Amaris Rejected! Stone Mountain Shifters, Book 2

Chapter 26 - Coming Home

Amaris

The first time seeing my mother in person was surreal. It was like looking at my future. Shorter than me, the tiny female stood no more than 5', with long black hair streaked with silver. Her moss green eyes looked into mine in confusion.

Sitting on the sofa in my suite. Just she and I. I took her hands in mine. "Do you know who I am?"

She nodded. "Family knows family." She whispered gruffly, as though her voice were unused. Her eyes misted over with tears. Taking a deep breath, she closed them and shook her head as though trying to fight through a fog. .

The sound of raised voices can be heard outside my door. The two guards Devon had posted and a high pitched one. Luna Quinn. "Wait here." I gently told my mother as I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. "What's going on out here?"

Luna Quinn snapped. "What is Minette doing out of the facility? And, why have her nurses been dismissed? She has missed two doses of her medications." She shoves a bag in my hands. "This isn't good for her health! See that she takes these."

"Luna Quinn," I take the medications, because I need to analyze them. "I will be taking care of my mother now. Your assistance is no longer needed."

Her face shows panic, she tries to push past me into the room. The guards seize her and hold her back. "I insist you allow me to see Minette now! I have cared for her for years. She-uh, needs me."

"Please leave."

"I will not leave. Minette is my patient. No one else will be caring for her. I will stay right here until you allow me in." Luna Quinn insists.

"Get Devon here immediately." I demand of the guards. No sooner than said, one of the guards goes into the mind link stance and Devon comes out of his offices.

"What's the trouble here?

"Luna Quinn insists on treating my mother and refuses to leave."

"Is this true, Luna Quinn?"

She nods. "I have taken care of her for years and I don't plan to stop now. She shouldn't even be out of the care facility."

"She is no longer your patient.  She will be treated by her daughter."

"No!" She lunges toward the door.  "Her daughter is dead!"

Addressing the guards. "Get two more guards up here. I am placing Luna Quinn under house arrest. She doesn't go anywhere but her rooms. Understood?"

"Yes, Alpha." They say in unison. Two more guards approach and Luna Quinn is escorted, unceremoniously, to her rooms.

"Thank you." I dip my head to him in respect. He deserves it, finally. I turn around and go back inside to my mother. She is still sitting on the sofa, looking at the view through the floor to ceiling windows. "Mom?"

She looks at me with pain filled eyes. "My Sage."

I smile. "Do you trust me?" She nods. "I don't know how much you understand yet, but I think you have been drugged and manipulated by Garnet for years."

She drops her head. "I knew better than to trust her. But Lange said we should." Tears drop into her lap. "My entire life was wasted."

I take her dainty hands in mine again. "We have the rest of it to share together, mom. You have a grandpup!" She beams. "She is three. And you can see her soon. But first, I want to take you to the clinic to examine you and collect some blood and urine samples. If that's okay with you." She nods.

The examination and scans take just under an hour. The blood and urine samples are nearly done, so I don't want to leave them unattended. "Are you hungry?" She nods. Addressing our guards, "Can one of you have Devon meet us here?"

It isn't long before Devon shows up at the clinic. "How are things progressing?"

"Good. Mom is still reticent and isn't speaking much." I look at her as she gazes intently at the wall. "I have completed all the tests and have examined her. She is physically well. Her bloodwork and urine samples are undergoing analysis now. I point to a couple of other machines that are humming. I recognize most of her medications, which were mostly suppressants or had side effects that caused susceptibility to mind control. The handmade mixtures I didn't immediately recognize are being analyzed as well."

"In the meantime, I am hungry and so is my mother. No offense, but because the two packs are so close, I can't be too careful. I need someone you trust to prepare our meals until we leave. Can you help me with that? Can you have someone bring us a tray here to the clinic? I'm not leaving those machines or mother unattended until I get the results." I nod to the machines again.

"I'll do anything I can to help out. Even if I have to prepare the meals myself. Manipulation and control have gone on for far too long."

"Thank you." I smile. It's probably my first genuine smile to him in years. "Also, can you please check up on Devi?"

He nods and turns to leave, but hangs back. He turns and opens his mouth to speak.

"This changes nothing, Devon." I stop him. "I just need what you owe me, your support."

He gives a short nod in acknowledgement and leaves.