A Hybrid's Hunger

Chapter 55

Chapter 55

It's a good thing that the snow doesn't stick around for too long and it melts away as quickly as it falls down. By next morning, the sky is clear but the chill still remains.

I take a sip of my tea and stare at the fireplace. The logs crackle and spit flames out, filling the room with warmth. I can hear the wind outside, rustling through the trees and making the branches rattle together. It's early in the morning, much earlier than I'd usually be awake but I've had trouble sleeping lately, since the heat.

It's still lingering on me, but it's not as intense as yesterday. I can control it for now.

"Aurora," Estella comes up behind me and I turn around to see her. She's breathing heavily, bearing some news. "Your mother is here."

I nearly drop my cup. "What?"

I can feel my heart racing in my chest, pounding against my rib cage.

"She just arrived and she's in the sitting room," Estella continues, walking closer to me and taking my cup of tea away from my hands before it falls. "You should go see her."

My heart drops even lower. I didn't think she'd know where I was so quickly, I thought Martha would give it some more time before telling her. But here she is, waiting for me. I take a deep breath and step into the sitting room.

It's been so long, so long.

The moment I see her, it takes my breath away. She looks almost the same, maybe a little older but she looks great. She's sitting on the couch, with her hands clasped together. I can't see her face, but I know she can hear me, my breathing, my heartbeat, every sound I make.

"Mom." I say, walking closer to her.

Her head turns toward me, and her eyes widen a little. "Aurora," She hurries up on her feet and embraces me. "Oh, I've missed you so much. I was so worried about you, and scared." Her hold tightens around me.

I rest my head on her shoulder and hug her back. It feels like it's been forever, but it's not. It's just been a few months.

My eyes shut tight and I take a few more deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I don't want to cry, not right now.

She pulls away and holds my face in her hands. Her fingers run over my cheeks and then trail down my hair. She looks at me with worry and concern, "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I tell her, shaking a little. "I'm okay, really."

She gives me a slow nod before pulling me back in her arms. Her grip becomes tighter and I can feel her chest rising and falling rapidly. She's breathing heavily, holding onto me as if she's afraid that if she lets go, I'll be gone.

The last time I saw her, she was sick, lying on the bed, barely able to move and now, she's here, healthy, filled with life and energy. I can't believe it.

I take a step back and look at her, "Mom, I—" I can't find the words to talk to her. It's been so long, and I know so much now. I see everything so differently. She never told me anything about my past, she hid it from me, and it didn't make me angry—it made me sad. I know why she did it, because she loved me, but still, it hurt and even now, it continues to hurt.

Taking deep breaths in, I calm my self down or at least try too.

"Let's go home, baby." Her hands cups my face as she says it.

Home.

My gaze flickers to Martha who sits on the couch, looking at me. Her expression is tense, she knows what's coming. Chaos. It's inevitable.

"Mom, I wanted to talk to you first." I wrap my hands around hers and pull them down from my face.

"We can talk all we want once we leave from here, Aurora. It's not safe for you to stay here, at all. We should leave quickly and go back home. Everyone misses you there, and so do I." A small smile stretches on her face and I start contemplating.

I can't just leave.

I—I don't want to.

In the silence, I hear footsteps approaching us. It's Zade, I can sense him, but my mother senses him first. Her smile falters as she looks behind me. Her eyes begin to darken at the sole sight of him, and I quickly know the hatred she bears for him is deep.

"Zade," Her tone changes drastically. "You—you did this," She steps away and goes behind.

I turn around at the same time Martha stands up from the couch.

"I told you, I told you to stay far away from my daughter," She reaches close and before I know it, she puts her hands on him. "Yet you couldn't. You just had to have her, didn't you?" My mother grabs a hold of Zade's collar and pushes him back.

I stand there in shock.

He stands there, completely still, his expression blank, devoid of any emotions.

"Mom, stop," I rush to her side and try to pull her away from him, but Martha grabs my hand, stopping me.

"You just couldn't stay away, could you? You had to ruin her life again, just like you did before. All this time I thought you were gone, that you finally left her alone but you didn't. You didn't leave her alone," She pushes him back again and Zade takes a few steps back.

He doesn't say anything, he doesn't even try to defend himself. He's silent, letting my mother do whatever she wants.

"Aurora is my daughter, and you are nothing but a monster—"

Martha drops my hand and rushes to my mother's side, "Millie, they're mates. We cannot do anything to separate them."

My mom appears surprised at the revelation. It seems like she hasn't even once considered the fact that Zade and I could be mates.

"That's not possible," She looks at me and shakes her head. "Mates are not meant to hurt each other, he is not your mate. He cannot be. He can only be the reason for your suffering."

"Mom, I'm fine," I tell her the truth. It isn't at all what she thinks.

"You're not fine," she argues, her face twisting with anger. "He took you away from me, and he will only hurt you more. You know nothing, you don't know what he is capable of. He'll make you suffer, Aurora, and I cannot let you suffer. Not you, not again. This is not happening. You're going to come with me and we'll go home, and—"

"Millie, stop it." Martha places a firm hand on my mother's shoulder and stops her. "Zade is different, he was a child then and so was she. They are not children anymore. They've both grown up and they understand what it means to be bonded to each other. Let them be. It's their choice, not yours."

My mother shakes her head in disbelief, refusing to accept Martha's words. "I cannot let that happen. You know well he will kill her, whether it's now or in the future. He will. He's a monster, and he cannot be trusted."

I'm stunned at the words she speaks. It makes me wonder how much she knows about Zade, because she speaks with a conviction I can't ignore. I look at Zade, and his expression is blank, he isn't showing any emotions on his face, and yet his eyes are filled with pain and anger.

"Aurora," Martha turns to me and I look at her with conflict. "Perhaps, it would be wiser if you go with your mother. Give it some time and then maybe you could decide what you want for yourself. I will not stop you, and neither will Zade. And whenever you're ready to return, the doors are open and you're always welcome here."

What do you think Aurora should do? Leave with her mother or stay with Zade? Or is there some middle ground she should find.

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