Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 456

Chapter 456
Lanie

My mother enfolded me in her embrace, and all I could do was cling to her as I shook with sobs. I breathed in her familiar scent. Her warmth. She rocked me as we hugged, and her hand stroked down my back, over and over again, exactly the way it used to when I was a little girl who’d woken up from a nightmare.

“Oh, my Lanie. Let me get a good look at you.” She pushed me away only for a second before hugging me hard again. “No, not yet, I can’t let you go. Oh, I just can’t let you go.”

I closed my eyes and let my mother hold me. It had been so long since we’d been together. I’d forced myself to barely think about her, my sister, and my dads, much like I’d stopped myself from thinking too much about my best friend. It had been easier for my mind to focus on the dangers we were navigating. But, oh, now that my mother was here and hugging me, every second of the time we’d spent apart slammed into me like a hammer pounding a nail.

“Mama?”

At the sound of Stella’s hesitant voice, I turned. I had to wipe away the tears blurring my vision, but I used one hand to do that while I held out the other to gather my daughter close. My mother drew in a sharp breath.

“Is this…?” she asked, sounding awed.

I knew that there’d been some advance word, rumors, about Stella, but since I hadn’t been expecting my mom to be here at the mansion, I couldn’t assume anything about what she may or may not have heard.

“Mama. This is my daughter. Stella. This is your grandma, Julia Stanton,” I said to Stella.

“But she’s…” My mom fanned her face, her eyes wide.

Stella might be adult-sized, and she might be special with all the talents of ever supernatural that had ever existed, but I could never forget that she was also my child. I pulled her in next to me, offering my support and warmth. I could feel her muscles trembling the tiniest bit with her nervousness.

“Beautiful,” my mother finished and opened her arms for a hug. “Stella. Come here and give me a hug.”