The Hellhound's Mate

Chapter 87

It was silent between the mother and daughter as they walked into their house. Once they found out that Angie was pregnant, the couple decided to move into an actual house to have more room. It was a five-bedroom house with a beautiful backyard and a lot of security features because no one was getting to her daughter, even though nothing strange had happened in Beacon Hills in over 15 years.

Angie shed her coat, tossed her keys into the bowl by the door and slipped off her heels, heading for the kitchen as her daughter followed her into the house, staring at the photos on the wall of their family, some of her favourites and silliest being with her uncle Stiles.

"Chloe, baby girl, what happened?" Angie asked as she leaned on the island in the kitchen a bottle of water in front of her.

"Nothing!" she insisted.

"Well, clearly that's not true. You stole your uncle's car. I just want to know why. I want to understand. I would've taken you for a ride if you'd asked."

"Eli asked me to come with him," she said, feeling like she was shrinking under her mother's gaze. "I don't know what his obsession with uncle Stiles' Jeep is. I think it's just because uncle Derek hates the car. I tried to convince him not to do it but he wouldn't listen. And I thought -"

"You'd rather go with him to be safe than let him go alone," Angie finished.

"Yeah," Chloe answered as she hugged herself, her long sleeves covering her hands.

Her mother angled her head at her. "Chlo, do you like Eli?"

"Of course, I do, mom. He's my best friend. He lives next door. You and uncle Derek raised us together."

"Charlotta," Angie reprimanded.

"Mom! You know I don't like my full name!" she whined.

"I know you don't like your full name because I don't like my full name and your uncle doesn't like his and your kids probably aren't going to like theirs. But I'm your mother and I get to use it when I know you're lying to me."

"Reading my chemo signals is unfair and you know it," Chloe said and her mother simply moved around the kitchen island to hug her daughter.

"Hey, it's ok," she promised as Chloe melted into her. "Hales may be annoying as hell, but they're also attractive as hell. I was around your age when I dated Uncle Derek."

Chloe laughed into her mother's shoulder. "I forget that happened sometimes. You and dad just seemed like you've always been together."

"I only met your father when I was twenty-five. But there has never been anyone else since and there never will be."

"But Eli doesn't like me," Chloe said and the air around her grew sad. "We got caught because he stopped to look at a pretty girl in the car next to us."

"Look at me," Angie said softly as she pulled away but kept her hands on her shoulders. "Eli is a fifteen-year-old boy and he will not understand how you feel unless you tell him," she said. "And even if he doesn't feel the same, he's always going to be there for you. But, I'm fairly certain he'll feel the same. Who could say no to you?" her mother complimented as she brushed a tear out from under Chloe's eye and pushed the hair over her shoulder.

"You think so?"

"I know so. And if he doesn't, then your dad will give him a rough time the next time he steals the Jeep," she promised.

"But what if he resents me when he finds out I can shift and I have dad's powers and he can't even turn?"

"Please, Eli is a Hale. He'll learn to control his shift eventually. And he won't hate you. He might be a little jealous but he won't hate you. You are probably like his only friend in this town. Like father, like son, really."

"Thanks, mom," Chloe smiled and her mother kissed her forehead.

"Anytime, sweetheart."

But as Angie walked back over to the island to get her water, Chloe pulled out her phone. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean, mom?" Chloe asked with a confused look on her face.

"You helped steal a car. If you think you're anything other than grounded, you're in for a rude awakening."

"But mom-"

"Chloe, don't make me use your full name again," she warned. "You get the computer for school but that's it. An no contact with Eli unless you'd like your father to arrest you and your grandfather to charge you with grand theft auto."

"Grandpapa loves me too much to do that," Chloe retorted and her mother raised her brows.

"And yet, like every other man in this town, he answers to me because he is too scared to say no. Now, go to your room and leave your phone behind please."

Chloe muttered under her breath as her phone clattered onto the counter and she went marching to the stairs.

"I heard that," her mother called as she heard the insult her daughter spat her way and while it was technically true because she was essentially a female dog, it wasn't going to change anything. "And forgive me for trying to be a good mother and keep you out of prison!"

Chloe stomped up the stairs as Angie poured the water into a glass and then pulled out a bottle of whiskey from her hiding place - even though it did nothing to get drunk and take the edge off things, it was a symbol and she liked the burn of it. She poured in a healthy amount before putting the bottle back and downing the glass in one go.

"Teenagers."