Chapter 206

Does she know who he is to me?

And, oh my god, has Luca shown up? Did he even finish the Examination? Does he even know that I’m here, that I was hurt? I glance anxiously towards the door.

“All right, young man,” my mom says, sterner than she usually is, leaning forward to deliver a little rap to Jackson’s arm. “You’ve verified that she’s alive and well – now hands off my daughter at least until we’ve been properly introduced.”

Jackson blushes terribly and goes rigid before letting me go, sitting up straight. I grin at him because, I mean, I know that mom is teasing him – but knowing how Jackson is around women?

And especially a Queen?

Oh, my poor baby mate.

“Well?” mom says, sitting up imperiously and holding out a hand to him, palm down with her fingers delicately pressed together. “Will you not kiss my hand and perform the proper obeisances to your Queen, Cadet?”

Jackson just stares at her hand, wide-eyed, having absolutely no idea what to do and in a complete panic about it. I let it all happen for about two seconds, glancing between them and taking in Jackson’s slack jaw, the twitch at the edges of my mom’s lips, before I burst out laughing and smack her hand away.

“Mom, leave him alone!” I order, and she grins, dropping her hand. “You’re scaring the crap out of him.”

Rafe laughs too, enjoying the scene as I murmur to Jackson that she’s just teasing him – that there are no Queenly obeisances due.

“Yeah well,” my mom says, crossing her arms and sighing with pleasure as she looks over me and then Rafe, her first two babies who she loves so, so much. “Your boy here scared the crap out of me, so I thought I’d return the favor.”

“He’s delicate mom,” I murmur, pressing myself warm against Jackson’s side, sensing that he needs it. “He’s –“ noveldrama

“Delicate!?” Rafe questions, his voice full of doubt, but I ignore him, continuing on.

“He’s not used to women’s tricks and pranks. And he’s had a hard night, dragging my bleeding butt all over the countryside. Be nice.”

My mom just sighs, still grinning, as she smiles warmly at Jackson. “I owe you a life debt, boy, for bringing my daughter back to me. I’ll never be able to repay it.”

She leans forward, offering her hand in a normal way. Jackson, sensing that it’s real this time, reaches forward to take it, wrapping his large hand around her small one.

“You’re my family now,” mom whispers, holding his blue gaze, her voice serious and sweet, “nothing will ever change that. Yes?”

My heart swells as I look up at Jackson, because even though mom has no real way of knowing it, I think she’s given Jackson the thing he’s always needed and never knew to want – a family, a mother to care for him. And I know her – I know that she means every word of it. That beyond being my mate – what Jackson did for me today? He’ll always, always have a place in her heart.

“Thank you,” Jackson says, his voice quiet and very reverent. And I grin when I realize that Jackson, like the rest of us, has been caught up in mom’s spell.

How couldn’t he be, though? Mom is the best.

“All right,” Rafe says, his voice dry and a little bored, “this is a lot of love, but you two are both covered in blood and you smell terrible –“

“We do not,” I protest, turning my face up to stare at him.

“Well, he does,” Rafe says, pointing at Jacks in a way that makes me squeak in ion. But my brother just grins at me, a little wicked. “Listen, you just got carried across the countryside, you didn’t have to break a sweat –“

I protest with a louder squeak this time, ing to the idea that any of that was easy for me.

“But he,” Rafe continues, pointing at my mate with more vehemence, “did all the work. So would you please unwind yourself from him for half an hour so he can get cleaned up? Because dad’s here, and he’s going to want to meet him, and your mate is gross –“

“Dad’s here?” I ask my eyes going wide.