digging her fingers into his shirt. "I'm so sorry, Benji. I couldn't...I wasn't...I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mama," he assured, stroking her back.

He heard a footstep above him, and Eileen's questioning gaze met his. He gave her a shrug and continued holding his mom until the backdoor slammed shut.

A minute later Widower Vale walked through the house, tossing his keys, "Well, I--damn. Kurt called you again, didn't he?"

A fresh set of tears squeezed from Clair's eyes at that, and the older male's face looked murderous.

He gripped his keys tightly and turned back around, heading for the backdoor.

"Wait!" Clair called. "What are you--"

"I'm going to castrate the bastard!" the older male growled.

"Malachi!"

She ran after him, wiping tears from her face. "Malachi! You can't!"

"I'm already half-dead. I could get in a few licks before the asshole killed me," the the older male replied.

Ben and Eileen followed them out the door, watching, listening.

"He can't keep doing this shit to you, Clair. It ain't right."

"I know. I know. It wasn't like the other calls," she assured him. "This one was about Benji."

Ben felt his blood run cold.

"What about me?"

Jessup and Widow O'Hara walked up then, and Clair sighed heavily, looking at her audience and announcing in a voice full of pain, "Anna's in heat. He didn't want Benji over there this week."

Fury ripped through Ben, encouraging his shift.

He was in his Demi-form, walking to the other side of the truck, "Let's go, Widower Vale."

The older man nodded his head, "The boy has good sense. Let's go kick his ass, son."

"STOP IT!"

All of them froze in place as Clair wrapped her arms around herself, sobbing but still exerting power. "Come back inside. Don't go after him."

She followed the stiffly walking people back into the house, and once there, she choked, "Resume."

"Clairy," Widower Vale whispered, "it kills me seeing you like this, kiddo. If you won't let me beat some sense into him, then come 'mere."