Grown (Book 2 of the Athens Wolves Series)

2

I had my baby girl on June 23rd. I named her Heidi Giselle Russell. I had a complication while giving birth and was out for three days straight.

I hallucinating when I did wake up. I saw good and bad things, like Axel coming for her and taking her away. And the good hallucination was a recurring one. Jack was there, he was holding her and bringing her close so I could see her but when I woke up for real I knew it was all a dream because no one else saw him.

I didn't mind... I knew what he was doing, and even if he says it's for me, I know it is more for himself. He wants to kill the bastard who did this to me. He would never accept Heidi, he made that clear the night he left the first time.

When I actually saw him again it was on my 18th birthday, and like he had told me before, he was my mate. He had stalked over to me and I prepared myself for the rejection, but he grabbed me, pulled me into the house and turned on me quickly and slammed his lips onto mine.

Heidi had just been put to bed so while he accepted me as his mate, I didn't have to worry about her. We marked each other and he took away the pain and memories from the years before in just one night. The next morning I had woken up to him running his fingers up and down my bare back and him giving me a smile. We talked for about 20 minutes when I realized Heidi might wake up soon. I told him I was going to get her ready and left with just my robe on to get her.

But when I got back to my room, he was gone, no trace of him. I sucked it up before I broke down in front of my baby girl and pushed it to the back of my mind for the entire day. Once Heidi was asleep for her nap around 2 in the afternoon I called Reese and she came over and Ian tagged along and woke Heidi up to play with her outside. Ian was a great uncle.

I talked about everything with Reese, she told me what he had told Ian and how he could only be here for a day before having to return. But the hatred for him leaving before he got the chance to meet Heidi. She didn't know what to tell me for that part, she just told me to relax and just act like nothing happened for now because he wasn't due back any time soon.

So that is what I did. I was looked at a little differently for about a week because I had been marked, by someone most of the pack members didn't even see. But I went through my regular schedule and tried to forget about Jack as best as I could, but on some days I could feel him checking in and when he tried to say something I shut down the bond to show him I was not in the mood.

I didn't see him for another year, not until he was titled Beta while my brother became Alpha and married Reese.

I had Heidi on my lap during the ceremony, I thought she would be a sort of shield from Jack since he never wants to meet her in the first place. I kept her close all day and when it was time for bed, I let her say goodbye to Ian and Reese while I stayed close by. Once Ian promised to see her tomorrow she told him that he better and then looked to me and held her arms out.

"We'll see you tomorrow." I smiled taking her with me up the stairs to her room that was mostly packed up. "You ready for your bath Heidi?" I asked setting her down in the middle of her room while going to get her some clothes.

"Yes mommy." She started running around, grabbing some of her bath toys and then running right out the room. I smiled getting some socks before hearing her cry out.

"Heidi, you didn't go near the stai-" I stopped seeing Jack there with Heidi on her butt. He was bent over trying to get her to stop crying and I sighed going over and rubbing a hand over her hair. "C'mon, lets go play in the water." I whispered in her ear before smooching the side of her face.

Once we were in the bathroom I started the water before turning and wiping her face. I calmed her down and she sniffled before getting herself undressed. I pulled my dress up some so I could put my feet in with her and she calmed down a lot more when she started playing with her toys.

"Want to tell mommy what happened out there?" I asked lightly rubbing a soapy rag up and down her back.

"I ran into his legs and fell really hard on my butt." She said before slapping the toys down in the water and getting me wet.

"Did he say anything, like he was sorry?" I asked and she nodded.

"He panicked and I thought I was going to get in trouble for running into him... I never seen him before. He asked me not to cry but I already started." She said and I nodded at her and smiled.

She was washed up and since we already packed up she was sleeping with me for the next couple nights. I carried her to my room laughing while she giggled as I swung her around a bit. We got to my room and Jack was sitting there and stood at our arrival.

"What is he doing in here mommy?"

"I don't know baby, but get in bed, okay, mommy will get your puppy dog and favorite book." I gave Jack a look before turning around after setting her on the bed. I walked towards her room which used to be Reese room and Jack followed quietly. "What do you want Jack?"

"I know you are mad, or pissed, or whatever, but hear me out." He pleaded and I laughed.

"I am going to bed, I don't have time to talk to you." I told him before moving around him so I didn't touch him.

"When can we talk then?"

"Don't know... I am a busy mother." I shrugged and kept walking until I reached my room and shouted Heidi's name. "What have I told you about jumping on the bed!" I shouted after hearing running footsteps and I knew I must have spooked Jack.

"I just-"

"Mhm, lay down, here. Get comfy." She did as I said scrunching down into the covers with her fairy pillow behind her.

"Did you get Daisy too?" She asked when I tucked puppy dog under her arm and I sighed.

"Daisy is already packed." I told her and she sighed sadly before turning a bit as I opened her favorite book. Her little eyes closed slowly while I read it and as soon as she was out completely I stood, cracked my neck and walked towards my closet to change out of this dress.

I put on some sweats and a simple tank top and then went about my routine of getting some water for Heidi when she wakes up thirsty in the middle of the night. Also getting a bowl of chips to snack on and watch some TV while I get tired too.

I walked into the kitchen, looked around for appealing chips and then got the small cup. I walked up the stairs and went into my room ignoring how Ian's room door was open now. Curiosity killed the pup but I wanted to know who went in there.

I peeked in seeing Jack doing crunches, his muscles were way more defined now, the sweat showed how much and how hard he had been going at this. I jumped out of sight when he turned and I heard him breathing heavier so I peeked again to see him doing pushups with a perfect form.

I broke out of the trance and turned to walk back towards my room. I set her cup on her side of the bed, crawled into it myself, leaving my door open because if not I would be woken up at dawn like my dad who always takes her on a walk around the perimeter. I thought it was cute. My dad liked to carry her while he ran when she was a baby. It was his way of bonding with her.

When he first started doing that I always thought back to his first words when he found out I was pregnant. But then I remembered how much his mind had changed about it over the course of my pregnancy. He cried and begged for forgiveness when we found out it was a girl. He told me how it was his second chance at protecting us all over again.

My mom had come around way before he did, it was like three days after the news. I had been ignoring them like when I first came home, she couldn't take it, and she kept talking to me about how it was when she was carrying Ian, and then me... how she couldn't wait until I was huge.

And did I get huge. I looked over at Heidi, she was almost 10 pounds. I remember every painful second of labor, not much afterwards when I had the cesarean section.

I sunk down into the bed and covered myself after about an hour and a half of tv and chips. I pulled Heidi close and kissed the back of her head before sighing and calming myself. I was almost asleep when I heard footsteps in the hall that came into my room. By the smell I could tell it was Jack and I stayed as relaxed as I could as he got closer.

He bent over, pecked my cheek before Heidi's and then sighed and I waited as he still stayed close before he turned and left. I heard his feet all the way down the stairs. I sat up and looked to where he had stood seeing a box on my desk.

I would look through it when Heidi was gone in the morning. I pulled her closer and sighed deeply wondering what was to come in the morning, let alone the entire day.

I fell asleep rather quickly and didn't wake up until Heidi was jumping on me telling me all about how much fun she had with Grandpa and the man from last night. I sat up, rubbed my eyes and growled lightly when I realized someone gave her sugar.

"C'mon, you need some warm milk." I sighed standing and taking her with me as she talked on and on about her time with Jack and my dad. "Here, take this and go see if nana needs any help." I told her handing it to her carefully once it came out of the microwave. My dad started after her but I grabbed his arm to stop him. "Who gave her sugar?"

"It was just the donuts... you know my favorite... she and I bond over them, today I didn't get to eat as much as she did." He shrugged and smiled widely.

"Dad... I thought we talked about this... no sugar before 9 am. That way I get to sleep in just a little bit." I smiled slightly when he pouted out his lip. "You are an adult dad, if I had to follow your rules you have to follow mine." I told him pointedly and he sighed before nodding.

"I am not saying this to get him in trouble but Jack didn't eat his donuts, he slipped them to her." He told me and kissed my forehead and turned to leave the same way he was going to before.

I turned, grabbed some toast and ate leaning on the counter hearing Heidi laugh and talk in the other room. I was just about finished when Jack walked through the back door, sweaty all over again. "Morning." He hefted out going towards the fridge to get a water bottle chugging half of it.

"You gave my baby girl sugar in the form of chocolate donuts huh?" I asked and he gulped before taking a breath and nodding putting his head down in shame. "She has a limit." I told him and then grabbed my last piece of toast and walked towards the way of the stairs to go get dressed for the day.

"Wait... wait." I stopped on the first stair as he rounded the corner and came beside me. "Ian told me earlier he was going to stop by and stay with Heidi for an hour, I thought I would take that time as an advantage and talk with you, about everything."

"Jack, I already had plans, in fact... even if I didn't I would think we would need more than an hour for you to apologize over and over." I told him walking up the stairs making him follow me.

"What are your plans?" He asked following me into my room and I sighed.

"I have a lunch date." I stated hearing him growl. I couldn't help but smirk as I closed my door in his frozen face.

I got dressed in a summertime dress, it went down to my knees, it was a nice orange color with a white halter top and went to get my small orange wedges. I put my hair in a simple ponytail and walked towards my door opening it and just rolling my eyes at the predictableness. Jack was still standing there with his arms crossed and his face stone.

"Who are you seeing?" His throat was tight and his entire body tensed when he bit out the words.

"Twyla and Reese." I shrugged and moved towards Heidi's room to get her outfit for today. She always wore a little sweat suit when she went out with my dad. I got some shorts and shoes and an orange shirt before walking back out. "Will you stop looking at me like that." I ground out when he was now standing outside her door in the same stance as he had been before.

"Why would you say a date then?" He asked following me down the stairs closely, his tone was berating and I just kept walking.

"Because that is what we call it, not like you would know." I spat turning on him briefly before walking into the same room as Heidi. I picked up a smile and walked towards her as she bounced and rolled around around.

"Momma, I like him, he gave me his donuts." Heidi said automatically pointing towards Jack who cleared his throat and then smiled and waved at her.

"Yeah well, how many donuts did you have?"

"Only 5, that's my limit mommy." She lied pretty well, but when I gave her a look she gave me a huge smile and I heard my dad laugh.

"There's that look I always tell you about... you had that same look." He laughed out and I heard a smack when Heidi seemed to get enjoyment out of what he was saying.

"Thank you mom." I told her not even seeing her until I started stripping Heidi of her clothes.

"Whoa, shouldn't you take her into a room?" I heard Jack protest when I slipped her jogger pants down.

"She has the same anatomy as any boy at this age Jack, calm down." I heard my mom tell him as I got her redressed.

"Plus, she isn't shy." My dad said and I heard another smack. "She isn't." He said again and I smiled as Heidi knowingly sat down when I got to her shoes. "Now that you are around Jack you can show her how to ride a bike or kick a guys as-" He got cut off by another smack before the curse word could leave his mouth. "Butt." My dad said after clearing his throat once again.

"Where is my Gizzy!" I had been so angry when Ian first called her that, but I think Jack's reaction was a cherry on top. He must have had some water bottle with him because when Ian's words rang through the house a spray not only hit my neck but Heidi's face as she hopped up in excitement.

"Ewww!" Heidi's whiny voice covered mine as she started jogging in place and shaking her hands.

"I am so sorry." Jack said when we both turned to glare at him.

"What happened? What's with the ew?" Ian asked walking in seeing both of us glaring at Jack.

"Your friend, beta, whatever, just sprayed water all over us..."

"It was in his mouth Uncle!" Heidi shouted before running towards his legs and wiping her face, hands, and arms all over his pants.

Ian laughed lightly until she looked up at him with a menacing glare. "Hey dad, I see it now." I told him and he nodded at me seeing what I saw in my little girl. She was all mine.

"Are you ready for our date Giz?" Ian asked picking her up easily and keeping her close.

"As long as he doesn't come, I think he's weird." She said pointing at Jack. Heidi whispered something in Ian's ear and he laughed at his friend as Reese walked in.

"You ready?" She asked, and I noticed how she was basically trying really hard not to look over at Jack so she could ask me with her eyes what has happened so far.

"Can't we all go out together, I don't want to be separated just yet." Ian whined and I laughed walking over towards him and Heidi. I whispered for her to cry about her uncle not wanting to go on a date with her and stepped away watching it all unfold.

She played it well... like I did when I was a little girl.