life.”
“Speaking of new lives,” Angela chimed in, wearing a soft, motherly smile on her face. “Li Min and I have a little something for you.”
She held out her hand, and I took it, letting Rini’s fall away as we all moved to take a seat on the couch. I carefully tucked my dress beneath me as I sat, watching the pins to make sure I didn’t skewer myself in the process.
Angela settled on one side of me and Li Min took the other, both of them appearing eager if not a little hesitant.
“Now, we know that you’re doing a mating ceremony and not a wedding ceremony, but your men realized that the human tradition was one you may be more comfortable with, and Li Min and I came up with an idea for you,” Angela began.
“A gift, if you will.” Li Min was vibrating with excited energy beside me, practically bouncing in her seat as Angela pulled out a square box about the size of her hand. She gave it to Li Min before drawing out a smaller box and holding it between her fingers.
“We also understand that this tradition is often shared between a mother and daughter, and we thought long and hard about presenting you with these gifts,” Angela admitted, her gaze searching my face as she studied my reaction.
“Celebrations like weddings are so often full of family, and we both know how hard it must be for you to face such a big event without your mother by your side. But we want you to know that we think of you as a daughter, Annika,” Li Min said gently, and her hand landed softly on my arm. She applied a light, squeezing pressure that was reassuring and parental.
Rini perched on the arm of the couch next to her mother with glistening eyes, and I started to feel the tears gather along my lash line.
“I knew from the first time I heard Theo utter your name that you were important to him,” Angela spoke, garnering my attention, “and it was only confirmed when I finally got to meet you for myself. You walked into my house, and I saw it written all over his face.” Angela smiled as though she remembered the moment like it was yesterday. “He loved you, as did the other boys. They were smitten, and they still are.” She motioned to her daughter who was sitting opposite us. “Molly can tell you, as soon as you all left, I turned to her and said you were the one for them. Their mate. Their true mate. I knew then that you were my daughter as surely as I recognized my mate in Theo’s father the first time I met him. Family is a strong, unbreakable bond to me, Nix. And you’re a part of my family. You have been since day one.”
I blinked and glanced down, trying to compose myself. The truth was, I’d been thinking about my mother more and more lately. Ever since my talk with sweet little Emersyn, I’d been wondering what it would be like if my mother was still alive.
I didn’t think about the what-ifs of my past, because I knew I couldn’t change any of that, and wishing for something different wasn’t healthy. I’d survived hell, walked through fire, and emerged stronger on the other side.
What I couldn’t help devoting hours of thought to, however, was wondering what my mother had been like. I tried to imagine her here with me today, fussing over my dress and laughing with me as I dreamed about my future. I hated that I didn’t remember enough of her to even be able to form a clear picture. I barely even recalled her face, let alone her personality.
The lack of memories left a hole in me that I couldn’t fill. I didn’t know her, and that thought hurt more than the sharp, piercing stings of a hundred bees. It needled at me and left me feeling more unsettled with each passing day.
Sniffling, I caved and swiped at my eyes, offering the two women beside me a watery smile. “The truth is, I don’t remember much of my mother. You both know my backstory. I don’t have any family to call my own,” I divulged, unwilling to let my mind wander to Mordred or Stepanov, neither whom I claimed as family despite whatever DNA we shared, “but I’ve always felt so welcomed and loved by you both.” I reached for them, proud of how