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My jaw clenches. “You’re not coming back here,” I promise her. “Let’s get going.”

I open the door and nod my head, gesturing for her to follow me.

She stops, “You sure you don’t want to leave through the window?”

“We’re fine,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. “My friend’s keeping everyone occupied outside.”

As we make our way down the hall, I hear my mom’s cackle followed by her shrill voice.

“She’ll never really be with you. She’s seen what that fated mate bullshit does to someone. She’ll be bitter and miserable just like me.”

My back stiffens as my steps slow.

I don’t know how I feel about my mom telling Jax about my very real fears about fated mates considering how my mom ended up, but I also know I fucking hate she thinks I’m gonna end up something like her.

I won’t. I refuse. I won’t be anything like her.

I feel Summer’s hand wrap around my free one, giving it a supportive squeeze. God, she’s too good for this world. I have to get her out of here.

I squeeze Summer’s hand back and continue down the hall.

That’s when I hear Jax’s laugh. There’s something kind of healing about your super hot and talented fated mate laughing in your stupid mom’s face.

Then I hear what he has to say and I freeze again.

“Nah, she’s worlds stronger than you. Probably got more balls in her pinky finger than you do in your entire body. She’s nothing like you and never will be.”

Wow. Okay, if I thought it was nice to hear him laugh in her fucking face, hearing him stand up for me makes something click back into place in my heart. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone defend me like that, ever.

I want to curl up in myself and cry. Mourn some semblance of the childhood I lost or something like that, but I really don’t have time.

“No clue who your friend is, but I like what he has to say,” Summer says.

“Yeah, he’s pretty great,” I laugh. “Let’s go.”

We take Summer’s stuff and head toward the front of the trailer.

I meet Jax’s eyes and he flashes me his usual bright smile. I give him my own smile, though I’m pretty sure it’s wobbly at the sides because, against my better judgment, I want to run and throw my arms around him. I want his arms around me, but I don’t know just yet whether I want him to be kissing me or comforting me while I cry.

Who knew protectiveness could make me react like this?

“Hey,” He says softly. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

The looks we give each other don’t seem to escape my mother because she steps in front of me and starts waving her finger in my face.

“You whore,” She spits. “You’ll never fucking amount to anything in life, you hear me? No matter what alpha you have on your arm! You. Are. Nothing.”

I roll my eyes, pulling Summer toward Jax’s direction and shifting my body so she’s out of the way.

“That’s an awful lot of projection,” I say.

I read somewhere every accusation is a confession and it stuck with me. Now I finally get to say it to her fucking face.

I’ve spent so many years hiding in fear of when she’d get drunk or high and kick the shit out of me for existing.

Then I spent so many years keeping my head down and just trying to survive.