The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)

Transitions

Ben saw Eileen sitting on the porch steps, her head resting on her knees. As the car approached, she stood, eyes filled with concern and searching for him.

Ben felt that look sear through his soul. His Mate was worried about him. 

As soon as the car stopped she was at his door, "Are you okay? Is Kurt okay? Do I need to call a healer? An ambulance?"

"Nah," Widower Vale said from the front seat, turning to look at her, "the idiot'll heal up. In a way, it was lucky he was so drunk. His body didn't suffer the impact as greatly as it would have if he'd been sober. 'Course he probably wouldn't have challenged Alpha if he'd been sober in the first place...Claire, are you okay?"

"He meant me, didn't he?" she whispered.

"Yeah, Ma, he meant you," Ben agreed, watching her movements, her expressions. "You're his home." 

A look of determination flashed across her face, and then she turned to Eileen, "I'm taking him to our room."

Eileen nodded, "I'll stay in my room again. I can crawl up the lattice without waking anybody."

"Not going to ask how you know that," Clair said with a smirk; Eileen blushed. 

"Or she could stay in my bed," Ben suggested hopefully. He needed his Mate to comfort him, even if it was just for a few minutes, so he didn't fall apart. "I still have that air mattress. I can set it up in the hallway or something if you want. Or the kitchen."

His mother suddenly looked much older than middle aged, and Ben regretted pushing.

"Can I at least walk her home?" he asked, longing and vulnerability in his voice, his face. 

To his surprise, his mother's face softened, "You really are in love with her, aren't you, Benji?"

He nodded, but he turned his gaze to Eileen, "I always have been."

Eileen's eyes sparkled with emotion, her face so full of tenderness it made his breath catch.

"And you, Eileen?" his mom demanded. "How do you feel about my son?"

"I love him, Clair," she said, meeting the other woman's eyes.

"He's young," Clair pointed out.

"He's worth waiting for," Eileen said with a shy smile. "And he's already a wonderful man."

"Eileen wants to wait for marriage, Ma," Ben said, wanting his mother to know that she'd been wrong about her.

"I know. She and I talked about it earlier this week. You're welcome to go home, Eileen," Clair said slowly, "or... he does have that air mattress he can use."

Ben's eyes jerked to his mother's face, "What?"

"If she stays, you use the mattress. Let her have the bed. Now, let's get your father out of the car."

Widower Vale chuckled at Ben's astounded look and moved to help as well. Between him and Ben, they were able to get the unconscious man out of the car and up the stairs, leaving Clair to open the doors ahead of them and Eileen to shut them after.

"Do I need to bed down elsewhere tonight, Clairy?" Widower Vale asked, wiping his forehead as they stared down at the passed out figure on her bed.

"Why would you? Eileen's staying in Ben's room, so the couch is still open."

He raised a brow, "And where will you sleep?"

Determination filled her eyes, "With my husband. I didn't fight for him before, but I will now."