Page 60 of Coming Home

I shrugged. “I was numb afterwards and threw myself into helping Mom through Maddie’s loss instead.”

“Does Ben know you can’t have children?” Maddie asked.

I nodded and started to really cry. “He does, and we’ve always wanted a family. I fear that’s what is holding him back from claiming me.”

“No way,” Ruby said. “That man loves you unconditionally.”

“He’s an asshole,” Peyton said.

“He’s not, and if that is the case, I won’t blame him for it. I can’t have a baby ever. I can’t give him that picture-perfect life we’ve always dreamed of.” It was a burden I’d carried alone for too long and it felt good to admit it, like a weight had been lifted from my chest.

“I don’t now about you ladies, but I need a drink,” Lily announced.

“Pour me something strong,” I said, making the others laugh.

We talked, laughed, and cried some more throughout the evening. When Ben stopped by to drop Oscar off, we were all pretty wasted, and my sisters attacked.

“Ben, come on in and have a drink,” Lily said. “Have a seat.” She directed him to a chair in the middle of the room as all my sisters circled around him. He looked a little horrified, which only threw me into a fit of giggles.

“How long have you ladies been drinking?” he asked.

“How long since you picked up Oscar?” Maddie countered.

“Shit, no good can come of this,” he murmured.

“It’s okay,” Peyton announced, only mildly slurring her words. “I don’t entirely hate you anymore, unless you haven’t claimed Shelby just because she can’t give you babies.”

I sobered up quickly, feeling Ben’s hurt and anger strongly through our bond. He stared at me and I started crying.

“I think I should take my mate home and I’m calling all of yours to come to do the same. Party’s over.”

“Party pooper,” Ruby yelled at him.

Ben didn’t even give me an opportunity to refuse, he simply swooped in, picked me up, and carried me out of the house.

“Oscar, come on, I’m dropping you off at your grandparents’,” Ben said.

“Mom never gets drunk,” Oscar said. “Wait, where’s my sister? She was here with them.”

“Bran picked up the babies a few hours ago. Relax, they’re safe and sound at Ruby’s,” I assured him.

The car was silent as Ben drove from Peyton’s house to mine.

“Stay put,” he told me as he got out and walked all three boys to the front door. I watched as he spoke to my mom for a few minutes and then Oscar and the twins disappeared into the house while Ben returned to the car.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Wait, no I’m not. I needed to talk about her. I needed to tell my sisters about their niece. It felt good to share her with them.”

“What was that bullshit about me not claiming because we can’t have children, Shelby. Do you honestly believe that?” he asked.

I started to cry again. I was a drunk mess. “I don’t know. You tell me. I told you everything, it’s out in the open. You’ve had multiple opportunities to claim me, and yet you still haven’t. What am I supposed to think?”

Ben pulled up to his house and without a single word he got out and walked around to open my door and pull me out. He insisted on carrying me into the house despite my protests, and deposited me on the couch in the living room.

He started pacing back and forth and I knew he was upset.

“I don’t want to answer you without putting some thought into this for fear I’m going to say all the wrong things out of anger,” he finally told me. “And the thing is, you’re so drunk, you might not even remember this conversation tomorrow.”

“I’m not that drunk,” I protested.

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