Page 79 of Haze

“Oh, he’s sorry. I’ll make you sorry. Ya better have a good reason for all this nonsense.” I can practically see Ma shaking her wooden spoon at me in the kitchen.

“What’s for dinner?” I force out. It’s been my way of telling her I’m hurting as long as I can remember.

“Oh, Griffin, good God, what’s wrong?” She softens almost instantly.

“Remember when I said there was nothing submissive ’bout her?” I admit my fault to the one woman who will know exactly what I’m going through.

Silence descends on her end of the phone for a moment before she answers. “Fooled you, must be a bloody fierce lass. I had your father fooled too. I like her already.”

I deflate in my chair. “I didn’t even notice.”

She answers, “Sure look, if she’s strong like you say, then what’s the issue? She was hiding it from you, and she’s good. Get on with it. It’s a shame you’re out, would’ve been nice havin’ another submissive for balance.”

“I did all the wrong things. I had the best intentions, but Lord knows the way to hell is paved with them. I didn’t treat her how I should’ve.” It feels terrible telling Ma that I did the exact opposite of how she raised me.

“Bah,” Ma answers. “Griffin, she’ll forgive you. I’ve no doubts in that.”

“It gets worse.” I groan, closing the lid on my tacos.

There’s no room left for anything else with my grief taking up so much space in my body.

“Worse how, Finn?” Ma’s suspicious, and her wheels are obviously turning.

“My mate is Kathleen Alden of the Ardelean Bloodline. We’ve marked each other.” I lay it out. No sound comes from the other end of the line. “Ma?”

“Griffin.” Her voice comes out wary and warning.

“You can’t run that to Magnus, Ma.” I remind her of the precarious position we’re in.

Me walking away from Ireland should mean that I leave everything back in Ireland. She shouldn’t be talking to me, at all.

“You mind your mouth, boy. I’ve been the head of this family long enough to know my own damn rules,” Ma answers with a scolding tone that has me wincing from this end. She huffs. “So, what now? I’m guessing she was in heat, and that’s the only excuse you have for not calling me sooner.”

“Yes, Ma,” I answer her.

“Is that why you’ve called then?” Ma’s voice has left scolding and faded to motherly. “You’ve marked her, and now she’s worried you’re regretting her.”

“Somethin’ like that. There were some complications. She’s doing well physically, but I’ve seemed to find a new way to be public enemy number one around here.” I try to explain in not so many words. I don’t know when the lab will be back.

“Ahh. Not safe to talk then,” Ma acknowledges. “Well, it’s like I’ve always told you, you’ve good instincts. Follow them and call me later.”

I’m being dismissed. Her need to push us to be independent is clearly winning out here.

“Oh, and Finn,” she calls before hanging up on me. “Don’t let yourself forget, God gave you what you can handle. I love ya. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Love you too, Ma,” I answer.

Setting the phone back down on the desk, I close my eyes for a moment.

“What does that mean?” Brayden’s voice pipes up as he pushes my halfway-closed door open entirely.

I hadn’t even heard his ridiculous floppy feet in the hall.

“It means that you don’t know how to knock.” I open my eyes and gesture to the door. “Or do the States not teach that?”

“I meant, if Lena’s different isn’t it something that should be noted in the file for the lab tests?” Brayden’s already talking about things he doesn’t understand.

Made evident by his lack of understanding of privacy. He was supposed to stay out of her case file, but apparently, the weasel found a way in.

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