Page 30 of Forever Mine

“Do you have a picture of your son?” Lily asked.

“Yeah, it’s . . . dead,” she said with a frown, looking at her cell phone. “I guess I used up the last of it calling Annie.”

I took the phone from her, bracing for the tingle I always got touching her, and plugged it into my charger on the desk in the room. Then I took out my phone and scrolled through my pics to find one of Oscar grinning happily as we landed on Alcatraz. I wondered how it could possibly still be the same day.

“So, he’s with his grandparents?” Lily asked. “I know you don’t mean your parents, ?cause I just talked to Shelby last week and they were planning the annual vigil they hold for you each year. They don’t know you’re still alive, but they still hold on to the hope you are.” A sad look passed between them, but I was thankful Lily didn’t press her about telling them. I could already feel the panic starting to rise in Maddie. “So”—she changed the subject—“it’s not your parents, so are these his father’s parents? Are you still with him?”

My twin had no filter. Mostly what she thought spewed out her mouth. It was something I equally loved and hated about her. My jaw set as that uncomfortable protectiveness flared in me. I shook my head no behind my mate so only my sister could see. Her eyes shone with both amusement and curiosity.

“No, we aren’t together,” Maddie said with disdain in her voice.

I could see Lily about to burst with more questions so I thrust my phone at her. “This is Oscar, Maddie’s son.” I told her.

Lily’s eyes were huge. “Oh my gosh. How old is he?”

“Sorry, I don’t know if you remember or not,” I told Maddie, “but Lily has no filter. If she thinks it, she says it. Actually, I think half the time she says it before she thinks it.”

“It’s okay,” Maddie reassured me. “I haven’t forgotten. I’ve always admired her for being able to speak her mind like that.”

“Hello? I’m right here,” Lily said obnoxiously.

Maddie laughed, looking more relaxed than I suspected. “Oscar is seven, Lily. No, I didn’t run away because I was pregnant and no, I’m not going to talk about it or try to explain it. I had my reasons and that’s going to have to be enough.”

“Okay,” Lily said. I think my jaw may have dropped open in shock. Lily never caved when she thought she was on to a story, and she had to know this was a big one.

“Thank you,” Maddie said in relief.

“Not getting off the hook that quickly, girlie.”

Maddie

Chapter 12

Somehow finding Liam hadn’t been nearly as shocking as seeing Lily. He had tried to give me an out. He introduced me as his friend Jane, but hearing how Lily still missed me, ME, so much that she even remembered the exact day I had disappeared, I had to tell her it was really me. That day Maddie Collier had died, or so I thought. Being around them made me question everything. I felt like me around them. Not Jane Winthrop, the beaten and broken skeleton of a human, but me, Madelyn Collier.

“Okay,” Lily started again, and I knew the questions were coming. “First, Oscar’s really a cute kid. He looks really happy in that picture. I gather since it was one my brother’s phone that he’s met him?”

“I’m standing right here,” Liam reminded her.

“Shush, and go away then. We’re having girl talk. When was that picture taken?”

I smiled, fondly remembering the first part of our day, when everything felt just right. “Earlier today. All he wanted to do on this trip was visit Alcatraz, but when we arrived the tour to take us to the island was booked solid. Liam was able to get us a private tour through a friend.”

“Steph and Mark?” Lily asked, and Liam and I answered yes at the same time. “Haven’t seen them in ages. How are they?”

Liam looked a little sad. “They’re doing well enough, but it’s always going to be hard on them. They seemed happy today, though.”

My eyes misted over and I wiped them quickly.

Lily didn’t mention the repopulation project and what they were going through, but I could tell she knew all about it and exactly what her brother was talking about.

“So, on to next question then. If you’re on vacation then you don’t live here, I take it?”

“No, I don’t. Annie and Jacob took me in a long time ago. They’re the only family Oscar’s ever known. They’ve been good us. You don’t have to worry about me, Lily.”

“Your reaction to seeing me after more than eight years was an anxiety attack. Yeah, I think I need to worry. But you asked me not to press you for details, so I won’t. So, why don’t you live in a pack? If they’re the only family he’s know, clearly you didn’t take up in a new pack.”

“No, I didn’t. Annie and Jacob are human. We live in the human world.” I decided straightforward, simple answers would be the best. I knew Lily well enough to know it wouldn’t stop her curiosity, but hoped it would appease her enough for now.

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