The King's Return

17. I WAS SELFISH

LOGAN'S POV

"I wanted to surprise you but I got surprised instead. Why didn't you tell me that I'll be having a daughter-in-law soon?"

"Mom, I wanted to tell you in person and I just wanted to get to know her first, you know, keep her to myself."

"I see, well she is a nice girl and I know she is going to bring nothing but happiness in your life. I was always worried when you didn't date but I guess I was just worrying for no reason at all.

"I guess a part of you always knew there was someone out there, someone made specifically for you before you even knew you are a werewolf and that you have a fated mate.

"I just want you to know that relationships are not always easy, in fact, they are not easy but you have to try your best to keep everything well, maybe not perfect but good.

"You will fight with your mate, sometimes every day or every second but you have to know that couples always fight and you have a responsibility to your partner, to always try and fix whatever problem or argument you had.

"There will be ups and downs just like any relationship but you have to make sure no matter what happens that you stay together.

"Forgive each other for every mistake you make and I promise you, the love you have for each other will grow every day." When I opened my mouth to speak she raised her hand to stop me.

"I'm not done. I know you're probably asking yourself why I'm saying all this and honestly, I never thought I'll ever do but the truth is, it needs to be done.

"You're not getting married right away but I know when you mate, you mate for life so this is practically marriage.

"Amira isn't just any other girl and we shouldn't pretend like she is. She's your mate, your future wife, your queen and mother of your children.

"Each day you spend with her is a day less to all that future. You mustn't give her reasons to doubt you or question herself why she even chose to stay with you in the first place.

"Respect her and she will do the same, treat her like trash and she will do the same too. Handle her with care, but make no mistake, don't treat her like she is a piece of glass that can break any moment, trust me, women hate that shit."

I couldn't help but chuckle, my mother always avoid cursing but today it's like she doesn't give a f**k or maybe she didn't even notice she used the word 's**t'.

"I'm serious Logan, I don't want to see you messing up things in the future because I never taught you anything."

"I know mom and I'm grateful. It's just that I think you're a lot like dad. The old man kept laughing at me because I'm inexperienced and now you're telling me you were worried when I wasn't dating. Dad reminds me of that every chance he gets and also laughing at me because I never dated Kiera."

"I also wondered why you never did. I thought you liked her and I was always waiting for you to tell us you were dating." She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"Mom, I've told you guys that I love Kiera but only as a sister, not the way I love Amira and I never did. Sure I enjoyed her company and flirting with her but that's all.

"I never saw her that way and I always knew I never will. What's the point of staying with someone who only loves you as he loves his sister? She deserved more than that."

Shit! I didn't think before saying that.

"Mom-" She cut me off.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to apologise for that. I know you think I feel bad for what happened between your dad and I but I don't.

"Ever since your father shifted, I stopped loving him like I used to. I guess a part of me knew he didn't belong to me, he never did and I was selfish for ever thinking he did.

"I should have never meddled in his relationship with your stepmother from the start. The only thing I was supposed to do was to bring them together, not try to secure your father for myself.

"Your father loved her so much and it always got me so angry. I am here in front of him and he craved someone he knew he couldn't be with.

"She was always cold to him, I was friendly but that didn't change anything. She was always perfect in his eyes and no matter what I did, he never even paid attention to me.

"I stopped trying to be a good girl and used our friendship against her. I stopped defending her whenever your dad complained about her.

"When he told me he was tired of running after her, I was happy and he started noticing me and eventually we started dating.

"I was happy but that happiness was short-lived, your father told me he couldn't stop loving her and we broke up and he went after her again.

"My friendship with her had already turned into ashes and she hated me to the core. I think the part she was mostly angry about was that I was the only person she opened up to.

"I couldn't blame her though because I used everything she told me against her. I was a horrible friend and there is no coating it.

"Even when your father came back, I didn't do anything to bring them back together. I just kept him to myself even though I knew he still loved her and I knew she felt the same.

"I didn't even do anything when Samantha thought she knew her even though I knew the real her. I should've told Samantha everything and helped her build a healthy relationship with her mother."

Now every picture in the puzzle fit perfectly. When Sam's mother got into the accident, Sam stopped coming to our house and even though she never said it, I knew she was angry at my mother.

That must be when she found out the whole truth and never said anything. When she came back from Canada, she never talked to my mother and I thought she was just worried about her mother.

Even before her wedding, I was surprised that she didn't invite mom right away, she has always known. She knew everything and I didn't.

Even though my father told me what happened, I never thought it was this serious. I never knew the whole story and now that I think about it, if I had known half the story I would've thought that Sam was just overreacting.

She had to find out that her mother was not a horrible person after so many years and I wonder how she must've felt when she learned that my mother knew everything and never said anything.

Oh God! I even hated the poor woman for neglecting Sam and her attitude towards my mother or Sam even.

She was hurting and the only way she could cope was to act as a cruel person so nobody could see what she was really going through.

I don't know why I never stopped even for a second to think what was really going through her head, maybe I could've done something to help.

Even Sam could've spent a lot of time with her mother and maybe she would've known what to do to help her when she had cancer the first time.

She would've been there for her and maybe her presence would've made her mother fight to live, if not for anything, just for her.

"I know this is a lot to take in and I wouldn't blame you if you start hating me. What I did was horrible and it is unforgivable.

"I was selfish, I should've said something and I don't think I will ever forgive myself for that. Samantha's mother would still be alive." What is she talking about?

"Mom, I can never hate you and you know that. Whatever you did is in the past and I know Sam has forgiven you.

"You made a mistake, after all, you're only human. We all make mistakes and you can't blame yourself forever.

"My stepmother's death was not your fault, you couldn't have done anything to save her. She died of cancer and even dad couldn't save her.

"You're not a werewolf but I know you know how powerful a mate's mate is and she carried my father's mark but even with that mark, she still died.

"My father's mark wasn't just any mark, it was a mark of a king, the most powerful mark in the werewolf world and if there was something that could've saved her life, it was that mark.

"What happened is already in the past, we can't change it but all we can do now is pray that wherever she is, her soul is resting in peace."

Even though I still wish I could've done something for her, I don't want my mother to carry the guilt for the rest of her life.

I remember when dad told me about my stepmother's will, he had told me that she wanted to leave her shares to both Samantha and me.

Even though I believed him, a part of me also believed he was just saying all those things because he loved her, she was his ex-wife after all and also his mate.

"I just wish I did something, if not for anything, just for Samantha or maybe just to mend my ways."

"Mom, stop thinking like that. I know Sam forgave you, you know it too. Your relationship with her will never be the same but you still have a relationship with her.

"You should focus on that and nothing else."

Talking about my stepmother after her death has always been a sensitive topic. Her death left a void in our lives and it will always be there.

"Did you come for Alex's birthday?" I decided to change the topic.

"Oh yeah, I realised I've never organised his birthday parties before nor did I assist in the arrangements so I thought this year I could do everything.

"I don't want him to think that I don't care about him. I know he will grow up one day and I don't even want to think what he would think when he learns that he has a stepmother who didn't care about him."

"Mom, you know that's silly."

"Fine, I', not going to argue with you on that." She thought for a second and then looked at me. "Ah! I asked Amira to help me, she didn't want to at first but I convinced her."

"Amira?"

"Yes, I thought since she is already here and Kiera is busy with rehearsals for her performance this Sunday, why not?

"After all, she's going to be the one to handle all the arrangements in the future and Sam didn't have a problem with me organising the party."

I didn't know my mother spoke with my mate for long but if she already asked her to help with arrangements then that means they talked for a while.

"Don't look at me like that, we didn't talk about you." I highly doubt that. Knowing my mother, she must've told her about everything I did as a child.

"Ok, maybe a little. I was surprised she didn't know Kiera, I just assumed you told her everything about you."

I don't see a reason why I should tell my mate about my sister's best friend. I know I also see her as a friend or a sister but talking about another woman to her is not really a great idea.

I don't want her to start imagining things and also overthinking. A notification from my phone made me stop telling that to my mother.

I looked at the screen and smiled. 

So you used the card after all. I thought you said you didn't need it. Women!