Vellichor (Book Two)

The One Where it Ends

"My youth is yours. Tripping on skies, sipping waterfalls. My youth. My youth is yours."

Ryland folded herself into Taylor's side. She squeezed her eyes shut until her eyelids began to pound in pain. She made a noise somewhere between a groan and a sniffle.

Taylor frowned, rubbing her girlfriend's back, "What's wrong, Ry?"

Ryland hesitated in responding, but she figured it was now or never. It was time to get this off her chest.

"I-I just don't want you to be upset or mad."

"Did you kiss Landon?"

Ryland broke out from Taylor's hold. A look of evident disgust on her face, "Hell no!"

"I didn't think so. He's sort of been telling everyone at school that. Which is odd because you don't even go there anymore. Don't worry I'll handle it." Taylor said with her signature easygoing smile.

Ryland let her sigh take her back into Taylor embrace.

"I'm scared that you'll be mad when I tell you that I'm still not ready to mate or even have sex for that matter. I don't know if I'll ever be. To be completely honest the concept of sex doesn't really appeal to me. At all. Maybe if we can mate without it that would be ideal."

Taylor placed a soft kiss on Ryland's head, "That's okay, babe. It's my job to keep you happy and if sex does not make you happy then consider it crossed off the list. And when you're ready I'll look into non-sex ways to mate."

Ryland looked at Taylor with tears in her eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too."

~•~

"The more you come over here the more obsessed with you he gets. The other parents are going to think you're playing favorites." Mal said as she watched her son move hurriedly around his playroom. She wasn't sure what he was attempting to accomplish but she knew better than to ask and to just wait until he was done.

"I am playing favorites." Abigail said simply. She didn't bother to elaborate, but the small smile on Mallory's face indicated that she understood.

"Then why haven't you asked me out yet?"

Abigail sputtered for a good thirty seconds before frowning deeply. Why hadn't she asked Mallory out yet? It was honestly a very good question.

She supposed she had been so caught up with her family and Maya and work end everything pointedly not Mal that it  conveniently never crossed her mind. Besides, she was also under the impression that Mallory definitely didn't like her like that and just wanted to be her friend.

And yes, now that she's thinking about it literally none of that makes sense. At all. But, who is she if not a gay mess.

"Mallory Pugh, will you go out on a date with me? Without the ankle biter."

Mal smiled brightly and gave Abigail a quick kiss on the cheek, "Of course I'll go on a date with you."

"Cool."

"And don't call my kid an ankle biter."

"Why not? We were playing dinosaurs the other day and he quite literally bit my ankle."

"You should have communicated the rules of dinosaurs better to him."

"This is my fault!?"

~•~

"You've got that look."

"What look?"

"That mom look. That look you do when you're momming."

Kayla looked at her wife with a roll of her eyes, "I'm always 'momming'."

Kelley huffed, her wife was not getting it, "I know. This is different. You get this look when you're going to go into mama bear mode. Like when something bad is about to happen."

Kayla nodded and thought for a second. She supposed her eyebrows were furrowed a bit more than normal. And it was safe to say that she did feel like a shoe was about to drop. Like something was about to happen with one of her kids and she was going to have to do some major mothering or damage control. Often, with her kids those were one and the same.

"I don't know why, but I've just got that feeling, you know? Like one of your kids is about to walk through that door and tell me something I don't want to hear.

"Why are they always my kids when they do something you don't like?"

"Oh trust me. You won't like this either. But to answer your question, they normally take after you. "

The last time Kayla had felt like this, they were sitting by Abby's hospital bed after her collision during that game. The surgeon was about thirty seconds away from telling them that Abby probably would never be able to play again.

Kayla eyed the calendar hanging ominously on the kitchen wall. May was always a busy month for them. Three weeks ago had been Peyton's 18th birthday. Then the following week was her graduation. The day after that had been the anniversary of Abby's incident. A day they don't necessarily celebrate but always acknowledged.

"I think we're going to have to put another date on the calendar for May." Kayla said. Her eyebrows someone even more furrowed than before. One of the perks being mated meant being constantly in tune with your mates emotions. Ever since Kelley had finally gotten over her well to-do hang ups, it seemed as though they were even more in sync. Kelley could practically feel the apprehension wafting off of her wife.

She stood up and wrapped her arms around her waist. Kissing her comfortingly on the neck, "Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll get through it. We always do."

Kayla relaxed for the first time that day into her wife's arms, "You're right. I'm just being dramatic."

Kelley kissed her cheek, "You wanna go be dramatic in bed?"

Before Kayla could answer the front door opened. Peyton and Maya walking through it a second later. Kayla eyed the grip Peyton had on Maya's hand. Kelley eyed the look of fear in Maya's eyes.

And they both knew exactly what was about to happen.

"Mommy, mama. I'm pregnant."

Kayla had been right on the money.

Kelley pulled away from her wife with a harsh stretch.

"Maya." Kelley spoke lowly.

"Yes ma'am?" Maya squeaked.

"Run."

Unlike with Abigail, Maya knew to heed that warning. Without hesitation she took off the down the street. Kelley hot on her heels.

And yes, Kayla had been right. But Kelley had been right too. All those months ago. When she was so apphrensive about her daughter and a certain alpha. She had been focusing on the wrong daughter and alpha. But nevertheless, she had been right. And as she's chasing Maya down this residential street, all she can think is "I was right!"

~•~

A.N. that's the end. I hope no one is upset with this ending. I know it may not seem like it but this book is somewhat rooted in reality and things these sometimes happen. let me know if you want that third anthology book i was talking about. Also, please check out my new Hope abo book! If you liked this you'll like that one too! It's called the 1.