The Unwanted Mate (The Mate Series: Novel 3)

Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Bonding   

    "Good picture, huh?" I jumped and turned to find Nicolai leaning against the entry way.

    "Oh, uh, yes. He looks... happy." I stated.

    "You make it sound like he isn't anymore." Nicolai, cocked an eyebrow.

    "Well, I- I guess I don't know him enough to think that." I shrugged, "Or maybe he just isn't happy around me."

    "Why would you say that?" Nicolai asked, coming to stand by my side.

    "No reason." I wasn't going to whine to Nicolai about Tyson. Nicolai ignored my comment and reached for a picture beside Tyson's.  He held it out for me to see, but before I looked at the picture I saw his eyes grow misty.

    "What's wrong?" I asked.

    "Nothing." Nicolai, pushed back any emotion I could read, "This is Raliegh. Your mother. It's both of you really. We just didn't know you existed yet." He smiled at me as my eyes widened I looked down at the picture he was holding.

    The woman in the picture was beautiful and happy. Her eyes hazel eyes sparkled and her perfect white teeth gleamed as she laughed. I had her hair, I realized. The mahogony brown hair flowed over the shoulder facing away from the camera. It was up close so you couldn't see anything much but her face.

    "She's so beautiful." I blurted.

    "I know. You look so much like her sometimes." I looked up to find him looking at me instead of the picture.

    I felt my throat ache, "It's sad." I whispered, "I thought I remembered her. But I don't. The woman I invisioned as my mom... she wasn't nearly as perfect. I wish I could remember." I felt a tear fall.

    "Raliegh was amazing." My father stated, honestly. "She wanted to be a reporter."

    "Really?" I looked back to the picture. After a few moments of silence I knew what I wanted to know... I just wasn't sure if it would hurt him to tell me.

    "Will you tell me about how you and mom, you know, got together. She was married to Dr. Raimi." I sneered that name.

    "Yes, she was married to him. It wasn't really her choice though. Her parents arranged the marriage." I must have made a face because he laughed. "It still happens, Nikole." I nodded, but looked skeptical.

    "Anyway, Your mother and I met when Hunter and Ian began playing together at a park." Wow, small world.

    "So you're positive they aren't related to one another? Because to be honest if I have anymore surprises I'll probably go into shock." I admitted.

    "No, they aren't related- except through you... You know what, how about I start before your mother and I met. It should be a little easier. I met Andie- a tiger, when I was 18. andie and I mated and we had Hunter about two years after that Andie was killed. Meanwhile your mother had been in love with a male named Trevor- also a tiger, She'd been in love with him since she was 16 years old when Raliegh turned 18 she was married to the Dr."

    I noticed his growl, "After a year in a loveless marriage Raliegh started seeing Trevor more frequently. She was 19 when she got pregnant with Ian, of course, Ian was not her husband's son. She was too afraid to tell him. So Raliegh and Trevor kept it a secret. Dr. Raimi wasn't a stupid man though... He found out about Trevor and one day he followed Raliegh to where she was meeting him... The Dr. shot Trevor point blank in the head. Trevor was dead in seconds. He knew that Ian wasn't his son, but he'd grown... attached to Ian."