Page 71 of Forever Mine

“Come again?”

“Apparently both Kyle and Liam came by to check on Oscar yesterday. The boys have a bit of idol worship to begin with when it comes to their Alpha, but Liam was apparently the big hit with some Hulk shifting move he did for them. It's all they've talked about.”

My heart squeezed with happiness. Liam had done that for Oscar? “Well, I'm glad to hear he's fitting in and having fun.”

“You can pick him up anytime, they're playing now and no bother at all.”

“Thanks, but we have a few things to do this afternoon. I'm on my way over now.”

“Okay, see you soon, Maddie.”

We hung up and I drove around for a bit, alone with my thoughts, before pulling up at Jessica Moore's house. I could hear the boys before she opened the door.

“Hi, Maddie, come on in,” she said, giving me a friendly hug that surprised me. “This is Tina, Sally, and Vickie. They all have boys Oscar's age too that stayed over last night.”

“Hi,” I said, surprised to find no judgment in any of them. They were all curious about me and Liam and wanted to know how we had met and what was going on. I gave them a sunny version of knowing him my whole life and running into him in San Francisco only to discover he was my one true mate. They sighed, smiled, and congratulated me.

“Hey, Mommy,” Oscar yelled across the room finally noticing I was there.

“Hi, bud, did you have fun?”

“Yes, but I can't talk know, Bobby and I are about to win this round.”

The other women laughed.

“You'd think they'd been friends forever. He just fit right in,” Tina assured me.

“We try to get the boys together at least twice a week while they're still on summer break. Could I have your number to include Oscar?” Vickie asked.

“That would be great,” I said, genuinely meaning it.

“Where are you and Oscar staying?” Sally asked.

“At the Westins’,” I told them.

“The Alpha house?” Sally clarified.

“Yes, for now, though I don't get why everyone still calls it the Alpha house since the Alpha doesn't live there.”

They all laughed. “I think it will just always be the Alpha house,” Jessica said.

“That's really cool how quickly they took you both in,” Vickie said.

“Why wouldn't they?” I asked. “I've known them practically my entire life. Lily and I were best friends growing up.”

“You were? But you're not from around here. We'd know,” Vickie said.

I looked at them, confused. Was it possible they didn't know who I was? I had expected rumors to fly around faster than that.

“You really don't know? I'm Madelyn Collier. My father is Alpha of the Collier Pack. I spent every summer with Lily and Liam growing up, and visited Westin often.”

Tina gasped, and I saw recognition on all their faces.

“Madelyn Collier? You're serious?”

I nodded.

“But, I remember when you went missing. How can that be? I had heard you were dead,” Sally added.

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