Beloved

4

Gaia spent the remainder of the weekend at her home, grateful Dante hadn't forced her to move. She found and went through all the old photos and other memories that had been put in attic storage after her grandmother had passed, and lovingly cleaned every room of the house. She was just putting away the final load of folded laundry when her mother arrived home.

"Hey sweetie," Michelle called as she set down her bag and shrugged out of her jacket. She smiled when she heard her daughter answer her from somewhere upstairs.

"Wow, you really put in some effort cleaning," Michelle said as she looked around the living room and poked her head in the kitchen. "Are you certain there isn't something you need to talk with me about?" She turned around just as Gaia bounded down the stairs and jumped into her arms.

"Hi mom." Gaia sighed contentedly as her mother hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Hi sweet girl. Everything okay?"

"Yeah....yeah. Everything's okay."

"What do you want for dinner?" Michelle pulled out of the embrace and went into the kitchen.

"Can we have ravioli?" She craved the ravioli her grandma used to make, but knew her mother wasn't up for such intense food preparation.

"Sure can," Michelle pulled a bag out of the freezer and put a pot of water on the stove. "Make us a salad and tell me about your week."

Gaia briefed her mother on her days at school and how her friends were doing, but skirted around everything to do with Dante and mating. She loved her mother, and wanted to tell her, but she just couldn't put the words together. He hadn't put an alpha order on her, but she also didn't want Dante angry with her.

When she had told her mother everything she could think of, she asked Michelle how her week had been. Michelle didn't have as much to share as Gaia ever did. She was too busy working and putting herself through school to make any friends or do anything fun for herself. But Gaia enjoyed hearing about the course of study her mother was taking on.

And her mother was graduating this year, and she'd already been applying for positions in her field, hoping to land a job as soon as she graduated.

As Gaia cleaned up dinner, she asked her mom about her father, how they'd met and what their relationship was like.

Michelle was happy to oblige, assuming her daughter was interested because she would soon be of age herself.

__

Monday after school let out Dante was waiting by Lucas and Darla's lockers once more. As soon as he saw Gaia he told her to get her things and go with him.

Gaia exchanged a quick look with her friends, then ran to catch up with Dante.

"Would you mind slowing down a bit?"

Dante turned his head to look at her and saw she was running to keep up with him. "You are a little bitty thing, aren't you. You can rest in the car."

Gaia groaned, but slid into the passenger seat when the door was unlocked.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Home."

Gaia frowned, but didn't say another word until he parked in front of her house.

"Thanks for the ride," she said as she opened her door, pulling her bag onto her shoulder, "wait, why are stopping the car? Why are you opening your door, are you coming in?"

Dante just grinned and climbed out of the car. Gaia again had to run to keep up with him. She entered her house, confused that Dante was following her in, and even more confused to see her mother in the obvious act of packing.