Chapter 34: Chapter 34

As soon as Weston’s in sight, Millan runs outside to meet him.

The small smile Weston is sending his way, although slightly reassuring, isn’t enough to ease the anxious pit in his stomach.

“We need to talk.”

“We need to talk.”

They both laugh nervously.

How they’re still surprised by their synchronicity is beyond Millan.

Silence falls on them and they both stare at each other, uncertainty taking over their bond. He can’t stand this awkwardness between them. Awkwardness that’s never been there before.

And that’s how Millan realizes how easy it has been with Weston.

How everything felt natural, nothing ever forced.

Sure, he’s been a mess, but Millan has always been a mess.

Difference is, he’s never had an easy relationship with anybody in his life. Even with his friends, Caleb and Aaron.

From as young as he can remember, he felt like an impostor, never omega enough, never werewolf or human enough.

He’s never felt at ease with anybody.

Until Weston.

In a matter of weeks, they’ve shared moments Millan had never thought he would ever share with anybody.

They’d kissed. Twice. They’d cuddled, embraced, hell, he’s even let himself purr in Weston’s arms- something he’d never done before.

But now.

Now they’re standing in uncomfortable silence and Millan is afraid he might have screwed everything up already.

Now they’re glancing at each other warily, like they’re both holding something back.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

Millan wonders if they’re only going to talk at the same time from this moment on, if that’s the soul mate’s curse: synchronized sentences.

He can think of worse.

Weston laughs and shakes his head. And just like that, Millan can almost see some of the awkwardness evaporating.

“What in the world do YOU think you’re apologizing for?”

Millan tilts his head to the side, surprised. It’s one thing for him to be oblivious of the intricacies of werewolf relationships but Weston should know. He shouldn’t need Nara to explain it to him.

“It’s my fault. I’m the reason you jumped on Dax. I’m the reason you lost control. Your wolf is going crazy because it doesn’t have a claim on me yet. It’s why you’re feeling so protective and on edge and I blamed you at first and Nara had to explain it to me and it should have been obvious and I’m so sor-“

“Wow. Stop. Breathe.”

Weston’s hands find their way on Millan's shoulder and Millan hadn’t realized how worked up he’d gotten. Face flushing in embarrassment, he forces himself to take a deep breath.

“Millan, please don’t apologize. You shouldn’t have to. I am the one who should ask for forgiveness.”

“What? No, West-”

“No, Mill. You must understand, if I lose control it’s only MY fault, not anybody else’s fault and certainly not yours.”

Millan was taken aback. He was not expecting that at all. He was expecting to grovel a bit to get Weston’s forgiveness. Really, he was expecting rejection like he always does.

Weston keeps flipping the story over, keeps changing the narrative. Narrative that’s always been very predictable up to this point.

Weston’s expression relaxes.

“It’s true that I’m having trouble controlling my wolf. I’ve never wanted to mark an omega before and this urge to claim you is new to me. It’s no excuse though. I shouldn’t have vent on Dax. Although I’m still pretty sure he deserved a good shove, I shouldn’t have threatened to banish him and I shouldn’t have even talked of banishment around you. Gosh, you have no idea how much I regret losing control in front of you.”

And Millan not only sees the shame in Weston’s face but feels it in their bond.

“It’s okay, Weston. We’re fine, I get it.”

Weston groans and shakes his head again.

“Mill, you got to stop doing that.”

Millan frowns, completely lost.

“Doing what?”

“Forgiving me, forgiving everyone so easily.”

“But I- I do forgive you.”

Millan shrugs. He’s never had the luxury of holding a grudge. People he’s met in his life never really cared if he did.

In fact, Millan had always been the one to grovel for the slightest bit of attention. He wasn’t about to give it away for something so stupid as resentment. Before Weston even extends his arms, Millan smiles in anticipation of the embrace.

Relaxing into it as soon as Weston’s smell encompasses. Millan sighs, content, thinking maybe this morning’s bliss isn’t so far away after all.

“Millan? Is that you?”

The voice seems to come straight from Millan's past just to slap him in the face.

Bliss is never a place Millan stays for long.

Is the voice even real or is he going crazy?

Slowly, he detangles himself from Weston’s comforting hug, feeling cold immediately and turns towards the disturbance.

Although the woman before him has aged since their last encounter, he recognizes her instantly.

He has to look at Weston and make sure he sees her too, just to confirm she isn’t a ghost.

Weston is gaping and looking from her to Millan to her again, apparently floored by the current developments.

“Aunt Stella?”

Millan hates that his voice comes in barely a whisper.

She’s approaching him slowly, hands to her mouth.

Are those tears he sees in his aunt’s eyes?

It can’t be.

“Yes, Millan, it’s me. You’re... you’re alive...”

She reaches for Millan's cheeks, as if wanting to make sure Millan is really standing before her.

“Yep. I’m alive.”

Millan quickly dodges the move preferring to stand slightly behind Weston. Stella doesn’t seem deterred and smiles, eyes swimming in a watery veil.

“I can’t believe it. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Millan is floored by the sincerity he can hear in his aunt’s words. She’s never been mean but she’s definitely never taken much interest to Millan, even going so far as to avoid any contact with him.

Millan always thought she didn’t particularly liked him.

“Sorry to disappoint.”

Stella looks hurt, eyebrows knit together.

“Oh, Millan. If only you knew.”

Millan is the pinnacle of uncomfortable. He has absolutely no desire of connecting back with his past lift in the Caelan Pack.

In truth, he wants out of this interaction entirely.

He looks at Weston, then and tries to convey his thoughts through their bond. They only look at each other half a second but Weston gets it and laces an arm around Millan's waist reassuringly.

His omega is so grateful for the contact that Millan has a hard time restraining a purr. He could also kiss Weston right this second.

He might. Later.

“Look, ma’am-”

“Call me Stella.”

“Right. Stella… I don’t think now is a good time. What do you say Carter gets you to your room so you can get settled, yeah?”

Millan's just noticing the guard standing a good distance behind her.

Without waiting for Stella’s response, the Pack Alpha sends a pointed look to the so-called-Carter and the latter quickly stirs Stella away.

As soon as she’s out of sight, Weston turns towards Millan, eyes piercing his, eyebrows drawn together.

“You okay?”

Millan nods, still processing his aunt’s apparition.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, Mill, but you have to tell me and please be honest, it’s really fucking important. Do I need to be worried about her? Should I send her away?”

Millan looks up at him wide eyed.

Weston would let him chose who he lets into his territory?

Just like that?

And Millan is thinking about it. To be perfectly honest, his life would be much simpler if Stella wasn’t there to remind him of his past. But at the same time, she was never mean. She never did anything to hurt him. She only avoided him or plainly ignored him. Nothing to be worried about.

She must be there on his father’s orders for something else entirely and it wouldn’t be fair to send her away just because of Millan.

“No. No reason to be worried. She just… reminds me of a time I don’t want to remember.”

“Well, just say the word and I’ll chase her away, okay?”

Millan nods and swallows.

Surely, she didn’t plan on staying long anyway. She’ll do what she came here to do and be on her way.

Right?

*****

Stella knew the Blayne Pack was different, that the conditions here were much better, but part of her always worried that she’d been wrong.

That she had made a terrible decision for her daughter years ago. Now that she gets to experience it firsthand, she knows she made the right call.

They’d let her in, an unannounced stranger, and welcomed her exceptionally well.

The Caelan Pack would have never done that.

“I’ll let you settle in. I’ll be right outside.”

Once Carter closes the bedroom door behind him, Stella lets her mind wonder as she prepares to take a much needed shower.

She’d had to convince Uriel to let her leave for a pretense recognition mission. He’d only granted her three weeks.

The journey alone normally took three days. Stella did it in two. She was exhausted. But she’d never been happier.

Tears well up in her eyes as she thinks of Millan.

Not only is he alive, but he’d looked healthy.

Alpha Blayne seemed to care for him a lot.

As she steps into the shower, Stella’s heart swells just thinking of Millan being cared for. She feared he’d died out there on his own.

Knowing both her children were safe…

Stella couldn’t have asked for more. She lets tears of pure relief fall down her cheeks as hot water washes them away.

That night, when her head hits the pillow, it feels like the smile on her face could never disappear.

She could go home in the morning, endure anything Uriel throws at her and still be the happiest woman alive, knowing her children would be okay.