Chapter 20: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Mother’s silent rage!

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Jeremy shook as he buried his head in his mother’s lap. He wasn’t crying, which his mother seemed to be grateful for, but he might as well have. Immediately after he left the hospital and a mate who hated him, he’d shifted and gone for a long run till noon. Jeremy finally found himself in his mother’s quarters still in his wolf form. He was tired and ached all over but it was nothing compared to the ache within. When he spotted his mother sitting on her patio reading, Jeremy had gone to her, knelt at her feet, and laid his head in her lap. She’d said nothing but stroked his head, sensing the struggle going on inside her son and somehow knowing…as only a mother could…that her son dreaded telling her whatever the problem was.

“It’s okay darling.” Gloria Stanton cooed. “You can tell Mama everything.” She soothed.

And when Jeremy shifted back after a while, his head remained in his mother’s lap. Even when he felt his mother covering him with a cloth, he didn’t move. He remained where he was, trembling so bad Gloria actually began to get scared.

“What is it Jer? You know I’ll love you no matter what.” Gloria leaned down and dropped a kiss against her son’s head. “Don’t be afraid. Tell mum.”

And still cocooned against his mother, Jeremy told her everything, leaving out the part about his mate’s dicks. That was only for him and his mate to know…at least till Ryan felt comfortable enough not to mind others knowing. Gloria didn’t speak for a while after Jeremy had told her everything. Jeremy could sense his mother crying but didn’t move or say anything. This was it. He was ready to be yelled at. He knew his mother was disappointed in him. And that killed him even more.

“You lost control.” Gloria finally said shakily. “It’s natural to lose control once in a while.”

“I usually don’t Mama.”

“Shhh… No need to cry over spilt milk.” The last thing Gloria wanted to do was berate her son. It was obvious he’d beaten himself over his terrible actions enough. Besides, she knew Joel would definitely not let him off easy. “The harm has already been done. What we have to do is to smoother him with so much love he wouldn’t know what hit him.”

“I don’t think he wants me around him,” Jeremy said quietly.

“You wouldn’t too if you were him,” Gloria said, wiping her face. “Give him some time. Let him miss you. And miss you, he will. He doesn’t have a choice. That’s when you come back in full force…give it everything you’ve got. For now, leave him to me.” Gloria said softly, stroking Jeremy’s back soothingly. “Everything will work out just fine, you’ll see.”

“You have more confidence than I do.” Jeremy groaned.

“I have to at this point. For both of us. When your son fucks up, you don’t have any choice but to ensure he gets things done right. In this particular case, I need to be courageous and confident.”

“Oh Mum, I’m so sorry.” Jeremy moaned, coiling his arms around his mother’s waist and hugging her tightly.

“I know son. Now go to the room, get dressed, and go home. I want you to get some rest and go about your duties. Wait till Ryan asks to see you before you show up. Is that clear?”

Jeremy raised his head and gave a deep sigh. His mother was like a military commander sometimes. But then, she was one of the best warriors the pack had ever had. Though retired, she always told her son, ‘once a warrior, always a warrior’.

“Yes, Mum.”

“Good. I baked some muffins this morning. Hopefully, Ryan has a sweet tooth. It’s about time I met my son-in-law.” Gloria got to her feet.

“You baked muf…”

“You’re not worthy of even the crumbs that would fall from that baking dish, Jeremy Stanton,” Gloria said in a cold voice.

Jeremy winced and nodded slowly. His mother was obviously pissed at him. The only reason she wasn’t handing him his arse was because she didn’t want him to feel any shittier than he already did. When Jeremy heard the smooth sound of his mother’s Mercedes Benz E-Class move in the direction of the hospital, he wasn’t one bit surprised she hadn’t offered to give him a lift. She was damn pissed. When he began the long walk towards his building, he ignored the pull to go directly to the hospital. His mother would kill him if he dared showed his face. He might be one of the most powerful alphas in the world, but when it came to his mother, he was just her little boy. And even as Jeremy walked to his home, he couldn’t help but call himself every nasty name he could think of, for the umpteenth time, wishing he could turn back time.