Page 25 of The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse

“I have time.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but I should call Tom. He needs to know, and he may be able to provide some protection for you and Mom.”

“What’s going on, Toni? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

That was when I realized that, without thinking things through, I had dug myself deeper into this mess than I’d imagined. Up to now, I’d believed myself to be on the fringes of this clusterfuck, but in truth, I was in the thick of it. I’d messed with the wrong werewolf. Blake was savage and vindictive, and he had it in for me.

* * *

FIVE HOURS LATER, THEYhad moved Mom from the recovery area to a regular room. Dani and Lucia led the way in as they allowed us to see her for the first time.

I hung back by the door while they walked ahead of me.

“Mom!” Lucia exclaimed and hugged her awkwardly, making sure not to hurt her.

“Oh, sweetheart, I was so worried about you,” Mom said, smoothing her younger daughter’s hair.

Dani laughed. “Leave it to you to be worried about us while you’re the one in the hospital.” She kissed Mom on the forehead. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”

“The doctor said I’ll be right as rain in a couple of days. She said there won’t even be a scar. I’ll still be able to wear my bikini.”

Dani laughed.

And Lucia made a face. “Ew, now I won’t be able to get that image out of my head.”

Mom looked sallow and exhausted, her eyelids drooping heavily as if she were on the verge of falling asleep. Her hair lay limp against her head. She looked nothing like the polished lady who didn’t go anywhere without makeup and a nice hair-do.

I took a step forward, and Mom finally noticed me.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes immediately filling with tears. “You’re here,” she sobbed.

I took a few tentative steps toward her, then rushed into her arms, pressing my face to hers, letting the relief wash over me and pushing away all the anger I’d harbored in my heart since the day I found out she’d lied to me.

“Oh, honey, I have missed you so much,” she said.

I spoke through the lump in my throat. “If something had happened to you—”

“Shh, I’m all right. I’m right here.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been so angry at you.”

“I deserved it. I should have never lied to you.”

We cried in each other’s arms, both relieved in our own way. When I finally pulled away, I was ready to tell her and my sisters everything. They needed to know what they were up against, so they could keep their eyes open.

“It’s all my fault,” I said.

Mom frowned, confused.

“It wasn’t some random attack, Mom. That wolf that came after you, I know him. His name is Blake Foster.”

“Wait,” Dani said, “isn’t that the same guy they killed a few weeks ago, the one hanging from his neck at one of Ulfen Erickson’s charity functions.”

I nodded. “He isn’t dead, and now, he has a vendetta against me.”

“Nice,” Lucia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“But we’ll take care of him,” Jake said, appearing behind me, carrying a cardboard holder with three coffees.