Found and Claimed

Chapter 34

It felt amazing to finally be home.

Things were finally beginning to fall into place.

There was one thing that I had been avoiding for a while now. That would be explaining things to Rico. It's not that I don't want to persay, it's just that I don't want him to think of me any differently. Yes, I know that I selfish of me, but he is amazing. Now that I have him, I do not want to ever let him go or lose him.

My fear of losing him is what is keeping me from telling him. I know that he knows vital information is missing. He has not said anything about it, but I know Rico is curious.

He is going to have to be curious for just a little longer. As soon as I get the official okay from my parents, I will tell Rico everything he wants to know.

Speaking of my parents, it has been nine days since we returned home. My father and Leya were immediately taken to the pack hospital.
Leya was released five days later on observation. My father, on the other hand, is still being treated. Years of torment are not going to go away in a couple of weeks. He is on the long road to recovery. Judging by the physical response my mother had when my father was brought into her hospital room, my father is also helping my mom start her road to recovery as well.

It will be interesting to see whose road is longer. Knowing the two of them, they will turn it into a competition. I remember the way they would act around one another when I was younger. They always doted on the other.

They were give each other massages after a long day or cook the other's favorite meal just to make them smile. The pair always did really quirky things to bring a bit of laughter to the table. I remember my father used to steal my mother's left shoe. He would then try seeing if it fit my foot or Zakkur's or sometimes even one of the dog's paws before finally sliding it onto my mom's foot. He would then smile a thousand watt smile, pick my mom up, spin her around, and declare that she was the one: the queen he had been searching for.

Looking back on it now, that may have been more for Zakkur and me's amusement.

"What are you smiling about, love?" my handsome mate asked. His arms encircled me as his head nestled in the crook of my neck.

"Just thinking about my parents and the old days."

Rico let out a deep laugh that made goosebumps appear on my skin. "You make it sound as if it was forever ago."

"It seems like another lifetime now," I confessed.

My mate hummed in response. "Well, maybe that's because you were a different person then than you are now. I did not know you back then, but based on the amazing person you are now, I can say that it was a good change. Now stop fretting. We have to go."

Just as I was able to get off of the breakfast barstool, Rico put one of his arms behind my knees and the other behind my back. He carried me bridal style all the way to Bridget's house. We were all supposed to go out to the fairgrounds today.

We had rented the entire thing out for the day. Werewolves only unless you had a mate of a different species. Since we never had a mating party like we had once planned, we decided that this could serve as a fun day, mating party, and meet-n-greet for the neighboring packs.

The mated wolves were all to stay home and guard the pack territories. We had allowed them to be part of today's event until one thirty this afternoon. By two fifteen they were all to be back on their pack lands. When two forty-five rolled around, the designated people were to be on patrol.

I felt that my parents were secure at the hospital, considering the fact that Knox and some of his best Warriors we're currently guarding my parents. Although my thoughts had wondered earlier, I was determined to make today a great day.