Stronger as One (#1, Completed)

70. Family

RAFE

I couldn't help but admire her as she slept peacefully at the Boswell's house. She was so beautiful, like an angel. Her kindness radiated even in her sleep. I wanted to reach out and take her hand in mine but I didn't want to overstep any boundaries. Not yet, at least.

Two warm, comforting arms wrapped around me as I sunk into my chair. I grabbed one hand and brought it to my lips. The closeness to my mate unlocked the uncontrollable desire that I had been bottling in ever since the gala when we marked her but I couldn't really do anything about it until we were alone. For the time being, I had to settle for enjoying her presence. Then again, I was never the patient kind, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her down towards me.

I caught her off guard, the surprised gasp giving her away as she finally relaxed in my lap. She was usually so cocky that stunning her like this made me smirk. I lifted her chin and sunk my lips into hers. Goddess, how did I ever think that I could resist her? That I could deprive myself of her taste?

My hands explored her back as they roamed underneath her top, needy for contact with her skin. Our tongues battled for dominance and I had to contain myself from moaning when she greedily bit my lip to the point that she nearly drew blood.

She pulled back and smiled at me, placing her hand on my cheek.

"Thank you," I murmured as I took her soothing scent in.

She laughed and, goddess, her laughter was magnificent. I sounded like some lovesick puppy but nearly losing your mate really did wonders for making you appreciate what you almost lost.

"What for?"

"For being there for her," I said as I nodded towards my mother, who was resting in bed. Once again, surprise was written all over my mate's face.

She sat up and tucked a long strang of her hair behind her ear, fixing her gaze on my face like she was trying to figure out some cryptic message. "I haven't even told you anything yet, so how can you be thanking me?"

"Because I know what you are like." My fingers caressed the delicate, silky skin on her face, my fingertips tingling with every movement. "You were ready to do everything you could to protect my sister before you even knew there was a bond between us and I am sure that you tried to be there for my mother too."

"It's hard not- your mother has such charisma. I can finally see where the good parts of you come from," she grinned, teasing me, but she was right. My mother was my only ray of sunshine while I grew up as a Macalister. Darkness settled in my life when she was taken away from me and it was only thanks to those close to me, like Nat and Aiden, that it did not consume me.

I looked at my mother as she lay calmly before us. I finally had her back but the fact that she did not seem to remember her family tore me into pieces. It was not like I was the type to believe in happy endings but I held onto the hope that she might regain some of her memories like I was holding on for my dear life.

"Do you think she will ever remember?"

The vulnerability in my voice surprised even me. It was so rare for me to let anyone in on my emotional turmoils, but this was not just anyone I was baring my heart to. In the relatively short time that we had known each other, my mate had already seen most of my dark, tormented side, and none of it had sent her running yet.

Her fingers tousled my hair when she ran her hand through it. She looked me in the eyes and I could see the pain she felt. "I don't know, Rafe. My parents tried to see if they could unlock her memories but they said that her mind had buried them so deep down that warlock magic cannot help in her case. Her amnesia was her brain's way of protecting her from the trauma of losing her wolf and no one can know for sure if she will ever get her memories back."